Toronto's Revue Cinema will remain operational under its current management until at least October 30, as the court-ordered injunction halting its landlord from issuing an eviction notice has been extended.
Following an outpouring of support from the local community in the form of a Change.org petition that was backed by noted Revue enthusiast, director Guillermo del Toro, the Revue Film Society will continue to run the historic 112-year-old not-for-profit theatre despite vehement objection from owners Danny and Leticia Mullin.
The petition, titled Protect the Revue Cinema, Toronto's Longest-Running Cinema, has already garnered over 23,000 signatures as of press time, with its next goal post set at 25,000 signatures.
"We are so grateful for the outpouring of community support over the past week," wrote Grant Oyston, chair of the Revue Film Society. "It's clear that the community cares deeply about the Revue Cinema, and overwhelmingly wants it to remain in the community, operated as a non-profit organization, with the wonderful staff and programmers we have today."
Danny Mullin, meanwhile, has complained that the board changes members too often, called the theatre in its current state a "disaster," and previously threatened to raise the rent by 50 percent and demanded that the Revue Society pay for upgrades to the façade and various other repairs through his preferred contractor.
What followed has been described as an attempted "hostile takeover," with Mullin aiming to run the business privately, despite not owning the $100,000-plus projector on which the theatre screens its films or employing any of its staff.