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What is Secret Cinema?
Specialising in immersive film and TV events, Secret Cinema blends interactive performances with live actors and dramatic venue transformations to transport audiences directly into the world of their favourite stories. It is not a typical screening of a film but, arguably, a completely new format; audiences are encouraged to come dressed to fit the part and prepare themselves to get involved in the action.
When did it start?
Founded in 2007, it was a counterpart to Future Cinema, a cinema company that screened films without releasing the title to audiences beforehand.
Their first event was a screening of the 1947 film, Money Can Buy, promoted withthe tagline was ‘Tell No One’. 400 people signed up to watch a mystery film without knowing anything about what the night would entail. It ended up taking place in an abandoned railway tunnel, to rave success.
Other films from their first screenings include Ghostbusters, Alien, and Lawrence of Arabia.
In an interview with the BBC, founder Fabien Riggall said he was inspired to start Secret Cinema from when he was a child who “wanted to live inside the film”. As a filmmaker himself, he wanted to bring the experience of going to the cinema closer to that of going to a concert, music festival, or nightclub. The focus of the experience is what unfolds in the room.
Originally, the company hosted just one screening per night in a single location. Now their upcoming production of Grease in London boasts a six-week run.
What are their shows like?
Unlike traditional cinema screenings, Secret Cinema asks attendees to become active participants in the action.
The show completely depends on the film chosen. For example, the 2015 production of The Empire Strikes Back cast visitors as Rebel agents, immersing them in a re-creation of the original Star Wars film inside a disused print factory transformed into the Death Star and the desert world of Tatooine.
What makes each show similar, however, is the goal of transporting attendees into the worlds of their favourite films and TV shows. Whether it’s donning formalwear for Casino Royale, exchanging codewords with actors and gambling at a (fake) poker table, to strolling the cobbled streets of Montmartre for Moulin Rouge, or navigating a dystopian Los Angeles on the edge of collapse in Blade Runner: The Final Cut – every experience is designed to blur the line between fiction and reality.
Aesthetics are at the heart of the film selection process – the style of each film chosen needs to be strong enough to inspire a fully immersive experience. Design plays a crucial role, with Secret Cinema’s team either finding a location that connects directly to the story, transforming an existing building, or building a set from scratch inside a warehouse.
For example, Secret Cinema’s 2018 production of Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 Romeo + Juliet was set in a transformed Gunnersbury Park, split between the territories of the two rival families with audience members assigned to either house.
Each event is a large-scale production, featuring elaborate sets and dozens, if not hundreds, of actors. The film is usually screened following one to two hours of immersive performance.
What sets Secret Cinema apart from other immersive experiences?
Whilst comparisons can be drawn to Punchdrunk, You Me Bum Bum Train, or the Bridge Theatre’s immersive productions, Secret Cinema stands apart in its unique approach to expanding and reimagining the cinematic experience.
This isn’t simply watching a film in 4D or a theatre production in the round; Secret Cinema goes much further. With immersive environments, live actors, expanded storylines, and striking digital elements, it creates a fully enveloping world.
Secret Cinema has expanded geographically to beyond its London home, with productions having now taken place in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia.
In recent years, the company has partnered with streaming platforms and distributors. Notably, in 2012, Prometheus, with endorsement from Ridley Scott and 20th Century Fox, was released in cinemas and through Secret Cinema’s immersive screenings simultaneously, with the latter outperforming London’s BFI IMAX at the box office.
Above all, Secret Cinema fosters a sense of communal experience that traditional cinema often lacks. Especially following the pandemic, it has reenergised audience engagement by placing fans at the very heart of the story.
Secret Cinema’s charity and community initiatives are also a core part of its work, focusing on cultural enrichment, youth empowerment, and social impact. The company engages local communities through school partnerships, mentorship schemes, creative programme for young people aged 14 to 25 amongst other projects, offering hands-on experience and pathways into the creative industries.
For each production, Secret Cinema partners with a charity that aligns with the event’s theme, incorporating the cause into the narrative, and encouraging audience donations. Since 2015, these efforts have raised over £130,000 for organisations such as Childline, CALM, MAC-UK, World Land Trust, Trees for Cities and Help Refugees.
What are Secret Cinema screening next?
Secret Cinema is returning to London this summer with ‘GREASE: The Immersive Movie Musical’, promising “an immersive and unforgettable cinematic theatrical experience”.
You’ll find yourself immersed in the halls of Rydell High alongside Danny and Sandy as every corner of the set comes alive.
The two-and-a-half-hour production based on the 1978 film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John will feature a cast of 30 performing amidst giant multi-screen platforms, turning the venue into a cinematic theatrical experience.
There will also be live music, a summer fairground, and classic American diner-inspired delights, whilst every unforgettable moment and song from Grease unfolds before your eyes.
For the first time, the company says, “the entire film is brought to life all around you with actors and immersive elements seamlessly blending with the on-screen action.”
How can I see on of Secret Cinema’s screenings?
Tickets for ‘GREASE: The Immersive Movie Musical’ are on sale now, with dates between 1st August and 7th September. Tickets start from £49.
Future productions for 2026 and 2027 are set to be announced later this year.