Omniplex Cinema Sunderland
Twelve-screen city-centre cinema on Lambton Street in Sunniside, run by Omniplex in the former Empire cinema, with a MAXX large-format screen and a first-floor premium area.
About Omniplex Cinema Sunderland
Sunderland's city-centre cinema sits on Lambton Street in the Sunniside area, in the building that operated as an Empire cinema until Empire Cinemas went into administration in 2023. Sunderland City Council bought the site, and the Irish operator Omniplex took a lease and reopened it under its own name.
The cinema has 12 screens, including a premium large-format MAXX screen with recliner seats and Dolby Atmos sound, a screen fitted with sofa beds, and The Avenue, a first-floor area with balcony seating and armchairs. Alongside new releases it shows event cinema such as concert films and pantomime broadcasts. A food truck operates in the lounge. Listings and booking are on the Omniplex website. The cinema is a few minutes' walk from Sunniside's bars and restaurants and from the Fire Station and the Empire on High Street West.
Featured in These Guides
Blog posts and guides that feature Omniplex Cinema Sunderland.
Sunderland on Screen: Film, TV and the Places Behind Them
Sunderland 'Til I Die, Premier Passions, the Empire premiere, Penshaw on television and the new Crown Works Studios: the city's screen story and the places you can visit.
Date Night in Sunderland
Ideas for a date night in Sunderland, from a show at the Empire or The Fire Station to dinner in Sunniside, cocktails on Keel Square and an evening by the sea at Roker.
Children's Birthday Party Venues in Sunderland
Football in a 4G barn, climbing, skiing, trampolining and soft play: Sunderland venues that host children's birthday parties, with what each one offers.
Family Activities in Sunderland: Days Out, Indoor Fun and Weekly Clubs
Beaches, country parks, wetlands, castles, climbing, swimming and soft play: a family guide to Sunderland, with links to our detailed guides for each.
Rainy Day Ideas for Families in Sunderland
Indoor things to do with children in Sunderland when it rains: Culture House, swimming, soft play, trampolining, the cinema, a pantomime at the Empire and smaller museums.
Things to Do in Sunderland: The Complete Guide
From Roker Pier and the Seaburn sands to the Empire, Culture House, Penshaw Monument and St Peter's Church, a practical guide to things to do in Sunderland.
More Community in Sunderland
Sunderland Empire
Sunderland's large-scale theatre on High Street West, opened in 1907 and now run by Ambassador Theatre Group, staging touring musicals, plays, comedy and the annual pantomime.
The Fire Station
Live music and performance venue in Sunderland's former Central Fire Station, with a purpose-built auditorium for around 550 seated or 800 standing, plus a bar and restaurant in the old engine house.
Culture House
Sunderland's new multi-purpose cultural building on Keel Square, opened in September 2026, home to the City Library, exhibition space and bookable rooms.
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