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After months of anticipation, Greenville’s Edge Movie Theater is reopening its doors this Friday at 3 p.m., bringing blockbuster hits back to Butler County.

“The wait is over,” said Jerome Harris III, Parks and Recreation Director, who has been leading the charge to revitalize the facility. “We’ve got Moana 2, Red One, Gladiator 2 and Wicked. Supposedly those are the top movies out right now.”

The theater initially closed in December 2023, after years of financial struggles and a dispute between the former owner and general manager. In January 2024, the City of Greenville acquired the property, entrusting Harris to oversee its renovation and reopening.

The theater will operate five days a week, closed on Mondays and Wednesdays. On Tuesdays, discounted tickets are $8. Regular ticket prices are $10, with discounts of $9 for children aged 3-11, seniors 65 and over and military personnel. Children under 3 are admitted free.

In January, Harris also revealed plans to use half of the facility for additional entertainment options, with arcade games, bounce houses and even a restaurant listed as possibilities. 

“We’ve created an atmosphere not only for Butler County but for the surrounding area,” Harris said. “We’re looking forward to doing a lot more in that building as time goes on.”

To enhance the theater experience, Harris announced partnerships with local vendors in addition to theater concessions. 

“We’re going to have Chapman Simmons [Camellia’s Pizza and Creamery] start off working with us for pizza and different stuff like that,” he said. “We’ll have food trucks out there on different days and plan a variety of events to keep the community engaged.”

Harris noted his hopes that surrounding communities will turn to Greenville instead of traveling to larger cities but emphasized the importance of involvement from local residents.

“Greenville’s been asking for it. Let’s see how well we support it,” he said. “The key to whatever we’re doing is the support from the community. Don’t let the outsiders support us more than Greenville.”