Co-founded by Michael Whalen and Michael Wilson, Paragon Theaters is reshaping the movie-going landscape with a bold, guest-centric approach that blends luxury with innovation. Their latest location in Deerfield Beach—one of three in Broward County—stands as a shining example of that concept.
“Movies come and go too quickly,” says Whalen. “People think, ‘We’ll just watch it on demand,’ and that hurts everyone, including the studios.” That’s why Paragon is all in on giving audiences a reason to venture out to the theater again. At the heart of this mission is the Lux Box Dine-In experience, featuring zero-gravity recliners and app-based ordering, with food like their signature MyPi pizza, made fresh from scratch.
But Paragon’s appeal extends beyond comfort food. The Axis15 Extreme Theater, a 66-foot-wide screen tilted at 15 degrees, uses 4K laser projection and Dolby Atmos sound to immerse viewers in cinematic brilliance. “We want to get people off their couch,” explains Wilson, with a laugh.
Rather than sprawling multiplexes with 20 screens, Paragon focuses on quality over quantity. “You don’t want to have 20 screens and 100,000 square feet and paying $3 million in rent,” Whalen says. “Because of all that, a lot of theater companies don’t get to put money back into the theaters. They don’t get to invest in making the theaters better, like upgrading the seats; they look rundown. So, we are in a sweet spot. Our theaters have six, seven, eight screens. Our lobbies our fresh and intimate feeling. And we have an offering that’s compelling to the consumers amenities and price.”
With perks like $5 Tuesdays and a popular loyalty program, Paragon balances premium offerings with value. Their Florida locations feature a streamlined menu of crowd-pleasers—think chicken wings, fingers, and craft cocktails—tailored to what guests actually want.
Ultimately, Paragon Theaters is tapping into a deep sense of nostalgia while raising the bar for what a night at the movies can be. “There’s still a core audience who loves the theater experience,” says Whalen. Thanks to Paragon, that experience is now better than ever.
