WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — The “Movie Theater of the Future” is opening this week.

The new Grove Theater, Bistro and Entertainment Complex, is renovated from the old Cobb Theater in Wesley Chapel.

Though it’s a tough time for the movie business, that’s not stopping Matheus Gold and his family from going forward with this new project.

“We didn’t want to make this just a normal movie theater. We wanted to make this a lot more. We wanted to make this a full, entertainment complex,” Gold said.

Gold’s family are the developers of The Grove at Wesley Chapel, a growing retail center just off I-75.

They invested millions in the old Cobb Theater when it closed last year, renovating it with new reclining seats, new floors, new amenities and lots of safety measures.

That includes automatic temperature checks, fog machines that disinfect theaters in between showings, and UV light sanitation technology.

The complex offers 12 theaters, with six you can order a full meal in.

It will also have a comedy club, kids area, arcade, sushi bar, restaurant, full bar and a cycling studio. Yes, spinning in a movie theater!

Called Cycle Cinema, the big screen can simulate riding a bike in all kinds of places. Movies might also be shown to spin classes as well.

The bikes are spaced out, much like the assigned seats are for regular movie showings. Guests can go online to book seats in advance.

It’s one of many steps the theater is hoping brings folks in safely.

“We all know a lot of people don’t feel comfortable leaving their homes. So that’s why I wanted to create a safe space for people to come here and feel safe while going out. Because people want to go out,” Gold said.

The old Cobb Theater there closed in 2020 when the parent company went bankrupt.

The new Grove Theater will be open Friday to Sunday for now, with plans to expand hours later.