In a federal court in Massachusetts on Friday, Apple sued a small movie theater chain named Apple Cinemas over alleged trademark infringement.
"Apple Cinemas is knowingly and intentionally using the name Apple to sow confusion for its own benefit," alleged attorneys for Apple, in a complaint filed against all Apple Cinemas locations, and a Sand Media Corp Inc. company connected to the chain.
Established in 2013, Apple Cinemas maintained a limited presence in the Northeastern U.S. until last month, when it opened a theater in San Francisco. The complaint alleges that Apple Cinemas is pursuing a nationwide expansion across the U.S., including in areas near Apple's headquarters and retail stores, leading Apple to take action.
"Faced with Defendants' plan to expand to 100 theaters nationwide, as well as widespread public confusion about Apple's involvement in the theaters, Apple has no alternative but to file this lawsuit to protect its brand and customers from deception," the complaint states.
Apple Cinemas currently has 14 locations, according to its website.
Apple's "repeated efforts to resolve the matter amicably" were unsuccessful. The lawsuit alleges that the companies behind Apple Cinemas have received multiple warnings that the name would cause confusion among consumers, but carried on. The complaint includes examples of some people who believed that Apple Cinemas was owned by Apple, in the comment sections of various online news articles and social media posts.
The first warning came from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which in October 2024 denied Sand Media Corp Inc.'s trademark applications for the "Apple Cinemas" and "ACX — Apple Cinematic Experience" marks, given they were likely to cause confusion with Apple's prior trademark rights, according to the complaint.
Apple has very strong trademark rights in connection with a wide range of goods and services, including movie distribution, its attorneys said.
The second warning came in December 2024, when Apple sent Sand Media Corps Inc. a cease and desist letter directly, according to the complaint. Apple's attorneys also communicated with the company by phone and in writing several times, but it knowingly pushed forward with its Apple Cinemas expansion plans, the complaint adds.
As for how the Apple Cinemas name came to be? According to the complaint, the founders of the chain claim they adopted the name due to a planned first location at the Apple Valley Mall in Rhode Island, but they never opened a location there.
Apple is seeking both an injunction and monetary damages.
