Tech giant Apple has filed a lawsuit against a small movie theater chain called Apple Cinemas, alleging trademark infringement and causing confusion among consumers. The chain, which currently operates 14 locations in the Northeastern US, recently expanded to San Francisco despite receiving multiple warnings from Apple about its name potentially causing confusion.
Apple’s complaint claims that the company behind Apple Cinemas knowingly ignored these warnings, despite being given the opportunity to resolve the matter amicably. The court documents also cite examples of consumers mistakenly believing that Apple Cinemas was affiliated with the tech giant.
The US Patent and Trademark Office previously denied Apple Cinemas’ trademark applications for two marks, including “Apple Cinemas” and “ACX — Apple Cinematic Experience”, citing the potential to cause confusion with Apple’s prior trademark rights. Apple had also sent a cease and desist letter to the company in December 2024, but it continued to pursue its expansion plans.
Apple is seeking both an injunction to stop the use of the name and monetary damages for what it considers trademark infringement.
Source: https://www.macrumors.com/2025/08/02/apple-vs-apple-cinemas