‘A Quiet Place’ writers to open movie theater, rooftop bar, downtown Davenport

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - Two filmmakers from Bettendorf are behind a plan to transform a vacant building downtown Davenport into a movie theater and social space.

‘The Last Picture House’ will be a two-story movie theater with a social lounge, cocktail bar, and rooftop bar once complete. The theater will be at the corner of 2nd and Iowa Streets in downtown Davenport. The building has sat vacant since the 2019 flood, according to the owner.

The project won six hundred thousand dollars in state funding. In total, the project will cost $3.7 million dollars. The funding is among four Destination Iowa projects announced by Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Economic Development Authority, totaling $14.1 million in new grant funding.

Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, both from Bettendorf and University of Iowa alumni, are behind the project. The two co-wrote the 2018 blockbuster horror film ‘A Quiet Place’.

“We’re not only going to be showing first-run movies but classics, independents, foreign films, family films, it’s for the community and everybody,” said Beck.

The theater will have two screens and space for another outside on the rooftop bar. The space will feature special guests, local filmmakers, and artifacts from Hollywood like costumes and props. The two filmmakers have traveled the world and say starting a theater in their hometown area - is something special.

“As we have traveled the world and seen so many incredible movie theaters we have been dreaming about combining our favorite elements and doing our best to put our dream theater forward and bring it into the community that we love and where we grew up,” said Woods, “It’s a really incredible area that just seems to keep booming and we are happy to be just a little part of it.”

Beck added, “The Quad Cities has always held a special place in our hearts. Our families are still back here, so we always try to see what’s the latest in terms of the development downtown. What’s been so exciting over the last few years is downtown Davenport has fostered so many incredible places and there are many wonderful business owners who have come back to the downtown region and developed that. So for us, we are just happy to join the neighborhood and hope that The Last Picture House will really be an addition to everything that’s been growing in downtown Davenport.”

“A small movie theater will be a significant amenity for downtown Davenport and we’re just as excited as everyone else to see it get off the ground soon,” said Kyle Carter, Executive Director of the Downtown Davenport Partnership.

The theater is set to open next spring.

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