The new Castleton Square 14, which opens Friday.

Movies are returning to the city's biggest mall.

Two years after the AMC Art Cinema shut its doors, the same company is opening the Castleton Square 14 on Friday. The city's newest movie theater will feature more than 2,400 plush seats and cutting-edge digital technology.

Les Morris, spokesman for Simon Property Group, which owns Castleton Square Mall, said the theater is part of its new lifestyle expansion, which includes restaurants, new retail space and a book store.

"From a landlord's perspective, the addition of entertainment into the retail mix always enhances the offerings of the property. We're excited they're going to be at Castleton Mall," Morris said.

The theater will feature many innovations that have become a standard part of the exhibition industry: stadium seating, digital surround sound and automated ticket booths.

It also will be the second theater in metropolitan Indianapolis to have all-digital projection. (The Rave Metropolis 18 in Plainfield also is all-digital.) All 14 theaters are equipped with the newest generation of Sony digital projectors, which have four times the resolution of high-definition television.

Ron Keedy, owner of Key Cinemas and a fixture on the local exhibition scene for four decades, said digital distribution of films is fast replacing celluloid, which is expensive to manufacture and ship.

"New cinemas will be built with digital projection and old ones retrofitted as the technology improves and -- more than anything -- becomes cost-effective for theater owners," Keedy said.

He added that digital copies of movies, which are shipped via hard drive, don't degrade over time like celluloid does.

"I'll miss film, very much. But when I can put an old classic up on the screen -- digitized and remastered -- and it looks and sounds better that it did on its opening day back when, I'm all for it. It's the only way we can preserve our film heritage."

AMC is closing the 14-year-old Clearwater Crossing 12 after tonight's shows. The old theater, 2 miles to the west on East 82nd Street, employed about 25 people. Approximately 70 people will work at the new theater.

"All managers were reassigned to different theaters in the area," said AMC spokesman Andy DiOrio. Staff members also were offered jobs at the new theater or other area cinemas.

John Beuoy at Broadbent Co., the landlord for the old theater, said the lease runs through July 2013. Broadbent is negotiating with AMC toward a resolution, but at this point doesn't know what will happen to the space.

THEATER FEATURES

Seating: The complex has more than 2,400 seats in total, about 300 each in its two largest theaters. Like other modern cinemas, they are arranged in tiered stadium-style seating. The LoveSeat design has an articulating back and excellent leg room.

Digital projection: The Castleton Square 14 is the second theater in metropolitan Indianapolis to feature all digital projection. (The Rave Metropolis 18 in Plainfield also is all digital.) And they're using the most cutting-edge technology available, the Sony SXRD 4K projector, which has twice the resolution found in regular digital theaters, and four times that of high-definition television. Only four AMC theaters in the country, all opening Friday, have this projector.

Concessions: Features digital menu boards and standard fare such as popcorn, candy, hot dogs and pretzels. Free refills on large popcorn and drinks, which several theater chains offer. The Clip's Picks combo allows three items from the value menu for $7.50. Patrons can butter their own popcorn.

Automatic tickets: Standard at most theater chains, automated box office terminals allow patrons to buy tickets or pick up tickets pre-ordered on Web sites like Fandango.

Special programs: The MovieWatcher club awards points that can be used for free concession items and tickets, similar to that of Regal Cinemas. The A.M.Cinema program provides before-noon showings of first-run films on Fridays through Sundays for $5.

Opening weekend specials: All ticket buyers get a free large popcorn Friday through Sunday. There will also be a special midnight showing of "I Am Legend" starring Will Smith tonight.