Planet Hollywood Returns to NY

Planet Hollywood (Orlando) has returned to New York, introducing an updated version of the restaurant and entertainment venue. Rather than an extensive collection of movie memorabilia, the $20 million space’s central feature is an array of 692 video tiles along its perimeter that the chain says “deliver cutting-edge dining and event experiences through dynamic and interactive displays.”

In its coverage of the news, the New York Post said the new restaurant, which is located on the second and third floors of 136 W. 42nd Street, replaces one in Times Square that closed during the COVID-19 outbreak. (The chain’s original flagship opened in 1991 on West 57th Street, with the star-studded backing of Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, before moving to Times Square in 2020, the Post noted.)

“We’re relaunching Planet Hollywood in Times Square not just as a restaurant but as an all-encompassing sensory experience that magnificently combines innovative technology with the unique flair of Hollywood,” said Robert Earl, Founder and CEO of Planet Hollywood and Earl Enterprises. “This venue is poised to deliver exceptional entertainment and dining in the spirit of New York’s celebrated theatrical grandeur.”

On its main floor, a canopy of glowing stars hangs above walls shimmering with light. The space’s all-encompassing audio-visual experience brings Hollywood to life through synchronized video projections, soundscapes and interactive elements that turn dining into a fully sensory affair.

The restaurant’s second floor features video screens embedded into the dining room’s ceiling, adding to the screens on the four walls.

Once a chain of more than 60 locales, Planet Hollywood now has four restaurants and five resorts.