The Best Outdoor Cinemas in London

11th February 2019 Liam Porter London Life, What's On

With the light nights and warmer weather on their way back, you’ll no doubt be thinking about how to spend your summer evenings in the capital. Escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and spend your evening beneath the stars in one of the many outdoor cinemas in London. Catch a blockbuster with friends in a glorious hidden fountain square, a private woodland, or atop one of the city’s many tower rooftops.

Nearly all open-air cinemas in London come with street-food catering and pop-up bars which allow you to make the most of your summer nights. To help you plan, we’ve put together a guide to the very best outdoor cinemas to complement your student living in London. It even includes some year-round options for those of a more impatient nature.

Best Outdoor Cinemas in London

Summer may have a reputation for being short in the UK. But that doesn’t mean we don’t make the most out of dry, warm nights. Outdoor cinemas in London come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You also have the choice of going somewhere that shows a recent release or watching a classic on the big screen. Whatever your film preferences, there are plenty to choose from. Here are our top ten outdoor cinemas in London:

1. Nomad Cinema

A pop-up cinema with a difference. Nomad gives 100% of its profits to The Sustainability Institute charity; a sustainable living and learning centre in South Africa. With locations ranging from Queen’s Park to Brompton Cemetery – you won’t be short of options to catch one of their events. The venues offer both classic films, and new releases, so keep an eye on their timetable to have the pick of films. And don’t think this is just a summer venture either, Nomad has a year-round schedule for their open-air theatres. This includes films played on Halloween and over Christmas.

Website: http://www.whereisthenomad.com/
Address: Various venues throughout London
Nearest Station: Dependant on the venue
Open: Year-round
Screening Time: Various

2. The Luna Cinema

Luna outdoor cinemas in London range from the stunning gardens of Alexandra Palace to the royal surroundings of Westminster Abbey. The pick of the bunch? The pool-side open-air cinema in Brockwell, where you can float on a rubber dinghy while classics and new releases play on-screen. Just don’t ask for Titanic or Jaws! When it comes to atmospheric outdoor cinemas, the Luna Cinema has found the best spots.

Address: Various venues throughout London
Nearest Station: Dependant on the venue
Website: https://thelunacinema.com/
Open: Summer (2022 dates not released yet)
Screening Time: Various

3. Bar Elba

If you want to make a night of your open-air cinema event, head to Bar Elba. Just a ten-minute walk from our Westminster Bridge student accommodation. During the summer this bar turns its rooftop into an atmospheric outdoor cinema. Along with the screening of a favourite film, you’ll get bottomless drinks too! Everyone gets headphones, so you can block out any noise as you watch both a film and the sunset from this iconic London outdoor cinema.

Address: Bar Elba, Rooftop Mercury House, 109-117 Waterloo Rd, London SE1 8UL
Nearest Station: Lambeth North Station
Website: https://bar-elba.co.uk/events/rooftop-movies/
Open: Summer – 2022 dates not released yet
Screening Time: Various

4. Herne Hill Free Film Festival

Every May, a team of community volunteers gets together to host one of the best open-air cinemas in London – the Herne Hill Free Film Festival. Previous years have included a variety of films ranging from site-specific screenings, critically acclaimed feature films, and documentaries – many of which are screened in stunning outdoor locations.

Address: Various locations around Herne Hill
Nearest Station: Herne Hill
Website: https://www.freefilmfestivals.org/filmfestival/herne-hill/
Open: Yearly May festival with one-off special events throughout the year
Screening Time: Various

5. Rooftop Film Club

With two open-air rooftop locations, this London cinema is a staple over the summer for film buffs. You can find these cinemas in both Peckham and Stratford. Here you can watch new releases and firm favourites such as Dirty Dancing. Expect comfortable deckchairs and headphones, and if you get peckish you can order delicious food right to your chair! Being on rooftops you can also enjoy spectacular views of London before and after the film.

Address: Various locations
Nearest Station: Dependant on the venue
Website: https://rooftopfilmclub.com/
Open: May to September
Screening Time: Sunset

6. Pop Up Screens

Picture a beautiful green space. Add a bar, an impressive screen, a fantastic sound system, and rows of comfy outdoor chairs. The result? One of Pop Up Screen’s stunning outdoor cinemas in London. With exciting locations dotted all around the capital, you’ll be sure to find an outdoor film close. This outdoor cinema not only shows favourites and new releases but also cult classics like The Goonies. So if you’re looking for a quirkier film, check out Pop Up Screens timetable.

Address: Various locations
Nearest Station: Dependant on the venue
Website: https://www.popupscreens.co.uk/
Open: May to September
Screening Time: Various

7. Regents Park Open Air Theatre

So technically not a cinema, for those more interested in theatre and live productions, the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is perfect. With an amphitheater-like seating and gorgeous natural surroundings, this is one of the best ways to see theatre. The schedule includes world-famous productions like Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Evita, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This open-air theatre in London has its first show in May and runs through a number of productions before the end of the season finale in September. If you stay in our King’s Cross student accommodation, this venue is just a 30-minute tube ride, so it makes a great summer evening activity for our guests.

Address: Regents Park, Inner City, London NW1 4NU
Nearest Station: Regents Park
Website: https://openairtheatre.com/
Open: May to September
Screening Time: Various

8. Film 4 Summer Screen

In August, Film4 is hosting their summer screen in the glorious Fountain Court of Somerset House. Expect exclusive DJ sets, introductions by directors, and exemplary surround sound, all alongside a stellar line-up of the best films. This is not one to be missed. Whether you’re into classics or recent blockbusters, you’re in for a visually spectacular evening at this London outdoor cinema.

Address: Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA
Nearest Stations: Charing Cross
Website: https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/film4-summer-screen
Open: August
Screening Time: See website for lineup information

9. Barbican Outdoor Cinema

For just one week in August, you can enjoy an outdoor cinema experience in the Barbican Centre. This centrally located cinema is found just a 25-minute walk from our Tower Bridge student accommodation. In the spectacular sculpture court, it’s not just films that will amaze you in this outdoor cinema. There are double bills, films that are visual art, and romances on offer during this short-running cinema.

Address: Barbican Centre, Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS
Nearest Station: Liverpool Street
Website: https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2021/series/outdoor-cinema
Open: August
Screening Time: 8:30 pm

10. Summer Showtime on the Coaling Jetty

Run by the adjacent cinema in The Arches, this London open-air cinema has a backdrop of Battersea Power Station and looks over the Thames. Both outdoor cinema and theatre are run at this venue at the Coaling Jetty. The historic jetty and Grade II listed power station makes this a unique outdoor cinema location in London. Films shown are firm favourites and crowd-pleasers. So if you missed a film on a big screen in the past, you may be able to get the experience here.

Address: Battersea Power Station Pier, London SW8 4NR
Nearest Station: Clapham Common
Website: https://batterseapowerstation.co.uk/whats-on/detail/summer-showtime-on-the-coaling-jetty
Open: July – August
Screening Time: Various

Summer in London

If you’re looking for things to do in London during the summer, there’s plenty to keep you occupied such as outdoor cinemas. And there are plenty of parks, rooftop bars, markets, and more.

For more great things to do in London visit our London Life Journal and make sure to read 21 Quirky Things to Do in London. Find out what else the capital has to offer!