Richard Verrier of the LA Times had the story exclusively a few days ago. Today, ArcLight Cinemas is making it official.

For its first expansion move outside Southern California, the chain has selected an east coast city used as a filming location for Dave, True Lies and several Woody Allen shoots. Per today’s announcement:

ArcLight Cinemas executed a lease today that will open a new location in Bethesda, MD… Construction on the theater in the Westfield Montgomery will begin in early 2013, with the grand opening set for 2014.

It’s not exactly an obvious first choice for an ArcLight east coast location. Then again, square footage is a lot easier to wrangle in Bethesda than it is in Manhattan, Boston or nearby D.C. When the time comes, perhaps actor Daniel Stern, who is originally from Bethesda, can cut the ribbon.

Previously on FishbowlLA:
ArcLight Cinemas Celebrate Ten Glorious Years