Notes Payable (Narrative) (Details)	9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		9 Months Ended					12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended			0 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	0 Months Ended		0 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 NAB Australian Corporate Credit Facility [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 US Bank Of America Revolver [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 US Bank Of America Revolver [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 US Bank Of America Revolver [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 25, 2013 US Bank Of America Revolver [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 NAB Australian Corporate Term Loan And Revolver Tier One [Member] AUD	Sep. 30, 2014 NAB Australian Corporate Term Loan And Revolver Tier Two [Member] AUD	Sep. 30, 2014 NAB Australian Corporate Term Loan And Revolver Tier Three [Member] AUD	Sep. 30, 2014 New Zealand Corporate Credit Facility [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 New Zealand Corporate Credit Facility [Member] NZD	Dec. 31, 2013 New Zealand Corporate Credit Facility [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 01, 2013 US Liberty Theaters Term Loan [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 28, 2013 US Bank Of America Line Of Credit [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 US Bank Of America Line Of Credit [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 26, 2014 Previous US Cinemas 1, 2, 3 Term Loan [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 26, 2014 US Cinema 1, 2, 3 Term Loan [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 US Cinema 1, 2, 3 Term Loan [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 US Cinema 1, 2, 3 Term Loan [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 US Union Square Theatre Term Loan [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 US Union Square Theatre Term Loan [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2013 Minetta And Orpheum Theaters Loan [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 Minetta And Orpheum Theaters Loan [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Minetta And Orpheum Theaters Loan [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 18, 2013 US Sutton Hill Capital Note – Related Party [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 US Sutton Hill Capital Note – Related Party [Member]	Jun. 18, 2013 US Sutton Hill Capital Note – Related Party [Member] Reading International Inc. [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 18, 2013 US Sutton Hill Capital Note – Related Party [Member] Sutton Hill Capital [Member] USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate				7.85%		5.20%																			1.15%
Swap contract rate				1.15%		1.20%
Interest rate margin				2.35%		4.00%																		2.75%
Interest rate				5.07%		2.65%	2.67%					5.50%	5.50%	4.80%						3.65%	5.21%	5.92%	5.92%		2.90%	2.91%
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity								$ 35,000,000	61,200,000	10,000,000	5,000,000						$ 5,000,000
Spread on variable interest rate									2.35%	1.50%										3.50%					2.75%
Annual amortization									2,000,000
Maturity date						Oct. 31, 2017			Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015							Jul. 01, 2016		May 01, 2015			Jun. 01, 2018
Line of credit facility, previous maximum borrowing capacity								30,000,000
Additional amount borrowed					5,000,000														6,000,000
Repayment of loan	6,627,000	25,133,000													2,300,000	2,000,000		15,000,000									9,000,000		6,750,000	2,250,000
Loan extension period																				2 years
Interest rate measurement period																				30 days
Note payable	$ 159,656,000		$ 168,460,000			$ 29,750,000	$ 31,500,000					$ 21,806,000	28,000,000	$ 23,041,000						$ 15,000,000	$ 15,000,000	$ 6,531,000	$ 6,717,000	$ 7,500,000	$ 7,500,000	$ 7,500,000
Interest rate cap																									4.00%
Interest rate																											8.25%
Ownership percentage by parent																												75.00%