Consolidated Statements Of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Common Shares [Member] Class A [Member]	Common Shares [Member] Class B [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) [Member]	Treasury Shares [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/(Loss) [Member]	Reading International Inc. Stockholders' Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Stockholders' Equity [Member]	Total
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 229	$ 17	$ 143,815	$ (7,723)	$ (13,524)	$ 11,806	$ 134,620	$ 4,331	$ 138,951
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2015	21,654	1,680
Net income				9,678			9,678	14	9,692	[1]
Other comprehensive income (loss), net						269	269	(1)	268
Share-based compensation expense			609				609		609
Share repurchase plan					(2,850)		(2,850)		(2,850)
Share repurchase plan, shares	(181)
Class A common stock issued for share-based bonuses and options exercised	$ 2		145				147		147
Class A common stock issued for share-based bonuses and options exercised, shares	13
In-kind exchange of shares for the exercise of options, net issued	$ (1)						(1)		(1)
In-kind exchange of shares for the exercise of options, net issued, shares	12
Contributions from noncontrolling shareholders								268	268
Distributions to noncontrolling shareholders								(194)	(194)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 230	$ 17	144,569	1,955	(16,374)	12,075	142,472	4,418	146,890
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2016	21,498	1,680
Net income				31,101			31,101	11	31,112
Other comprehensive income (loss), net						8,916	8,916	19	8,935
Share-based compensation expense			1,000				1,000		1,000
Share repurchase plan					(6,532)		(6,532)		(6,532)
Share repurchase plan, shares	(410)
Class A common stock issued for share-based bonuses and options exercised	$ 1		329				330		330
Class A common stock issued for share-based bonuses and options exercised, shares	90
In-kind exchange of shares for the exercise of options, net issued, shares	23
Restricted Stock Units, shares	50
Contributions from noncontrolling shareholders								193	193
Distributions to noncontrolling shareholders								(310)	(310)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 231	$ 17	145,898	33,056	(22,906)	20,991	177,287	4,331	181,618
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2017	21,251	1,680
Net income				14,366			14,366	132	14,498
Adjustments to opening retained earnings on adoption of ASC 606 | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]				194			194	(2)	192
Other comprehensive income (loss), net						(14,876)	(14,876)	(15)	(14,891)
Share-based compensation expense			1,458				1,458		1,458
Share repurchase plan					(2,316)		(2,316)		(2,316)
Share repurchase plan, shares	(149)
Class A common stock issued for share-based bonuses and options exercised			219				219		219
Class A common stock issued for share-based bonuses and options exercised, shares	35
In-kind exchange of shares for the exercise of options, net issued	$ 1		(74)				(73)		(73)
In-kind exchange of shares for the exercise of options, net issued, shares	13
Restricted Stock Units			(49)				(49)		(49)
Restricted Stock Units, shares	45
Contributions from noncontrolling shareholders								82	82
Distributions to noncontrolling shareholders								(191)	(191)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 232	$ 17	$ 147,452	$ 47,616	$ (25,222)	$ 6,115	$ 176,210	$ 4,337	$ 180,547
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2018	21,195	1,680

[1] Certain prior year balances have been reclassified to conform to the 2017 presentation (see Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Reclassifications).