<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-08-22</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000716634</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>READING INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RDI.A</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000904763</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>COTTER JAMES J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O READING ENTERTAINMENT INC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>120 NORTH ROBERTSON BLVD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90048</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chair &amp; Chief Exec.Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class B Voting Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-08-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>696080</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.06</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1023888</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Nonvoting Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-08-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>617924</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.7</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2565222</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Nonvoting Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Cotter Associates LLC</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>

        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Nonvoting Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1565782</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Note</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>

        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Nonvoting Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>29730</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Profit Sharing Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>5.06</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-08-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>696080</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.06</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1995-06-11</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2005-06-10</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class B Voting Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>696080</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Mr. Cotter is the general partner of a limited partnership which is, in turn, the general partner of Hecco Ventures, a California partnership.  Mr. Cotter has voting power over the shares owned by Hecco Ventures.  His pecuniary interest varies from time to time depending upon the extent of his capital account in the limited partnership and of the limited partnership's capital account in Hecco Ventures.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ James J. Cotter</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-08-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

