Cineworld bids US$2.1 billion for Canadian peer Cineplex

British cinema chain Cineworld on Monday said it had bid US$2.1 billion for Canadian peer Cineplex, as it looks to create the largest movie-theatre group in North America.

A tie-up would represent further major international expansion for Cineworld after striking a deal to buy US group Regal for a blockbuster fee two years ago.

"The combination of Cineplex and Regal will create the leading North American cinema operator with unrivalled scale and opportunity," Cineworld chief executive Mooky Greidinger said in a statement Monday.