The buzz of the big screen is back. Theatres are selling out across the country as Australians reignite their love for cinema.

Australian cinema has long been on the decline and its very existence has been threatened.

The average Australian attended the movies less than five times last year. This figure was once as high as 11 times annually, but has been on a gradual decline since 2000. However, the tides could be turning in the wake of recent releases Barbie and Oppenheimer, which continue to smash box office records and draw people back to theatres.

So, has the recent success of blockbuster movies provided cinema with a much-needed revival?

HOYTS area manager Tanya Brown tells upstart that the recent influx of movie-goers has excited those within the cinema industry.

“The recent success of Barbie and Oppenheimer has proved that cinema continues to be the number one pop culture activity for Australians,” she tells upstart.

Barbie and Oppenheimer were both released on 20 July of this year and instantly smashed records at the box office. The ‘Barbenheimer’ effect saw theatres sold out across the country as avid movie buffs booked tickets to see both movies on release day. The two movies combined for the biggest opening weekend at the box office since 2019.

Over its run, Barbie became the top movie of 2023 generating AUD $21.55 million at the Australian box office in its first weekend, while Oppenheimer made AUD $9.4 million. The movies made more than USD $750 million from the weekend globally.

Barbie isn’t slowing down yet despite its release on streaming services. The Greta Gerwig-directed film has now amassed more than USD $1.4 billion dollars worldwide, while Oppenheimer recently surpassed USD $930 million.

It’s a fact that going to the cinema is not as popular as it once was, and the ease of consuming the same movies on your couch has become more appealing. This growth of streaming services can be held largely responsible for the decline in cinema that is heavily impacting the industry. However, Brown says the industry has recently faced a different set of challenges relating to the production of new movies.

“Content has probably been the biggest challenge with the studio strikes at the moment,” she says.

“We are optimistic, but there is a concern about making sure we have got content available to play on our screens.”

The latest surge in cinema popularity has been felt at all levels, including at La Trobe University as the cinema club continues to grow in just its second year. The club runs free movie screenings on campus every fortnight to recreate the experience of seeing a film on the big screen. Vice president John David says the club has seen a strong rise in attendees recently.

“The growth this year has been amazing … one of our first screenings we had like 80 people show up, it’s been great,” David says.

Some of David’s favourite younger memories included going to the movies with his father. The 24-year-old says this is where he first found his passion for cinema and his motivation to replicate that environment.

“I’ve always said it, nothing compares to watching a movie in the cinema … it’s just a surreal experience to me,” he says.

“It has an effect on you, and that’s what we hope to bring at the La Trobe Cinema Club … rather than just having your laptop and when it’s over, going ‘whatever’ and closing it.”

There has been a shift in content as audiences are beginning to evolve and have different views on the diverse and different content that is in demand. David says he expects movies like Barbie and Oppenheimer to revolutionise the movie production scene and help drive more successful Australian content in the future.

“There is a need for audience to want to go to cinema … the movies are obviously not dead; audiences are just changing what they love, and I think that’s great,” he says.

“It’s an art form and sometimes I think streaming services diminish that.”

Photo: High-Angle Shot of People Watching Movie Inside the Theater by Bence Szemerey available HERE and used under a Creative Commons license. This image has not been modified.