Over the past decade movie theaters increasingly became obsolete. However, after the summer of 2023, many agree that cinema has bounced back, and may be here to stay. 

There are a variety of arguments as to why theaters lost their popularity. Some believe it no longer corresponds with modern culture, and our lack of a “third-place.” However it may just be a misunderstanding as every type of business has closures, and it’s unlikely theaters will be gone within our lifetime. Others argue it was the rise in streaming services, that prompted us to stay home and enjoy film from the comfort of our beds, but with the rise in prices and decline in users, it probably didn’t have that large of an effect on the theaters. The root of issues in cinema most directly correlates to the 2020 Covid pandemic. Before the pandemic movies like Avengers: Endgame grossed billions of dollars and proved to bring in plenty of business for cinemas. But when theaters closed and we were all sent home, many theaters were forced and filming came to a halt. 

Now, in comes the summer of ‘23 kicking it off in June with Spider-man: Across the Spiderverse, a film that piqued every Marvel fan’s interest in returning to theaters. Then, Barbenheimer revived cinemas and the resurgence of the traditional film came at an opportune time, given the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Whether or not you liked Greta Gerwig’s, Barbie or Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer the buzz the two films created is undeniable and has set a new precedent. Since their release movies have been doing better than ever, Trolls: Band Together has grossed over 199 million dollars and reverted Justin Timberlake to his boy-band roots, quite the feat given the previous film resulted in a flop. Anyone But You with Sydney Sweeny and Glen Powell has thus far had remarkable reviews, some saying it is the best rom-com since the 2000s, impressive commentary for many have been disappointed by romantic comedies in the past decade. Even prequels which have always shown to do worse in theaters have changed the narrative, now that The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has brought back everyone’s love for the series. 

Though it appeared to be on the decline, movie theaters are back, and it looks like everyone’s on board. The sticky floors and buttery popcorn are here to stay.