I seriously doubt cinemas will disappear. Here in the UK they seem to have made a big post pandemic comeback, and in the US, big hits like Top Gun Maverick show there's still a huge audience for certain kinds of mainstream film. I actually think you're going to see a bit of a backlash against streaming. Outside of Hollywood's timid reliance on superheroes, cinema is as incisive and innovative as ever - for example in the independent scene, in British and European films, and in other international markets. Perhaps we'll eventually see a return to the intelligent, mid-budget films of Hollywood yesteryear.

Why? Because home set-ups simply cannot replicate the same experience (and not just for technical reasons, as I explain in this piece). Secondly, streaming is just the latest in a long line of challenges to cinema supremacy that started with television in the 1950s, continued with VHS, DVD, and now streaming. Everytime, after the novelty wore off, people returned to cinemas. True, this time a bigger bomb struck cinemas in the form of Covid, but thankfully (here in the UK at least) the government subsidised all the independent cinemas that show less mainstream fare and rereleases, etc, so they're still thriving (and with decent audience figures). I'm really pleased that's proved to be the case.

It's worth noting that cineaste extremists like me will always go to the cinema, just as the home cinema (contradiction in terms) brigade never will. The key is the middle group - the floating voters, if you like. During the pandemic they had no alternative but to stream. But given the choice, if a film is only in cinemas, they would prefer to see it there, much of the time. Then, if they like it, they might get it on DVD or Blu Ray later, or as a download (yuck - I only do physical media). Studios are foolish to ignore this, as it means disregarding a big part of their income (for example, when Disney foolishly released recent Pixar films straight to Disney+).

I one hundred percent agree on Lawrence of Arabia by the way. That has to be seen in the cinema, and that ought to be a law.