The world has woken up to one of the most exciting mornings in movie history. Two long-awaited films are finally open to the public. Crowds are forming outside cinemas across the globe. Their choices will decide "the box office fight of the century".

In the white corner there is Oppenheimer, a dark, intense drama about J Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist whose team created the atomic bombA bomb that rapidly releases nuclear energy. .

In the pink corner we have Barbie: a bright comedy in pastel colours.¹ It tells the story of a plastic doll who goes on a journey of self-discovery after leaving her fantasy home and travelling to the real world.

These two films are nothing alike. Yet critics are waiting with bated breath for the result of their clash. Both were hyped for months. Both have met rave reviews. But which will win the box office battle?² And how many people will watch both on the same day?

The "Barbenheimer" rivalry suggests that cinemas are in rude health. Cities are plastered with posters and billboards advertising both. When you search for Barbie on Google, the screen sparkles and turns pink.

Yet the circus around these new films obscures a dark time for cinema-going. According to film director Sam Mendes, "the great era of movies... is dying". Barbie and Oppenheimer are an exception to the wider decline.

There are several reasons. We live in a streaming era, with thousands of films available on our laptops and televisions. During the pandemic, people got used to watching movies on smaller screens. Working from home has made people less likely to stop by a cinema after work. And the present cost of livingThe money that someone needs to afford basic food, housing and clothes. crisis has reduced the appetite for buying expensive tickets.

All of these have had a terrible effect on cinemas, which face their own rising costs. Independent cinemas across the world are facing closure, from Paris' fabled Cinema La Clef to Los Angeles' iconic Cinerama Dome.

Simon Drysdale, from Tyneside Cinema in north east England, says: "We're 40 percent down on attendances from pre-pandemic and our costs are stratosphericRelating to a layer of the Earth's atmosphere - often just used to mean "extremely high". . We were struggling pre-pandemic, but the situation is pretty dire now."

It is not just small cinemas that are struggling. The American chain Cineworld announced bankruptcyWhen a person or group has no money left and cannot pay off their debts. last year. Its UK branch is preparing to do the same, threatening 128 cinemas.

Even the stars are worried. Big-name actors including George Clooney and Jessica Chastain are currently striking for better pay and protection against AIA computer programme that has been designed to think. . They join film and television writers. Hollywood has ground to a halt as a result.

All the gloom, however, conceals some major successes. The cinema has seen off television and video recordings, and it could well survive streaming. 2019 was the best year for cinemas since 1971. The 10 biggest opening weekends in film history all happened since 2011.

Cinemas could stay alive by adapting to new needs. Netflix film head Scott Stuber says: "I think theatres will evolve and host social events", such as big sporting events, e-game tournaments and television screenings.

Yes: There are moments of hope, but the trend is downward. Take it from someone who knows, the great film director David Lynch: "Feature films are in a bad place, series have taken their place." 

No: The world moves quickly. The post-pandemic decline could be a temporary blip. As London cinema founder Tyrone Walker-Hebborn says: "People do love it, they just need to get back in the habit."

Or... The golden age of cinema is dead. But film still has a role for those who support it. Opera's heyday ended a century ago, but it still has an existence as a heritage medium. Cinema could be the same.