“People want a third place, they want to be somewhere other than home and work,” he said.

The percentage of Australians attending the cinema at least once a year dropped from 68 per cent in 2019 to 59 per cent in 2024, with the average number of visits per person dropping from 6.3 to 4.6 annually, according to Screen Australia statistics.

Meanwhile, streaming services continue to build, with people spending more to support multiple subscriptions in 2025, according to technology analysts Telsyte.

Netflix boasted 6.4 million subscriptions, up 3 per cent from 2024, followed by Amazon Prime with 5.1 million, up 2 per cent, and 3.3 million subscribers for Disney+, up 6 per cent.

Despite the streaming surge, movie-going remained the nation’s most popular cultural activity, Cinema Association Australasia executive director Cameron Mitchell said.

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A 2026 season with major exclusive theatrical releases, including instalments in the Toy Story, Super Mario, Hunger Games and Avengers franchises would mark a bumper year for cinema operators, he added.

More than 50 million movie tickets were expected to be sold in 2025 as families looked to enjoy a shared cinema experience that couldn’t be replicated at home on the couch, Mitchell said.

Burke said movie studios had relied on “tent pole” releases post-pandemic, such as big-budget action adventure films or family musicals like Wicked.

In contrast, mid-budget films such as romantic comedies and dramas had been lost to streamers.

“This year, unless you want to see Zootopia or Avatar, there’s not the same wealth of options you would get on a (streaming service),” the expert said.

Generation Alpha, made up of children aged 14 and under, craved the novelty of the multiplex, Burke noted, pointing to 2025 film successes A Minecraft Movie, Taylor Swift’s concert films and KPop Demon Hunters.

“That communal experience, the opportunity to sing, laugh and cry together in this form remains somewhat unmatched, no matter how many streaming services you have at home,” he said.

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