SOMETIMES IT FEELS like the future of cinema is uncertain as streaming services become dominant – until you have a weekend like the one just passed.

Thousands flocked to see either Barbie or Oppenheimer, or both in a ‘Barbenheimer’ double-bill.

This is partly the result of toy manufacturer Mattel’s multi-million dollar marketing machine that ensured Barbie was front and centre in the media for weeks before the film’s launch, but it has also sparked discussion around the role of cinema in 2023.

And after a dry spell of summer blockbusters, a concept that stretches back to Jaws in the 1970s, could this mark their return?

This week, presenter Laura Byrne is joined by journalist and author Aoife Barry, who talks us through the hype machine behind Barbie and how this rubbed off on Oppenheimer.

Did it translate into box office success? Does it mark the return of big summer blockbuster films and maybe a brighter future for the cinema business?

Also, how will the strike by actors and writers in the US impact film and television over the coming months?

The Explainer / SoundCloud

This episode was put together by presenter Laura Byrne, senior producer Nicky Ryan and executive producer Sinéad O’Carroll.

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