It’s just a couple of paragraphs at the end of a news article lauding renovations and alterations to the Intercontinental (formerly Hilton) Hotel and Wintergarden Centre in Queen Street, but it seems to confirm that, after 15 years, something is happening at the site of the demolished Regent Theatre.
Noting plans lodged by IFM Investors, the Brisbane Times reports:
Documents attached to the plans also reveal IFM plans to establish office accommodation over the redeveloped Wintergarden mall, and construct a new hotel, office accommodation and residential apartment tower over the vacant site on Elizabeth Street.
This vacant site is the old Regent Theatre, which was demolished in 2011 and 2012. Plans were previously submitted for the site in 2023.
In reference to the “Wintergarden precinct”, IFM’s own website says: “Part of this vision is the refurbishment of the iconic [Harry] Seidler-designed hotel and the reactivation of the heritage-listed Regent Theatre.”
Since the actual theatre part of the theatre is long gone, we can only hope that the retained foyer is treated with the respect it deserves in any redevelopment.
I was active in the “Save the Regent” movement in the first decade of this century, and I’d love to see a theatre modelled on the original Regent fill the void on Elizabeth Street. But I know that that’s not going to happen.
Footnote: The Courier-Mail’s coverage seems to be more concerned that the 2012 facade of the Wintergarden won’t survive the makeover.
Superheroes defeated
If you’re into numbers, charts and popular culture, you should probably be following the Stat Significant substack (try saying that three time quickly!)
In a recent post, written since Supergirl failed to fly at the box office, author Daniel Parris looks at the data behind superhero movies — and suggests the genre is on its last legs:
The box office is moving in a new direction—one that is indifferent to superheroes not named Spider-Man.
And if what I’m describing sounds inconceivable to you—because superhero films are simply too big to fail, and because they have defined the mainstream for the better part of 15 years—know that there is ample precedent for this cultural shift.
Genres and storytelling concepts come and go. Musicals and westerns were among the most popular genres of the 1950s and 1960s. Now, these formats are essentially extinct, while thrillers, action movies, and horror films have taken their place.
Read the whole thing here.
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P.S.
Rod Stewart was among those who paid tribute to Bonnie Tyler, who died this week. You can see and hear him sing some of her hit, It’s A Heartache, here.
©2026 Brett Debritz. If I’ve inadvertently used copyrighted material, failed to give credit where it’s due, written or said something you disagree with, or otherwise upset or unexpectedly delighted you, please leave a comment, email me or connect with me at @debritz on X and Mastodon, @brettdebritz on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and BlueSky, and @radiobert on YouTube. Links provided as a courtesy; I take no responsibility for their contents or give any warranty of their veracity. Image: AI.
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Disclaimer: Brett Debritz is sad about the erosion of Brisbane’s heritage.
Absolutely an erosion of Brisbane's History. So many memories of seeing movies there and remembering people in full costume late at night for Rocky Horror Picture Show. Awesome memories.