UK cinema grosses at seven-year high
UK cinema grosses at seven-year high
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A host of blockbuster releases in the last 12 months saw UK box office attendances reach their highest level since 2002, it has been announced.
According to the UK Film Council, 173.9 million customers were admitted to cinemas in the UK, with takings up 11 per cent from the previous year and reaching £944 million.
The highest grossing film of 2009 in the UK was Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth instalment in the wizarding franchise, with takings of almost £51 million.
James Cameron's Avatar, however, is likely to exceed this figure, despite being released in mid-December.
The Golden Globe best drama winner was the second highest grossing film of 2009 and is now around £2 million short of the Half-Blood Prince's takings.
Other lucrative releases included the third Ice Age film, The Twilight Saga: New Moon and Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire.
John Woodward, chief executive officer of the UK Film Council, said the cinema industry is "weathering the recession well".
"Taken together, these box office and inward investment numbers show how film in the UK has moved from the margins back to the mainstream, helping sustain jobs and promote the UK's place on the international stage," he added.
"British cinema-goers are voting with their feet - they want to see big event movies, many of which depend on outstanding British talent and are made in the UK thanks to our reliable film tax credit."
The top ten grossing films released in the UK in 2009 were:
1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - £50.72m
2 Avatar - £41.00m
3 Ice Age III - £35.02m
4 Up - £34.42m
5 Slumdog Millionaire - £31.66m
6 The Twilight Sage: New Moon - £27.08m
7 Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen - £27.06m
8 The Hangover - £22.12m
9 Star Trek - £21.40m
10 Monsters Vs. Aliens - £21.37m