UK Film Production Figures

Home-grown Films Storm the UK Box Office with Highest Share in 10 Years

DA VINCI CODE, BASIC INSTINCT 2 and STORMBREAKER Take Film Production in the UK to £559 Million in 2005

Film production spending in the UK totalled more than £559 million in 2005, while home-grown films accounted for 34% of UK box office revenue (the highest in 10 years) new figures from the UK Film Council reveal today.

According to the analysis which covers films with production budgets of £500,000 and above, production spending in 2005 totalled £559.55 million, with UK involvement in 123 feature films.

The year was, as expected, lower than 2004's spending levels, due largely to the industry awaiting the results of changes to tax incentives and the strong pound against the US dollar. The new tax credit was announced in December 2005 and was widely welcomed by the industry.

The number of home-grown films made last year such as Stormbreaker - based on the books about teenage super-hero Alex Rider - and Sir Richard's Eyre's Notes on a Scandal, rose by 37%. A total of 37 indigenous feature films were made showing a 36% rise in UK production spend at £159.84 million.

Meanwhile, UK audiences bucked the worldwide downturn in cinema-going and continued to see films on big screens across the country. UK and Ireland box office revenue hit £840.35 million, a 1% rise on 2004's figure of £833 million. Home-grown films accounted for 34% of the UK box office share - up from 23% in 2004, the highest figure in 10 years - and made up 8 of the top 20 highest grossing films at the box office. The top British earners were Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit followed by Batman Begins, Nanny McPhee, Pride and Prejudice, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Valiant.

For the full press release see www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/news.

For further information please contact:
Caroline Nagle / Tina McFarling
UK Film Council Press Office
Telephone: 44 (0)20 7861 7508/7900
Email: press@ukfilmcouncil.org.uk