Total box-office revenue in the UK and Ireland surpasses £1 billion in 2024
- The result makes 2024 the second post-pandemic year in which this milestone was achieved, on a par with 2023
According to figures published by Comscore this month, the UK and Irish box-office revenues bring good news, as total gross earnings surpassed £1 billion (approximately €1.18 billion) in 2024, thus matching 2023’s results. The Comscore survey period spanned from 5 January 2024-2 January 2025.
Among the five nations within the territory, Scotland recorded the strongest year-on-year growth, with a 2.4% increase in box-office revenue compared to 2023. Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland also saw gains, each rising by 1% in local currency, while England and Wales reported no change.
The highest-grossing film of 2024 was Disney’s Inside Out 2 (USA), earning £59.2 million (approximately €69.9 million), followed by Deadpool & Wolverine (USA, £57.5 million, or €68 million), also from Disney (which was 2024’s top distributor, with a market share of 20.9%). It is worth noting that the Marvel film faced production delays, moving its expected early-May release to late July. This shift deprived cinemas of the traditional May bank-holiday blockbuster, a time when audiences are typically exposed to trailers for upcoming releases – as seen with films like Avengers: Endgame, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in previous years.
Third on the list is Universal’s Wicked (USA), currently among the top ten films still on release and steadily climbing up the rankings. It is also the third-highest-grossing musical of all time in the UK and Ireland, trailing only Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! [+see also:
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film profile] (£65.6 million, or €77.5 million) and Wonka (USA/UK/Canada, £63.5 million, or €70 million). In fourth place is Despicable Me 4 (USA, £48.6 million, or €57.4 million), also a Universal production, solidifying the studio’s position as the year’s second-strongest distributor. Universal achieved a total box office of £206 million (€243 million), representing a 19.5% market share. The studio released the highest number of films in 2024 – 30 in total – and saw eight of these titles gross over £5 million (€5.9 million).
From fifth to tenth place on the list, we find Dune: Part II (USA/Canada, Warner Bros, £39.6 million, or €46.8 million), Moana 2 (USA, Disney, £36.4 million, or €43.1 million – still on release), Paddington in Peru (UK/France/Japan/USA, StudioCanal, £34.2 million, or €40.5 million – still on release), Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (USA, Warner Bros, £26.3 million, or €31 million) and Kung Fu Panda 4 (USA/China/Japan, Universal, £22.1 million, or €26.1 million). Warner Bros secured third place among the distributors, with Paramount and Sony following behind.
StudioCanal was the top European distributor, ranking sixth overall (up from last year’s ninth), with 15 new releases led by Paddington in Peru and a market share of 6.8%. The picture is also the only European co-production present in the top ten, alongside Gladiator II (UK/USA, Paramount, £31 million, or €36.6 million), which secured the eighth spot in the top ten.
Additionally, Mufasa: The Lion King (USA) and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (USA/Japan) ended up in the year’s top ten, having been released during the final two weeks of the Christmas holidays. While summer is traditionally the strongest release period, 2024 concluded with six of its top-ten films debuting in the final two months, including Wicked, which is expected to surpass the summer releases to claim the top spot.
In 2024, the top ten films accounted for 38.6% of total revenue, reflecting a more diverse market with less reliance on a few major titles. In contrast, these films represented 40.5% of ticket sales in 2023 and 43.8% in 2022, indicating a trend towards reduced market concentration.
Focusing on British and Irish productions, the aforementioned Paddington in Peru and Gladiator II, both still on release, along with last year’s top British release, Wonka (Warner Bros, £14.2 million, or €16.8 million in 2024; £63.5 million, or €75 million lifetime), were the highest-grossing titles of 2024. They were followed by Alien: Romulus (USA, Disney, £13.3 million, or €15.7 million) and Back to Black [+see also:
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film profile] (UK/France/USA, StudioCanal, £12.3 million, or €14.5 million). StudioCanal led the top ten with three films and the top 20 with five overall.
On the whole, British and Irish productions, including co-productions, doubled their box-office earnings in 2024, generating £246.3 million (€290 million), up from £123.6 million (€146 million) in 2023 and £135.8 million (€160 million) in 2022, representing 23% of total annual revenue.
Looking ahead to 2025, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (UK/France/USA) is predicted by Comscore to be the highest-grossing local production, releasing on Valentine’s Day.
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