British and Irish Cinema Takings Reach a Post-Covid Peak as The Minecraft Film Leads the Year's Box Office

The UK and Irish box office has seen its highest annual performance since the Covid pandemic, with A Minecraft Movie ending 2025 as the highest-grossing film of the year.

A Steady Climb in Earnings

Data from industry analysts show that box office revenue in the UK and Ireland amounted to £1.07bn. This marks a rise of 1% on 2024’s total of £1.06bn. Meanwhile, there was a small drop in the amount of films released: 1,092 in 2025, versus 1,124 in 2024.

This result marks the best figure since 2019, which saw £1.35bn in total revenue. That was shortly before the collapse of the physical cinema box office the following year, to £323.7m, as Covid restrictions hit hard. Cinema revenues climbed to £595.5m in 2021, and £980.7m in 2022, only surpassing £1bn in 2023, with a total of £1.06bn.

Industry Rebound and Strategic Shift

The count of movies in theaters suggest that the production pipeline, impacted by the pandemic and subsequent film industry strikes in 2023, has recovered. It is, in fact, topping pre-pandemic levels; in 2019, 938 films were released.

Notably, though, a recalibration of strategy appears to be underway. In 2025, 224 films were recorded as “saturation” releases (playing in over 250 venues simultaneously), versus 200 in 2024 and 188 in 2019. Data indicates that Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale had the widest opening in the UK in 2025, across 750 cinemas.

The Year's Box Office Champion

The highest grossing film of 2025 in the UK and Ireland was the gaming adaptation A Minecraft Movie. Its viral impact, featuring the “chicken jockey” scene, has led to box office the top spot, with a total of £56.88m.

“While growth was modest year-on-year in box office, 2025 undoubtedly marked a major milestone in the sector’s recovery following the challenges of recent years. There is considerable hope that the coming months will see significant further progress.”

The film also topped the 2025 North American box office but came in fifth at the worldwide box office, far below the global leader, the Chinese animation Ne Zha 2.

Homegrown Hits and Event Cinema

Among domestic features, the fourth Bridget Jones film, Mad About the Boy, was the most successful at the UK and Irish box office, taking £46.4m. It came significantly before Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale and 28 Years Later in second and third place.

The figures also revealed the continuing strength of “event cinema” releases, which took a total of £44m (4.1% of the total). This category included 10 films earning more than £1m. Among these was the record-breaking showing for a stage production; the film of the West End production Six the Musical amassed £6.2m.