UK cinema visits drop 30% from pre-covid levels

In 2025, cinema visits in the UK reached 123.5 million, marking a 2% drop from the previous year and a significant 30% decrease compared to pre-Covid 2019 numbers.

This data was unveiled this morning in the annual report by BFI.

Although the number of admissions declined last year, box office earnings in the UK reached £996.8 million in 2025, increasing by 2% from 2024 but still 21% lower than the pre-pandemic figure of £1.3 billion in 2019.

The top moneymaker in 2025 in the UK and Ireland was A Minecraft Movie , bringing in £56.9 million, with Wicked: For Good coming in next with £47 million.

Among the top 20 films of 2025, seventeen were sequels, parts of existing franchises, remakes, or adaptations of video game intellectual properties. 

This number rose from 15 in 2024. The three titles outside this group were The Housemaid, Sinners, and F1 the Movie.

The leading UK independent film of 2025 in terms of revenue was The Rose , grossing £10.3 million, trailed by We Live In Time, The Salt Path, I Swear, and The Choral. 

In 2025, ten UK independent films surpassed £2 million in UK and ROI box office earnings, whereas only nine did so in 2024. Back in 2019, all top 20 UK independent films made £2 million or more.

The collective revenue of the top 20 UK independent films in 2025 amounted to £61.9 million, accounting for 90% of the annual box office for all UK independent releases recorded by Comscore. 

In 2024, these top 20 films grossed £63.9 million, representing a 93% share, while in 2019, they earned £144.6 million for an 83% share.

According to BFI Chief Executive Ben Roberts, UK-driven productions, whether fronted or backed by UK talent, and those featuring our esteemed and skilled crews, consistently captivate audiences domestically and worldwide.