Brief
UK box office rebounds with surge in original films, panel says
Industry leaders at the BFI London Film Festival noted a record‑high share of original movies in the UK top‑20 box‑office list.
By Felo News Desk · Published
UK and Ireland cinema attendance rose 21 percent in 2026, the strongest year‑on‑year growth since the pandemic, according to a panel hosted by the BFI London Film Festival Industry Forum on Thursday morning.
What happened
The forum brought together Charles Gant, box‑office editor at Screen International, with Ben Lyndon of Curzon, Picturehouse programmer Carol McKay, and BFI IMAX manager Madeleine Mullett. They reviewed recent box‑office data, noting that musical films, franchise sequels and period adaptations all performed well, but original titles showed a striking increase.
What the reports add
Lyndon pointed out that the top‑20 films of each of the five years before 2026 averaged fewer than five original titles, whereas 2026 already includes twelve original films in that list. He said the shift is not solely an audience preference, adding that “franchises have been mined a bit too heavily and customers need a bit of respite, and studios need to pace these out a bit more.”
What was said
“We haven’t had year‑on‑year growth like that since the pandemic,” Gant told the forum, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Lyndon added, “If we look at the five years previous to this and you look at the top 20 films in each of those years, you’ll find, on average, less than five original films in that top 20. Compared to 2026, there are currently 12 original films inside that top 20.”
How it came about
The resurgence follows a series of strong releases earlier in the year, including the record‑setting horror film Backrooms (A24) which opened with £4.3 million in the UK and Ireland, and the continued success of franchise titles such as Spider‑Man: Brand New Day. The panel’s observations echo earlier Felo News coverage of blockbuster re‑releases, such as the Avengers: Endgame re‑release that boosted UK box‑office totals in September.
Key facts
- UK and Ireland cinema attendance rose 21 percent in 2026. (hollywoodreporter.com)
- Twelve original films are now in the UK top‑20 box‑office list, up from fewer than five on average in the previous five years. (hollywoodreporter.com)
- A24's horror film "Backrooms" opened with £4.3 million, the highest debut for an original horror film in the region. (hollywoodreporter.com)
- Panelists included Charles Gant (Screen International), Ben Lyndon (Curzon), Carol McKay (Picturehouse) and Madeleine Mullett (BFI IMAX). (hollywoodreporter.com)
Sources
- [1] hollywoodreporter.com — originally reported as “U. K. Box Office Back to Full Health — But What Lessons Do We Learn?”
