New figures from the British Film Institute highlight the UK’s status as the world’s leading production hub.
In its annual investment report published on Thursday, official figures from the BFI show that British film and premium TV production spending will reach £6.8 billion ($9.24 billion) in 2025, up 22% from 2024 figures and the third highest annual spend on record.
The production boom was driven by feature film activity, which increased 31% year over year to a record $3.8 billion. Meanwhile, HTV production rose 17% to $5.43 billion, the third highest level since the tax cut was introduced in 2013.
Inwardly invested films and HETV totaled $7.88 billion, accounting for 85% of total UK production spending. Despite the fact that total production has decreased compared to recent years, total expenditures have increased significantly.
Of the total $3.76 billion spent on the production of 193 films in 2025, inward investment accounted for $3.41 billion in 58 films, an increase of 35% despite having fewer projects than in 2024 with 67 films. British local films accounted for $262.2 million across 96 films, with co-production spending reaching $92.3 million across 39 projects.
Major foreign investment shoots include Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie, Sam Mendes’ four Beatles projects with Harris Dickinson, Paul Mescal, Joseph Quinn and Barry Keoghan, and the Russo Brothers’ Avengers: Doomsday starring Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh and Robert Downey Jr. Other notable works include “Supergirl” and “The World.” Christopher’s” and “The Thomas Crown Affair.”
Local productions included Georgia Oakley and Daisy Edgar-Jones’ “Sense and Sensibility,” Shane Meadows’ “Chork,” and Mark Evans’ Welsh version “Effi o Blaenau.”
Even with the indie tax credit starting in 2024, investment in local projects only accounted for 7% of total film production costs.
HETV production spending reached $5.48 billion for 168 shows that began principal photography in 2025. Inward investment accounted for 81% of HETV activity at $4.43 billion, while local programming contributed $934.82 million. Co-production spending reached $114.13 million, more than quadrupling from 2024 and the highest since the HETV tax credit was introduced.
HETV’s high-profile shoots include “Slow Horses” seasons 7 and 8, “Vision Quest,” “Outlander: Blood of My Blood” season 2 and the first season of the “Harry Potter” series. Local productions included “Blue Lights” Season 3, “A Woman of Substance” and “Silent Witness” Season 29.
Culture Secretary Ian Murray said: “From ‘Wicked’ and ‘Hamnet’ to ‘Bridgerton’ and ‘Slow Horses,’ some of this year’s most successful films and premium television were made in the UK.” “The economic recovery of our film sector is great and a testament to the talented workforce we have across the country.”
On the exhibition front, UK box office receipts will be $1.35 billion in 2025, up 2% compared to 2024 but still 21% below 2019 pre-pandemic levels. Cinema attendance totaled 123.5 million people, down 2% year-on-year and 30% compared to 2019.
“A Minecraft Movie” topped the UK and Republic of Ireland box office with $77.3 million, followed by British-shot titles “Wicked: For Good” with $63.8 million and “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” with $63 million. Other British-made films in the top 10 include “Jurassic World Resurrection” ($49 million), “Mission: Impossible: The Last Judgment” ($35.8 million) and “Fantastic Four: First Steps” ($32.6 million).
Among British independent releases, “The Roses” topped the list with $13.9 million, followed by “We Live in Time” ($11.9 million), “The Salt Path” ($11 million), “I Swear” ($8.2 million) and “The Coral” ($5.7 million). UK independent film market share remained stable at 6.8% compared to 6.9% in 2024.
BFI chief executive Ben Roberts said while audiences were showing a “strong appetite for going to the movies”, the local industry “remains under pressure”.
“Access to funding is a serious challenge,” Roberts said. “We remain focused on working closely with industry and government to drive further investment in skills, infrastructure, creativity and innovation across the UK.”
Adrian Wootton, chief executive of the British Film Board, highlighted the figures as evidence of “good” growth and acknowledged the enhanced tax credits for film and VFX, noting that the industry is “strengthening and embedding a long-term, sustainable production ecosystem”.
Seventeen of the top 20 movies of 2025 were sequels, franchises, remakes, or video game adaptations, with only “The Housemaid,” “Sinners” and “F1 the Movie” outside of these categories.
