Cinema Celebrates Another Good Year
UK Cinema has once again reported a record year in terms of both admissions and, as a consequence, box office takings. The admissions total for 2001 was 155.9 million, up over 9% on 2000 and the highest figure for 30 years. This figure may well have been helped by the fact that the number of UK cinema screens is now at 3,248, the highest total since 1959.
Box office takings for the year equalled £645m, up 12.6% year on year and up 250% over the decade. This figure includes 7 films which took over £20m, including Lord of the Rings, which was only open for the last three weeks of 2001, but managed in that time to gross £25m. Only four films in 2000 broke the £20m barrier.
Debbie Chalet, president of the CAA, commented: “2001 was a brilliant year for cinema. The range of films has never been better. This means advertisers have more choice and can benefit from all types of audiences seeing their advertisement in an impactful, creative and memorable environment.”
The year did not get off to a particularly auspicious start, as admissions in February and March were down on the previous year. However, midway through March came the opening of the second highest grossing film of the year, Bridget Jones’ Diary, which along with Harry Potter & The Philosopher’s Stone, Lord of the Rings and Shrek entered the all time top 20 UK box office grossers.
August saw a holiday bonus for admissions, with a trio of top kids films: Jurassic Park 3, Cats & Dogs and Shrek, delivering a 33.9% year on year increase. However, the undisputed “event” movies of the year came in the last few months, with the massively hyped Harry Potter causing a 58.9% year on year increase in admissions when it opened in November, and gaining the highest ever box office opening weekend total for the UK: £20m and ending up with a total box office that month of £34.4m.
Lord of the Rings followed in December, and managed the second highest opening weekend, taking £7.3m. It went on to add £25m to the month’s box office total, while Harry Potter was close behind, taking £20.2m.
Cinema in 2001 may have scored high on admissions and takings, but originality was not really on the cards. Of the top ten box office hits, four were based on existing popular books (including three of the top four) and three were sequels. More of the same safe bets are expected in 2002, including film versions of cartoon characters Spiderman and Scooby Doo, the 20th Bond film, the second in each of the new Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings film series and sequels to Stuart Little and Spy Kids. The year will also see a 20th anniversary re-release of ET.
Christine Costello, vice president of the CAA, commented: “With revenue and admissions so buoyant in 2001, we enter this year in a very strong position, bucking the general trend of an advertising downturn. We anticipate even further growth in 2002 across all sections of our audience – from the families and teens to singletons.”
CAA: 020 7534 6363
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