From the billion-pound blockbusters flooding into Pinewood to the micro-budget indies making their mark, the UK film industry is not just surviving in 2022—it’s booming, powered by a record £1.25 billion in production spend, thousands of new jobs, and an explosive return of audiences to the cinema.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, total UK film production spend reached £1.25 billion, a 9% increase from 2021
- The UK hosted 115 high-end TV dramas in 2022 alongside film productions, contributing to infrastructure spend of £1.1 billion
- UK independent film production volume was 152 features in 2022, up 18% from 2021
- UK box office revenue in 2022 totaled £1.05 billion, recovering 80% from pre-pandemic levels
- Top UK film 'No Time to Die' grossed £80 million domestically in 2021
- UK admissions in 2022 were 157 million, up 36% from 2021
- UK film industry generated £5.6 billion GVA in 2019
- UK film tax relief averaged 25% on qualifying spend, claiming £600 million in 2022
- Independent UK film average budget was £2.5 million in 2022
- UK film freelancers numbered 30,000 in 2022
- Film production created 17,000 direct jobs in UK 2022
- 45% of UK film crew were women in 2022, up from 38% in 2019
- UK film audience aged 15-24: 30% of cinema-goers 2022
- 75% of UK adults visited cinema at least once in 2022
- UK female cinema audience 52% in 2022
The UK film industry had a strong recovery in 2022, fueled by significant growth and investment.
Audience
- UK film audience aged 15-24: 30% of cinema-goers 2022
- 75% of UK adults visited cinema at least once in 2022
- UK female cinema audience 52% in 2022
- Average UK cinema visits per person 2.3 times in 2022
- BAME audience share 20% of UK cinema 2022
- UK over-55s 35% of cinema audience 2022
- Streaming preference over cinema 40% among 18-34s 2022
- UK arthouse cinema audience grew 10% to 5 million 2022
- Regional UK audience outside London/SE 60% of total 2022
- UK families with children cinema spend £200 avg yearly 2022
- 55% of UK audience prefers English-language films 2022
- UK indie film audience retention 70% female 2022
- Social media influence on film choice 65% UK viewers 2022
- UK under-15 audience 15% of admissions 2022
- Repeat viewings average 1.5 per UK blockbuster fan 2022
- UK audience for documentaries 8 million admissions 2022
- Mobile ticket buying 50% of UK cinema sales 2022
- UK loyalty program members 40% of frequent cinemagoers 2022
- Post-COVID cinema return rate 85% of pre-2019 audience 2022
- UK audience spend on concessions £250 million 2022
- Gen Z (16-24) 25% of UK cinema audience 2022
- UK subtitles/dubbing demand 30% for non-English films 2022
- Festival audience UK films 2 million 2022
- UK TVOD (transactional) viewership 20% of film audience 2022
- SVOD platforms 70% penetration among UK film viewers 2022
- UK audience diversity on screen influences 60% choice 2022
- Average UK household film streams 50 per year 2022
- UK 35-44 age group highest cinema frequency 2.8 visits 2022
- Pirate viewing of films 15% among UK 18-24s 2022
- UK film festival attendance up 20% to 1.5 million 2022
Audience Interpretation
While young people hold the remote, the silver screen is being kept alive by a surprisingly diverse crowd who, between concession splurges and arthouse visits, still find magic in the dark—even if they did book their ticket on their phone.
Box Office
- UK box office revenue in 2022 totaled £1.05 billion, recovering 80% from pre-pandemic levels
- Top UK film 'No Time to Die' grossed £80 million domestically in 2021
- UK admissions in 2022 were 157 million, up 36% from 2021
- Average UK ticket price in 2022 was £6.70
- UK independent films took 15% market share at box office in 2022 (£157 million)
- British films grossed £250 million in UK in 2022
- Cinema sites in UK numbered 753 in 2022 with 4,800 screens
- Top grossing film 2022 UK was 'Top Gun: Maverick' at £52 million
- UK box office for animated films was £120 million in 2022
- 2023 UK box office hit £800 million by year-end
- UK films' international box office contribution was £2.5 billion in 2022 from UK-origin titles
- Vue Cinemas market share was 12% of UK box office in 2022
- Odeon Cinemas held 20% of UK screens in 2022
- UK regional cinemas outside London took 40% of box office revenue in 2022
- 3D screenings accounted for 15% of UK admissions in 2022
- UK box office loss due to strikes was estimated £100 million in 2023
- 'Barbie' grossed £70 million in UK 2023
- 'Oppenheimer' earned £45 million UK box office 2023
- UK IMAX box office grew 25% in 2022 to £50 million
- Pre-pandemic peak UK box office was £1.3 billion in 2019
- UK film rentals to cinemas were £300 million in 2022
- Specialist films (arthouse) grossed £25 million UK 2022
- UK Christmas box office 2022 was £150 million
- Number of UK films released theatrically in 2022: 350
Box Office Interpretation
The UK film industry showed a resilient, if not yet full-throated, recovery in 2022, proving the nation's cinema-going heart still beats strongly—though with a clear taste for blockbuster spectacle and a stubbornly independent spirit on the side.
Employment
- UK film freelancers numbered 30,000 in 2022
- Film production created 17,000 direct jobs in UK 2022
- 45% of UK film crew were women in 2022, up from 38% in 2019
- Average UK film crew salary £45,000 annually 2022
- BAME representation in UK film workforce 12% in 2022
- UK VFX sector employed 12,000 people in 2022
- Film training apprenticeships 2,500 started in UK 2022/23
- 25% growth in UK film HODs (heads of department) since 2019
- UK film directors: 28% female in 2022 productions
- Post-production jobs in UK film: 8,000 full-time equivalents 2022
- Regional film jobs outside London: 40% of total 2022
- UK film stunt performers: 1,200 registered
- Diversity training reached 10,000 film workers via BFI 2022
- Average days worked per UK film freelancer: 120 in 2022
- UK film costume dept employed 3,000 in 2022
- Disability representation in workforce 5% in UK film 2022
- ScreenSkills funded 500 traineeships in film 2022
- UK film production assistants: 5,000 entry-level jobs 2022
- Gender pay gap in UK film narrowed to 15% in 2022
- Overseas crew in UK productions: 10% of total workforce 2022
- UK film editors: 2,500 active professionals 2022
- Youth under 30: 35% of UK film crew 2022
- Union membership in UK film: 60% of crew 2022
- UK film sound technicians: 1,800 employed 2022
- LGBTQ+ workforce in UK film 8% self-identified 2022
- High-end skills shortage affected 20% of UK film productions 2022
- UK film camera dept: 4,000 workers 2022
- Total film-related jobs supported 100,000 in supply chain 2022
- 65+ age group 5% of UK film workforce 2022
Employment Interpretation
While the UK film industry can boast a growing, younger, and increasingly female workforce with rising regional opportunities, it remains a high-stakes freelance ecosystem still grappling with meaningful progress in pay equity, diversity, and skills shortages behind its glossy facade.
Exports
- UK films exported to 150 countries, generating £800 million TV rights 2022
- UK films won 15 Oscars in last 5 years to 2023
- US box office for UK films £3 billion cumulative 2022
- UK film exports to China £100 million annually avg 2022
- BAFTA wins for UK films 50 in 2022 ceremony
- UK content sales to Europe £400 million 2022
- Cannes awards to UK films 8 in 2022
- UK films top 10 global box office 5 titles 2022
- Export value growth 12% YoY for UK films 2022
- Australia imported £50 million UK films 2022
- UK VFX exported to Hollywood £700 million 2022
- Berlin Festival UK selections 20 films 2022
- UK films in Venice Film Festival 12 in 2022
- Global streaming deals for UK indies £150 million 2022
- UK film co-productions with France 10 projects 2022
- Sundance UK film premieres 15 in 2023
- UK exports to India £20 million film rights 2022
- Emmy wins for UK film-related TV 20 in 2022
- Toronto Film Fest UK gala 8 films 2022
- UK film overseas theatrical gross £4.5 billion 2017-2022 avg
- Co-productions represented 20% UK film output 2022
- UK films in Top 100 global earners 2022: 7
- Export markets for UK films: 80% North America/Europe 2022
- Golden Globes UK wins 10 in 2023 for 2022 films
- UK film trailers viewed 1 billion times globally YouTube 2022
- Middle East box office UK films £80 million 2022
- UK-German co-pros £30 million spend 2022
- Locarno Festival UK award winners 3 in 2022
- UK film IP licensed to games/toys £50 million 2022
Exports Interpretation
While Hollywood may write the biggest cheques, Britain cleverly directs the global cultural conversation, proving that a well-crafted story from a small island can not only win all the trophies but also quietly bankroll itself across every screen and continent on Earth.
Financial
- UK film industry generated £5.6 billion GVA in 2019
- UK film tax relief averaged 25% on qualifying spend, claiming £600 million in 2022
- Independent UK film average budget was £2.5 million in 2022
- UK film export value was £1.2 billion in content sales 2022
- BFI lottery funding to film was £40 million in 2022/23
- UK studio rental fees generated £200 million in 2022
- VFX companies in UK earned £1 billion globally from film in 2022
- UK film distribution sector revenue £450 million 2022
- Average ROI for UK indie films was 1.5x budget in 2022
- UK film VAT contribution £150 million annually pre-2020
- Private equity investment in UK film rose to £300 million in 2022
- Crowdfunding for UK films totaled £10 million in 2022 via platforms like Kickstarter
- UK film insurance market size £500 million yearly
- Equity finance for UK films was 40% of total funding in 2022
- UK film pre-sales generated £200 million in 2022
- Tax credit uptake by indie producers was 80% in 2022
- UK film merchandise revenue £100 million from blockbusters 2022
- Streaming rights deals for UK films averaged £5 million per title 2022
- UK film R&D spend £50 million on new tech 2022
- Bank loans to UK film productions £150 million in 2022
- UK film industry FDI was £1 billion in 2022
- Cost inflation in UK film production hit 15% in 2022
- UK film gap financing deals numbered 50 worth £100 million 2022
- Public funding share of UK film budgets fell to 10% in 2022
- UK film direct spend multiplier effect 2.6x GVA
- UK film employment spend £800 million on wages 2022
- Total UK screen sector GVA £10.8 billion in 2022, with film 52%
Financial Interpretation
The UK film industry is a precarious but potent economic engine, where a £600 million government subsidy helps transform indie passion projects, £1.2 billion in exports, and the sheer gravitational pull of £1 billion in VFX wizardry into a £5.6 billion behemoth, all while nervously eyeing a 15% cost inflation rate that could turn a hopeful 1.5x return into a cautionary tale.
Production
- In 2022, total UK film production spend reached £1.25 billion, a 9% increase from 2021
- The UK hosted 115 high-end TV dramas in 2022 alongside film productions, contributing to infrastructure spend of £1.1 billion
- UK independent film production volume was 152 features in 2022, up 18% from 2021
- Inward investment in UK film production totaled £959 million in 2022 from international sources
- UK film spend on below-the-line crew costs was £487 million in 2022, representing 39% of total production spend
- 2022 saw 37 high-budget UK films certified by the BFI, with average budget over £20 million each
- UK film VFX spend reached £568 million in 2022, a key growth area
- Number of UK films starting production in 2022 was 200, per BFI data
- UK film production days totaled 12,500 in 2022 across certified projects
- Independent UK films accounted for 76% of total UK feature starts in 2022
- UK film spend in Scotland was £98 million in 2022
- London received £645 million in film production spend in 2022
- UK film production supported 44,000 jobs in 2022 indirectly
- In 2021, UK film production spend was £1.15 billion, impacted by COVID
- Pre-2020 average annual UK high-end film spend was £1.2 billion
- 2022 UK film tax relief claims totaled £500 million for productions
- Number of UK films with budgets over £15 million was 42 in 2022
- UK animation film production spend was £45 million in 2022
- Documentary film production in UK totaled 25 features in 2022
- UK film post-production spend was £320 million in 2022
- In 2022, UK films shot 60% domestically
- US studios invested £800 million in UK film production in 2022
- Pinewood Studios hosted 20 major productions in 2022
- Leavesden Studios saw £300 million spend from Warner Bros films in 2022
- UK regional production spend outside London was £250 million in 2022
- Number of UK micro-budget films (under £500k) was 80 in 2022
- UK film development spend totaled £55 million in 2022
- BFI funded 15 new UK feature productions in 2022 with £10 million
- UK film marketing spend was £120 million in 2022
- In 2023 Q1, UK film starts were 50, on pace for record year
Production Interpretation
While the international giants splash their cash for spectacle, the truly British story of 2022 is a scrappy, independent heart still beating strongly, employing armies of craftspeople to build everything from dystopian blockbusters to heartfelt dramas, proving the industry isn't just surviving but thriving on both epic and intimate scales.
Sources & References
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