Number of feature films produced in the United Kingdom 1994-2021

In 2021, the United Kingdom (UK) produced 209 feature films, down from 237 in the previous year. Meanwhile, the box office revenue generated at cinemas in the UK strongly increased between 2021 and 2022.

A global player

Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the overall entertainment sector, the British film industry remains among the leading movie markets worldwide, producing hundreds of films every year. The commercial success of UK's movies also suggest that this continues to be a solid industry. The global box office revenue of British films plummeted by almost 90 percent between 2019 and 2020 due to the pandemic. Even though the industry has not fully recovered yet, it generated 3.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2022.

Between tragicomedy and reality

During the three-year period between 2019 and 2021, the UK produced mostly dramas (145 movies), documentaries (140), and horror movies (96). These were the most recurring genres in the contemporary British filmography. But the blockbusters could more easily be described as mix of themes and tones. In 2020, the top UK film by worldwide box office revenue was "The Gentlemen" – co-produced with the United States – which intertwines action, comedy, and crime. The secon place, "Emma", involves comedy, drama, and romance, like many of Jane Austen's original pieces.