“We need a 52-week release calendar”: FDA chief executive Andy Leyshon wants to see cinemagoing return to record levels

Film Distributors’ Association chief executive officer Andy Leyshon has hailed the year-on-year increase in UK-Ireland admissions and box office achieved in 2024, “no matter how slim”. 

UK and Irish annual admissions improved by 2.3% to 138 million while box office was up by 0.2% to £1.065bn in 2024 (vs. £1.063bn in 2023). It marked a fourth consecutive year of box-office growth. 

“We rose to number three in the global rankings and kept the upward trajectory going, where most countries witnessed a downturn. We’ve also seen 2025 starting very well – again, better than many other territories – and the market is currently predicted to come in 9-10% up on last year,” said Leyshon.

“Hopefully, 2025 can lay the foundations for a return to record business levels over the next three to four years.” 

The FDA head was commenting in advance of the publication today (April 9) of the 23rd annual FDA Yearbook. This itself arrives just before a major new report from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee that is expected to recommend tax credits to support the distribution of lower-budget films.

“We are proposing a 25% tax relief on distribution P&A costs for UK productions under £15m,” said Leyshon. “Distribution tax relief is essential to realise the benefits of the IFTC [Independent Film Tax Credit], and it would encourage distributors to spend more, release more films and play them in more cinemas, all leading to increased audience engagement and business levels for local productions going forward.”

Leyshon also called for UK distributors to be bolder in dating films. 

“We need to ensure that we have a 52-week theatrical release calendar with more consistency. 2024 was a challenge as we felt the aftershock of the US strikes, but going forward distributors and exhibitors should be confident knowing that audiences want a diverse slate throughout the entire year, so there should be no fear when it comes to dating, even when entering historically quieter periods,” he said.

“Slate awareness has naturally improved with a healthier roster of releases across 2024, but there is still some way to go and much work to be done to fully engage audiences and boost cinemagoing frequency, which is still lagging behind pre-COVID levels.”

Yearbook data

Data included in the latest yearbook revealed that the average cinema ticket price in the UK was a fraction lower last year than in 2023 – £7.71 as opposed to £7.86. 

“Cinema remains the most affordable out-of-home leisure activity, and with footfall up and bucking the general global trend in 2024, we have to be happy,” Leyshon stated.

The UK, though, clearly remains a heavily saturated market – a record 1,114 titles were released by 180 distributors in 2024.

The sector is also polarised, with the top 10 distributors (Disney, Universal, Warner Bros, Paramount, Sony, Studiocanal, Entertainment, Black Bear, Lionsgate and Trafalgar) having an 89.5% market share.

The year’s top three films – Universal’s Wicked and Disney’s Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine – generated 17% of total box-office revenues in 2024, while the top 10 films were responsible for 41% of total box office.

Paddington In Peru, released by StudioCanal, was the top UK and Irish film of the year with box office of £36.6m. That figure has already been surpassed this year by Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, which has grossed £45.8m to date.

November was the most lucrative month of 2024, with box office reaching £145.4m and four of the year’s top 10 opening weekends. The least lucrative month was September with £59.9m. 

The new yearbook pinpoints familiar trends. For example, 81 of the UK and Ireland’s top 300 performing cinemas were in London, and 24 of those operate in the West End. 

Box office was up in Scotland by 3%, in Wales and Northern Ireland by 1%, and flat in England, but the Republic of Ireland saw a slight drop of 1%.

The top re-release was Coraline, which was distributed by Trafalgar to mark its 15th anniversary and took £3.6m. The top foreign-language feature was A24’s The Zone Of Interest with £3.5m, and the top documentary was MetFilm’s Wilding with box office of £632,583. Indian productions generated £27.5m at the UK and Irish box office in 2024.

While admissions are still well behind the 193 million achieved in 2018, UK cinemagoing remains on an upward curve. 

“I take the positive view in the knowledge that cinema holds a unique place in the cultural landscape, and you simply cannot replicate that communal viewing experience at home. However, to maintain that audience faith we do need to ensure that the film offer remains interesting, forever on-tap and that cinemas can flourish,” said Leyshon.

“None of this is easy, but if all parts of the film industry work together, then we can ensure that cinema remains relevant for many years to come.”

• ‘Wicked’, ‘Bridgerton’ among shortlist for 2025 Global Production Awards