However, Mr Roberts did acknowledge the struggled faced by cinemas across the country as streaming has changed viewing habits worldwide.
“We recognise that we need to make sure that cinemas across the country are prospering. We haven’t yet landed on the sort of simple solution to that prosperity but it’s our focus right now.”
The report comes just over a week before the Bafta Film Awards, the most important event in the British film calendar.
While stars prepare to walk the red carpet and see if they can take home a coveted trophy, the report indicates the UK screen industry is still in recovery mode as it struggles to match the record-breaking 2010s.
Before the pandemic, UK box office takings consistently exceeded £1bn annually across blockbusters and smaller releases.
Although 2024’s total take is only down 1% on 2023’s figure of £980m, it is still a far cry from 2019’s £1.3bn which saw audiences flock to cinemas for huge tentpoles such as Avengers: Endgame and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
