Skyfall
In recent years, we have seen the UK box office really thrive with armies of film fans heading to cinemas to watch some of the latest and biggest releases.
Four of the top five highest grossing films at the UK box office have some in the last five years, and we take a look at some of the films that really have performed incredibly well here in the UK and captured the imagination of the cinema going public.
1. Skyfall - £102.8 million
Skyfall was one of the most talked about movies of 2012, as it not only marked the 50th anniversary of the much-loved franchise, but was also the most successful film in its history.
Skyfall saw Daniel Craig reprise the role of 007 for his third outing as the super spy, as he reunited with director Sam Mendes of the second time: The Road To Perdition was their first project together. This was Mendes’ first Bond film, while John Logan, Neil Purvis, and Robert Wade penned the screenplay.
Skyfall really was everything that you could want from a Bond film, it nodded back to its past whilst remaining, modern, action, packed and fresh. Craig once again delivered another terrific performance, while Judi Dench and Javier Bardem were also terrific as M and villain Raoul Silva.
The movie went on to be the most successful Bond film of all time as it broke through the billion-barrier mark: it is currently the ninth highest grossing movie of all time.
Its £102.8 million performance at the UK box office saw Skyfall leap over Avatar as the most successful film: it had held that title since the film was released back in 2009.
Craig and Mendes are set to team up once again for the next James Bond movie, which is set to hit the big screen next year. Filming is believed to be getting underway in the autumn.
2. Avatar - £94 million
Avatar is one of the most incredible movies to have ever hit the big screen, and was changed the way 3D movies were made forever. It was 2009 when the film was released and saw James Cameron return to the director’s chair.
Cameron transported audiences to the planet of Pandora, where he used motion capture to help bring many of the major characters to life: it was a movie that mixed live action with motion capture and special effects.
Sam Worthington brought Jake to life by using both live action and motion capture, while Zoe Saldana’s entire performance as Neytiri was motion capture.
Avatar was a critical and box office smash when it was released, taking the #1 spot at box offices around the world. It took just nineteen days to gross in excess of $1 billion - which was, of course, a record.
The movie would not only become the fastest film to $1 billion, but it would also become the highest grossing film - toppling Titanic - and become the first film to gross over $2 billion worldwide. Avatar could also comfortably sale past the £80 million total posted by Titanic to become the most successful film at the UK box office.
Cameron has already started work on the screenplay for his proposed sequels, but it is not yet known when they will hit the big screen.
3. Titanic - £80 million
It was back in 1998 when Titanic was ruling the box office - after sixteen years it remains the third most successful film at the UK box office.
This is the second film on the chart for Cameron and, for over a decade, it was the director’s most successful film at the box office.
Titanic brought together Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet for the first time, as lovers aboard the fateful maiden voyage for the Titanic. Needless to say, Titanic was the film that helped make both of these actors global superstars.
Upon release, Titanic became the first film to ever gross over $1 billion at the global box office, and became the most successful movie of all time - a crown it had until Avatar came along eleven years later. Since then, the movie has broken $2 billion after a successful re-release.
Titanic would go on to pick up fourteen Oscar nominations; it won eleven, including Best Picture and Best Director for Cameron.
In the UK, the movie would take the #1 spot and gross £80 million during its theatrical run - making it the most successful at the UK box office at the time.
4. Toy Story 3 - £73.8 million
It was the release of Toy Story back in 1995 that changed the way that animation movies were made as CGI special effects were introduced and Pixar was born.
However, it would be the third film in the franchise that was to be Pixar’s great movie moment and their most successful film of all time.
It is unusual for films in a franchise to get better as they go along, but that is exactly what has happened, as Toy Story is the pinnacle of the franchise. Directed by Lee Unkrich, Tory Story 3 follows Woody, Buzz and co as they are accidentally sent to a nursery after Andy grows up and leaves his toys behind.
Not only was this one of the most visually stunning animation films I have ever seen, Toy Story 3 has elements of growing up and leaving childhood behind: something that so many of us can relate to.
Toy Story grossed over $1 billion at the box office: it would become the most successful Pixar film but also the most successful animation movie of all time. However, it has just lost the latter with the success of Frozen.
It became the third animation film to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar - the other two being Beauty and the Beast and Up. It did win the Best Animated Feature and Best Original Songs Oscars.
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 - £73.1 million
Harry Potter is a franchise that enjoyed a decade of success until it was brought to a triumphant close back in 2011. This was the eighth film in the series, and saw Daniel Radcliffe play the title role for the final time.
David Yates was in the director’s chair for the final instalment, and he managed to do what no other film in the franchise managed… it grossed over $1 billion at the box office.
Until Deathly Hallows Part 2 came along, The Philosopher’s Stone was the most successful film in the series, and the one that had got the closest to that magic billion-dollar mark.
The Harry Potter franchise went out with a bang, as it became the highest grossing film of 2011, and the fourth highest film of all time. It also performed well at the UK box office with an impressive £73.1 million - the fifth most successful film of all time.
Other films that have performed well at the UK box office include Mamma Mia, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
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