Britain and Ireland's theatres rebound, with Minecraft film leading the surge

The combined U.K. and Irish film market has edged past the one-billion-pound mark, delivering the strongest box-office performance since the pandemic. Analysts attribute the modest uplift to a renewed appetite for communal cinema experiences and a slate of high-profile releases that resonated with audiences across both islands. At the centre of the uplift sits Warner Bros.' Minecraft adaptation, which outperformed every other title and emerged as the year's top-grossing film. Its success underscores a broader trend of franchise-driven blockbusters pulling crowds back into theatres, while smaller releases continue to benefit from the spill-over of heightened footfall. Industry observers see this momentum as a sign that the post-pandemic recovery is gaining sustainable traction.