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Story by: Jack Foley
BOX office takings rose by 3.5% in the UK in 2004, marking a
new record for the country, according to Screen Daily.
Attendance figures were also on the rise, according to researchers,
Nielsen EDI - up by six per cent on 2003 to 156.8m.
Shrek 2 proved to be the most audience-friendly
film, with takings of £48.1m, closely followed by the latest
Harry Potter instalment,
The Prisoner of Azkaban (£46m).
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The record was achieved despite the
lack of December figures, which were expected to be lower than
previous years due to the absence of any Lord
of the Rings films.
And while box office receipts are at a record high, attendances
weren't due to top 2002's best effort, when 174 million people
visited the cinema.
Of the other highest-grossers of 2004, Bridget
Jones: The Edge of Reason was the third biggest UK hit, with
takings of £35m and counting.
Spider-Man 2 and The
Incredibles also did their bit to ensure takings were up for
the year.
The UK box office success emulates that in America, which also
enjoyed a bumper year, with Shrek 2 once again emerging as the
biggest film courtesy of box office receipts of $436m (£229m).
A record $9.4bn (£5bn) was taken at the box office, even
though attendance actually fell.
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