The UK box office has recorded its first decline in ticket sales for five years, figures show.
Takings for 2007 dropped 5 per cent from a year earlier to £843m despite overall cinema attendance surging 13 million to 170 million, according to research company Nielsen EDI.
The growing popularity of children's movies was blamed for the fall in UK ticket sales.
Children's tickets are much cheaper, which means lower earnings at the box office.
Nielsen EDI research reveals that of the year’s top 30 movies, 14 were targeted at the family.
Adam Mills, of cinema advertising sales firm Carlton Screen, told the Telegraph newspaper: "Family releases dominated the run-up to Christmas. More tickets were sold this year, but at lower prices."
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was the highest grossing film of the year, with takings of £49.4m, followed by Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End on £40.2m.
Shrek the Third was the third biggest UK film of 2007, with takings of a cool £38.6m.
The Simpsons Movie was fourth on £38.5m and Spider-Man 3 finished in fifth spot on £33.5m.
comments
What do you think? Give us your opinion on the comments page.