Inside Out 2 was officially Northern Ireland’s top-grossing film last year, as the cinema industry recorded its highest box office receipts in five years.
Total biographical receipts in Ireland rose to £29,219,549 last year – up 1.6% on the previous year’s figure and the highest since 2019.
Unsurprisingly, it was global blockbuster Inside Out 2 that topped the charts here, pulling in £1,819,039 at the Northern Ireland box office.
Worldwide, Pixar’s blockbuster sequel has grossed over £1.3 billion, making it the most successful animated picture of all time and the fourth biggest global blockbuster of all time.
And its runaway success in Northern Ireland saw it earn over £200,000 more than runners-up Deadpool & Wolverine, while Despicable Me 4 and Wicked were the only other pictures to break the £1m barrier.
Meanwhile, experts have predicted that 2025 will prove to be another lucrative period for the resurgent industry, with an impressive and diverse slate of films in theaters throughout the year.
Some of this year’s predicted hits include Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy and Captain America: Brave New World, both released on Valentine’s Day, which analysts believe could prove to be the “Barbenheimer” rivals of 2025, when Barbie and Oppenheimer go head to head to head in the summer blockbusters.
Other highly anticipated hits include Disney’s Snow White, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, Superman and F1, starring Brad Pitt.
Later in the year, fans can look forward to a sequel to Wicked, while Avatar: Fire and Ash is scheduled for release before Christmas.
Cassandra Joyce, group sales director at Pearl & Dean Ireland cinema advertisers, said “2024 continued to see growth in Irish cinema, but this year will be even better with a great selection of films for all audiences”.
“With awards season wins already underway, moviegoers are already building up for Valentine’s Day with the return of Bridget Jones and Captain America,” she added.
Northern Ireland Box Office Top 10 Movies 2024:
1. Inside Out 2 – £1,819,039
2. Deadpool & Wolverine – £1,588,716
3. Despicable Me 4 – £1,497,965
4. Wicked – £1,394,948
5. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – £949,422
6. It ends with us – £936,394
7. Gladiator II – £855,756
8. Moana 2 – £830,210
9. Dune: Part II – £770,621
10. Paddington in Peru – £702,188
(Source: Pearl & Dean):
