April 13Apr 13 Author 49. Elio - £4.7 million They asked for our leader. They got... him. Elio, a space fanatic with an active imagination, finds himself on a cosmic misadventure where he must form new bonds with eccentric alien lifeforms, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions and somehow discover who he is truly meant to be.Director: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi & Adrian MolinaCast: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldaña, Remy EdgerlyRelease Date: 20th June 2025Distributor: DisneyCertification: PGGenre: KidsRotten Tomatoes: 83%IMDb: 6.6 Top 15 Chart Run: 3-4-5-6-8-12-15 (7 weeks)Opening Weekend: £971,169 (#3) The highest-placed film that debuted with less than £1 million, this only had the 68th best debut of 2025 but manages to end in the top half after holding in the summer. This was an absolute disaster for Pixar, both behind the scenes (where writer/director Remy Edgerly left production half-way through after Disney demanded that an LGBT storyline was cut) and in cinemas where it had the worst (full) opening weekend for a Pixar film (it beat the Ireland and Scotland only debut of 'Brave' but that film then had a much higher weekend when it opened in England and Wales), opening well-less than half of 'Cars 3' (£2,625,000, #4, 2017). If it wasn't for 'Hoppers' doing well this year, I think panic stations would be going off at Pixar HQ. I remember in 2023, everyone thought that Elemental's £19.7 million was disappointing.
April 13Apr 13 Author 48. The Running Man - £4.8 million Hunt him down. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards is convinced by The Running Man’s charming but ruthless producer to enter the deadly competition game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite — and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.Director: Edgar WrightCast: Glen Powell, William H. Macy, Lee PaceRelease Date: 12th November 2025Distributor: ParamountCertification: 15Genre: ActionRotten Tomatoes: 61%IMDb: 6.4 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-3-6-13 (4 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,383,269 (#2) Despite only missing out on being a #1 film by less than £750, 'The Running Man' did not have a long stint in cinemas, spending 4 weeks in the top 15 and only just doubling its opening weekend. It is still the highest grossing Stephen King adaptation since the 'IT' films but its a hollow victory as this could only make $69 million worldwide against a $110 million budget. The story was famously adapted in 1987 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger but this version promised to stick closer to the novel. Edgar Wright is usually one of the most distinctive directors working today and, I haven't seen this yet, but I've heard that it doesn't have any of the Wright-charm and feels like it could have been directed by anyone which is really disappointing to hear.
April 13Apr 13 Author 47. Tron: Ares - £4.9 million No going back. A highly sophisticated Program called Ares is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings.Director: Joachim RønningCast: Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan PetersRelease Date: 10th October 2025Distributor: DisneyCertification: 12AGenre: Sci-FiRotten Tomatoes: 53%IMDb: 6.2 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-4-9-12 (4 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,790,652 (#1) We're in a bit of a floppy part of this countdown with Disney's 'Tron: Ares' probably being the final nail in that franchise's coffin. A reported $200 million budget for a third-film in a series that has never really made much money felt like an insane decision and so it proved with only $140 million grossed worldwide. How does Jared Leto keep getting cast in films like this? He's felt like box-office poison for quite a while ('Morbius', 'Haunted Mansion'). It will be interesting to see if the upcoming 'Masters Of The Universe' can survive his presence.
April 13Apr 13 Author 46. Predator: Badlands - £5.5 million First hunt. Last chance. Cast out from his clan, a young Predator finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.Director: Dan TrachtenbergCast: Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, Elle Fanning, Ravi NarayanRelease Date: 7th November 2025Distributor: DisneyCertification: 12AGenre: Sci-FiRotten Tomatoes: 86%IMDb: 7.2 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-3-5-9 (4 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,376,780 (#1) At least we end today's section with a film that didn't completely bomb, although £184 million against a $105 million budget was still underwhelming. This had the best 3-day opening of any film in the Predator franchise (2018's 'The Predator' opened slightly higher officially due to previews) but couldn't break-out despite emphatic word of mouth finishing behind the £5.8 million final gross of 'Predators'. I do think this is probably doing great numbers on Disney+ though alongside the other two films Trachtenberg has made in the franchise.
April 14Apr 14 Author 45. Karate Kid: Legends - £5.5 million When masters unite, a new legacy begins. After a family tragedy, kung fu prodigy Li Fong is uprooted from his home in Beijing and forced to move to New York City with his mother. When a new friend needs his help, Li enters a karate competition – but his skills alone aren’t enough. Li’s kung fu teacher Mr. Han enlists original Karate Kid Daniel LaRusso for help, and Li learns a new way to fight, merging their two styles into one for the ultimate martial arts showdown.Director: Jonathan EntwistleCast: Ben Wang, Jackie Chan, Ralph MacchioRelease Date: 30th May 2025Distributor: SonyCertification: 12AGenre: DramaRotten Tomatoes: 57%IMDb: 6.3 Top 15 Chart Run: 3-5-6-9-11-15 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,592,601 (#3) Just like how the success of 'Prey' had meant that there was renewed hope going into 'Predator: Badlands', the success of Netflix phenomenon 'Cobra Kai' had meant that there was a lot of hype going into 'Karate Kid: Legends'. Not only bringing back Ralph Macchio from that series and the original film, this also incorporates the 2010 reboot with Jackie Chan reprising his role. So Sony must have been underwhelmed with this earning less than half of the £12.4 million that the 2010 film made. This still banked $117 million worldwide though and with a smartly modest budget ($45 million), it would still firmly ended up in the green. It was just that it felt like there was potential for so much more.
April 14Apr 14 Author 44. Anaconda - £5.7 million It's the movie they're dying to remake. A group of friends facing mid-life crises head to the rainforest with the intention of remaking their favorite movie from their youth, only to find themselves in a fight for their lives against natural disasters, giant snakes and violent criminals.Director: Tom GormicanCast: Paul Rudd, Jack Black, Steve ZahnRelease Date: 26th December 2025Distributor: SonyCertification: 12AGenre: ComedyRotten Tomatoes: 47%IMDb: 5.6 Top 15 Chart Run: 6-6-7-10 (4 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,274,699 (#6) Taking advantage of the Christmas holidays that always seem to help films leg out, 'Anaconda' has outgrossed multiple #1 hits from last year despite never even making the weekly top 5. It feels mad that this ended up beating 'Predator: Badlands'. A meta-reboot of the cult-classic 1997 JLo horror-action film, this sees comedy royalty Paul Rudd and Jack Black star as filmmakers who try to reboot the original film but end up facing a real Anaconda. The original film didn't even make £2 million (without adjusting for inflation) so this was a nice little, under-the-radar hit for Sony.
April 14Apr 14 Author 43. Smurfs - £5.8 million Adventure comes out of the blue. When Papa Smurf is mysteriously taken by evil wizards, Razamel and Gargamel, Smurfette leads the Smurfs on a mission into the real world to save him. With the help of new friends, the Smurfs must discover what defines their destiny to save the universe.Director: Chris MillerCast: Rihanna, James Corden, Nick OffermanRelease Date: 18th July 2025Distributor: ParamountCertification: UGenre: KidsRotten Tomatoes: 21%IMDb: 4.3 Top 15 Chart Run: 4-7-9-11-15-x-15 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,213,260 (#4) I know this was hardly a break-out hit or anything but the fact that this didn't bomb makes it one of the biggest surprises of the last year for me. The promotion for this was awful and seemed to just consist of 'Rihanna's in this' (the fact that 'RIHANNA IS SMURFETTE' is in the same-sized text as the title on the poster is hilarious). I really thought that there was no audience left for the Smurfs but this has ended up grossing the exact same amount as their last effort (Smurfs: The Lost Village, £5.8 million, 2017) and doubled it's budget worldwide meaning that it was probably a profitable release. I will never doubt them again.
April 14Apr 14 Author 42. Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie - £5.9 million Hold on tight. Gabby heads out on a road trip with her Grandma Gigi to the urban wonderland of Cat Francisco. But when Gabby’s dollhouse, her most prized possession, ends up in the hands of an eccentric cat lady named Vera, Gabby sets off on an adventure through the real world to get the Gabby Cats back together and save the dollhouse before it’s too late.Director: Ryan CregoCast: Laila Lockhart Kraner, Kristen Wiig, Gloria EstefanRelease Date: 16th October 2025Distributor: UniversalCertification: UGenre: KidsRotten Tomatoes: 85%IMDb: 5.5 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-4-5-7-12 (5 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,901,289 (#1) Released at a time when cinemas were starved of kids films, DreamWorks's adaptation of the Netflix interactive pre-school series. Laila Lockhart Kraner voices the character in the show and reprises the role in live-action for the film. I haven't seen it but I'm kinda obsessed with pretty much every photo I've seen of Kristen Wiig in this film, she looks like she's properly hamming it up. Just know that this films success is certainly the pathway for a CoComelon big screen adventure.
April 14Apr 14 Taylormania still very much alive and well, with a new album somehow topping her already insane level of demand and attracting interest in a film event that was largely lyric videos and behind the scenes chat. I decided to tag along and had mixed feelings, as I was underwhelmed by the album on the whole, but did really like 'The Fate of Ophelia' - so it was cool to get that exclusive look at the music video on the big screen!I've also seen The Brutalist. I admired its ambition and was pretty invested the whole way through, but do agree the first half was stronger.
April 14Apr 14 Author 41. Six: The Musical Live! - £6.2 million See the original queens hit the big screen. The pop-inspired musical brings the six wives of Henry VIII right into the 21st century with infectious, empowering performances, accompanied by the on-stage band, the Ladies in Waiting. The Original West End cast reunites at London’s Vaudeville Theatre in front of a sold-out audience to strut their stuff and re-write their Tudor traumas in an unmissable cinematic recording of the show packed full of style, sass, and sensational songs.Director: Liz ClareCast: Aimie Atkinson, Alexia McIntosh, Millie O'ConnellRelease Date: 6th April 2025Distributor: UniversalCertification: 12AGenre: TheatreRotten Tomatoes: n/aIMDb: 8.5 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-3-7-14-x-15 (5 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,139,374 (#2) The biggest even-cinema release of the year falls just short of the top 40. This was released on a Sunday so that £2 million opening weekend was from just one-day gross. This was officially the 2nd biggest day for an event cinema release of all-time, marginally behind the £2.4 million 'The Eras Tour' made in its opening day. Unsurprisingly, 'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' (£12.2 million, EOY #22, 2013) is the only event-cinema release that's made more without re-releases. Jodie Comer's 'Prima Facie: NT Live 2022' made £5.5 million in 2022 but added another £3.1 million on re-release in 2023.
April 15Apr 15 Author 40. Regretting You - £6.2 million Risk everything. Regret nothing. Morgan Grant and her daughter Clara explore what’s left behind after a devastating accident reveals a shocking betrayal and forces them to confront family secrets, redefine love, and rediscover each other.Director: Josh BooneCast: Allison Williams, Mckenna Grace, Dave FrancoRelease Date: 24th October 2025Distributor: ParamountCertification: 12AGenre: DramaRotten Tomatoes: 29%IMDb: 6.0 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-2-3-8-12 (5 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,275,980 (#2) Kicking off the top 40 and comfortably outgrossing the film that pipped it to #1 ('Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere', #54), 'Regretting You' makes it two years in a row where we had a break-out adaptation of a Coleen Hoover novel. after 'It Ends With Us' (£21.7 million, EOY #13, 2025). The one is still in the headlines now with the Blake Lively/Justin Baldoni lawsuits still taking place but thankfully it seems that this films stars Allison Williams, Dave Franco, Mckenna Grace & Mason Thames all got on well with the latter two even starting a romantic relationship.
April 15Apr 15 Author 39. I Swear - £6.3 million I blink. I twitch. I jump. I click. I whistle. I shout. Inspired by the life of John Davidson, charting his journey from a misunderstood teenager in 1980’s Britain to a present day advocate for the understanding and acceptance of Tourette Syndrome. Diagnosed aged fifteen, John navigates his way against the odds through troubled teenage years and into adulthood, finding inspiration in the kindness of others to discover his true purpose in life.Director: Kirk JonesCast: Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake, Shirley HendersonRelease Date: 10th October 2025Distributor: StudioCanalCertification: 15Genre: BiopicRotten Tomatoes: 100%IMDb: 8.4 Top 15 Chart Run: 3-3-6-7-8-15 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,185,756 (#3) A huge success for UK cinema, this film scored the best ever PostTrak score (87%) from audiences, saw lead-actor Robert Aramayo win a BAFTA and bagged a great £6.3 million at the UK Box Office. This film has unfortunately now become part of a huge controversy after the events that happened at the BAFTAs. I'm intrigued to see how this effects it's US-release this month. I expect that 100% Rotten Tomatoes score to be ruined at least.
April 15Apr 15 Author 38. Five Nights At Freddy's 2 - £6.8 million You there? One year since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, the stories about what transpired there have been twisted into a campy local legend, inspiring the town’s first ever Fazfest. With the truth kept from her, Abby sneaks out to reconnect with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, setting into motion a terrifying series of events that will reveal dark secrets about the real origin of Freddy’s, and unleash a decades-hidden horror.Director: Emma TammiCast: Josh Hutcherson, Piper Rubio, Elizabeth LailRelease Date: 5th December 2025Distributor: UniversalCertification: 15Genre: HorrorRotten Tomatoes: 16%IMDb: 5.1 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-3-5-11-15 (5 weeks)Opening Weekend: £3,256,485 (#2) I don't think anyone saw just how popular the original 'Five Nights At Freddy's' (£10.6 million, EOY #24, 2023) was going to be. It was the biggest horror film of 2023 and was Blumhouse's biggest ever release. Just like the first film, this had a strong opening weekend and then had absolutely no legs which shows that the video-game adaptations have a dedicated fanbase but little appeal outside of the die-hards. It doesn't help that the games have a very young fanbase (and are certified PG-13 in the US) and the 15-rating is restrictive. I wonder how much this would have made if you we're able to count kids buying tickets for other films to sneak into it?
April 15Apr 15 Author 37. Now You See Me: Now You Don't - £6.9 million Unlock the illusion. The original Four Horsemen reunite with a new generation of illusionists to take on powerful diamond heiress Veronika Vanderberg, who leads a criminal empire built on money laundering and trafficking. The new and old magicians must overcome their differences to work together on their most ambitious heist yet.Director: Ruben FleischerCast: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave FrancoRelease Date: 14th November 2025Distributor: LionsgateCertification: 12AGenre: ThrillerRotten Tomatoes: 60%IMDb: 5.9 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-2-3-6-7-13-15 (7 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,384,018 (#1) Surprisingly, this was the first film from the trilogy to reach #1 in the UK Box office (by £750) and saw an increase on 2016's 'Now You See Me 2' (£6.3 million). To show how consistent the three films opened, this officially had the worst opening of the three films but when you strip out previews, it had the best 3-day opening of the trilogy. This sees the original cast return (with Isla Fisher coming back after missing the sequel) but also sees the introduction of the next generation (Dominic Sessa, Justice Smith and Ariana Greenblatt) so looks well-placed for any future adventures.
April 15Apr 15 Author 36. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle - £7 million A place where only the strong stand. The Demon Slayer Corps are drawn into the Infinity Castle, where Tanjiro, Nezuko, and the Hashira face terrifying Upper Rank demons in a desperate fight as the final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji begins.Director: Haruo SotozakiCast: Natsuki Hanae, Akari Kitō, Yoshitsugu MatsuokaRelease Date: 12th September 2025Distributor: SonyCertification: 15Genre: AnimeRotten Tomatoes: 98%IMDb: 8.4 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-3-9-12 (4 weeks)Opening Weekend: £3,464,393 (#2) Bagging over $780 million worldwide and having the best debut weekend for an anime film of all-time in the UK, there's absolutely nothing negative you can say about this film's run. The only 'traditionally animated' film that has made more money worldwide is 1994's 'The Lion King'. I remember how massive the £5.1 million 'The Boy And The Heron' (EOY #48, 2023) felt at the time but this just shows how much the UK is adopting the genre as of late. The only anime film bigger in the UK than this remains 'Pokémon: The First Movie' from 2000 (£10.8 million). I wonder if the either of the upcoming sequels to this could become the film to finally beat it.
April 16Apr 16 Author 35. Mickey 17 - £7.1 million He's dying to save mankind. Unlikely hero Mickey Barnes finds himself in the extraordinary circumstance of working for an employer who demands the ultimate commitment to the job… to die, for a living.Director: Bong Joon HoCast: Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven YeunRelease Date: 7th March 2025Distributor: Warner Bros.Certification: 15Genre: Sci-FiRotten Tomatoes: 78%IMDb: 6.7 Top 15 Chart Run: 1-1-5-7-11 (5 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,132,080 (#1) Bong Joon Ho left us waiting in anticipation for 5-years since his last film 'Parasite' became the biggest foreign-language film of all-time in the UK (£12 million+) after winning Best Picture at the Oscars. His eventual return was 'Mickey 17' an ambitious Sci-Fi which was his second Hollywood production and his largest budget ($118 million). The film did pretty well for an original sci-fi premise ($130 million worldwide) but it was just that ridiculously large budget that harmed it. Robert Pattinson continued his off-kilter movie career with an incredibly odd accent.
April 16Apr 16 Author 34. The Naked Gun - £7.6 million Look out crime. He's fully armed. Only one man has the particular set of skills… to lead Police Squad and save the world: Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. Following in his father’s footsteps, he must solve a murder case to prevent Police Squad from closure.Director: Akiva SchafferCast: Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter HauserRelease Date: 1st August 2025Distributor: ParamountCertification: 15Genre: ComedyRotten Tomatoes: 87%IMDb: 6.3 Top 15 Chart Run: 2-4-7-7-14-13 (6 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,815,858 (#2) A reboot of the classic parody trilogy (1988-1994) starring Leslie Nielsen, 'The Naked Gun' saw Liam Neeson step into his shoes and was a rare-success in the 'long awaited comedy sequel/reboot genre'. The Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer directed and manage to keep a pretty consistent, but still fresh, tone compared to the original trilogy. I love the original 1988 film and thought this was a pretty solid effort. It was great to see some broad comedy thrive on the big screen last year. It will be interesting to see how the 'Scary Movie' sequel does this year.
April 16Apr 16 Author 33. The Salt Path - £8.1 million Life. One step at a time. A couple lose their home and later discover the husband has been diagnosed with a terminal illness as they embark on a year long coastal trek.Director: Marianne ElliottCast: Gillian Anderson, Jason Isaacs, James LanceRelease Date: 30th May 2025Distributor: Black BearCertification: 12AGenre: DramaRotten Tomatoes: 85%IMDb: 6.6 Top 15 Chart Run: 4-4-4-6-9-12-11 (7 weeks)Opening Weekend: £1,479,569 (#4) A great British hit over the summer, 'The Salt Path' is an adaptation of the 2018 memoir by Raynor Winn about how she and her husband walked the 630-mile South West Coast Path after losing their home. It's opening weekend was the best ever 3-day opening for distributors Black Bear, although it was behind the preview-inflated opening of 'Ferrari' in 2023. Shortly after the film was released, the Observer published a piece refuting two of the major claims of the novel (and the film), stating that the reason the couple lost the home was because Winn stole £64k from her employer and couldn't afford to repay it and claimed that her husband did not suffer from CBD.
April 16Apr 16 Author 32. We Live In Time - £8.7 million Every minute counts. An up-and-coming chef and a recent divorcée find their lives forever changed when a chance encounter brings them together, in a decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.Director: John CrowleyCast: Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, Grace DelaneyRelease Date: 1st January 2025Distributor: StudioCanalCertification: 15Genre: DramaRotten Tomatoes: 79%IMDb: 7.0 Top 15 Chart Run: 3-4-5-8-12 (5 weeks)Opening Weekend: £2,843,517 (#3) Back-to-back British dramas, this one more on the romantic-side and dating all the way back to 1st January 2025. It seemed like it used to be a regular occurrence for films to mainly be sold based on their lead actors, but it doesn't happen often anymore. This one was definitely a throwback in that the marketing definitely highlighted the chemistry between Garfield and Pugh more than anything else (although the viral carousel horse meme probably helped too). This did really well with $60 million bagged worldwide and with Film4 producing, I'm imagining a low budget.
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