Date: 12th March 2001

Hollywood Blockbusters Attract Record Cinema-Goers


Hit movies TOY STORY 2 and GLADIATOR sold more than 137 million cinema tickets in Britain last year (00).

Toy Story 2 was the biggest audience puller of them all taking $60 million (£40 million). This was almost 10 percent of the total $760.5 million (£507 million) taken at the box office.

JOHN DARKE of the NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE which published the figures says, "Toy Story 2 was the dream film of the year for cinemas, attracting massive audiences." He added, "It's takings were almost double that of Gladiator, another popular film last year."

Other money makers were BILLY ELLIOT, DINOSAUR, OSCAR-winning film AMERICAN BEAUTY and thriller flick WHAT LIES BENEATH. There was a 2.4 percent increase in British cinema audiences making it the highest number since 1974 when big budget productions like THE TOWERING INFERNO, JAMES BOND's THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN and EARTHQUAKE attracted 138 million to the movies. (NQ/WNTST/RP)

Source: WENN