BFI statistics point to a mixed start to 2025 for UK film and TV shoots

There were six fewer production starts than first reported for the first half of 2024, while production spend went down by 1%. 

Inward investment productions accounted for £999m – or 91% – of the total film starts, while domestic productions accounted for £62m (6% of the total) and co-production spend was £35m (3% of the total). 

Films that started shooting in the UK in 2025 included: Avengers: Doomsday, directed by the Russo Brothers; Ghost Writer, directed by JJ Abrams; The Runner, directed by Kevin Macdonald; and Masters of the Universe, directed by Travis Knight. 

Domestic UK films include A Hand Rises, Louise Stern’s directorial debut, and Chork, directed by Shane Meadows. 

For high-end TV (HETV) productions, the BFI figures have shown improvement over the previous year. In total, 82 HETV productions began principal photography in the first half of 2025 with a total UK spend of £2.1bn, an increase from the £1.8bn first reported for productions in the first half of 2024. 

In the first half of 2025, inward investment production spending was £1.8bn (83% of the total). Domestic productions accounted for £332m (16% of the total) and co-productions accounted for £27m (1% of the total). 

Inward investment HETV productions starting principal photography in the first half of 2025 included: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3; Ahsoka Season 2; Rivals Season 2; and The Wanted Man. Domestic HETV productions included A Woman of Substance, The Lady, Secret Service, Waiting for the Out, and Betrayal. 

The British Film Institute recently published a report setting out key recommendations for the UK screen sector to capitalise on AI opportunities. Discover more here.