Investment in UK film production hit a record £2.8bn last year, driven overwhelmingly by Hollywood studios and global streaming platforms, according to new figures from the British Film Institute (BFI).
However, industry leaders are warning that growth is likely to slow in 2026 as Netflix shifts production back to the United States amid political pressure and plans for a blockbuster acquisition.
The BFI said that 91 per cent of the £2.78bn spent on UK film production in 2025 came from “inward investment”, funding from studios and streamers based outside the UK. The total marks a 23 per cent increase year on year and represents the highest level of film production spend since the BFI began tracking the data in 2002.
The surge was fuelled by a run of major international productions choosing the UK as a filming base, including Avengers: Doomsday, Super Girl and four separate biopics focusing on members of The Beatles. More than £2.5bn of total film spend came from US-based companies such as Netflix and Amazon, up 30 per cent on the previous year.
High-end television production also remained strong. Spending on UK-made TV shows with budgets of more than £1m per episode rose by over 7 per cent to £4bn, again dominated by US-backed platforms. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ accounted for around 80 per cent of that total, backing global hits including Bridgerton, Slow Horses, Outlander and The Thursday Murder Club.
UK broadcasters showed modest recovery after a difficult period. Investment from ITV, Sky, Channel 4 and Channel 5 edged up to £688m, following a five-year low in 2024, but remained well below historic highs.
In total, combined spending on UK film and high-end TV production reached £6.8bn in 2025, up 13 per cent on the year. Yet despite the strong headline numbers, the outlook has become more uncertain.
Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos has confirmed that the streaming giant is actively pulling projects back to the US to support domestic job creation, as it seeks regulatory approval for its proposed $82.7bn (£59bn) takeover of Warner Bros Discovery. Speaking before a US Senate antitrust subcommittee this week, Sarandos said new tax incentives in New Jersey had made filming in the US more attractive than overseas locations, including the UK.
He revealed that since the incentives were approved, Netflix had redirected 11 projects into the US, seven of which had originally been planned for the UK. Sarandos said the company was “very invested in creating more American jobs” and keeping production at home, signalling increased competition for UK studios as governments race to offer more generous incentives.
While the UK remains one of the world’s most attractive destinations for large-scale film and TV production, thanks to its talent base, infrastructure and tax reliefs, industry figures are increasingly concerned that geopolitical pressure and subsidy competition could temper growth after a record-breaking year.
