Figures released today by the BFI reveal a record-breaking year for international film and TV production in the UK with a total spend from major international projects reaching almost £2.4bn.

Inward investment from feature films totalled nearly £1.7bn – the highest figure since records began and an increase of 23% on the previous year.

Visiting feature projects included Aladdin, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Outlaw King.

High-end TV inward investment projects, including Game of Thrones, Krypton and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, contributed £684m. This is an increase of nearly 28% on 2016 figures.

Adrian Wootton OBE, chief executive of the British Film Commission and Film London, said: “Film and high-end TV are big business and today”s figures show the UK continuing to meet the growing demand for content and world-class skills, talent and technical expertise.

“Whether producing lavish period dramas or fantasy epics, every corner of the UK is delivering at the highest level and our success ultimately translates to economic growth, job creation and training opportunities.

“This said, however, global competition remains fierce and the landscape continues to shift, meaning we can”t afford to rest on our laurels when it comes to supporting our industry and the highly-skilled workforce that drives it.”

Overall, there were 211 feature films that began principal photography in the UK in 2017. Of these, 68 were inward investment projects, contributing a massive 89% of the total spend.

Ninety-one high-end television programmes started filming in the UK during 2017, with a total spend of £938m.

SVoD platforms such as Netflix and Amazon have contributed to the purple patch as budgets for scripted content continue to swell.

The UK offers a generous tax incentive scheme and world-class crew, although there have been concerns expressed recently within the industry that the high demand for studio space is not currently being met.

Image via Jim Henson Company/Netflix.