Absence of 007 in 2013 leads to biggest UK box-office drop in 20 years

The British box-office did not have a terribly good 2013, with the absence of 007 a crucial factor.

Last year, takings from all cinemas across the UK and Republic of Ireland fell by the largest amount in more than 20 years.

With the lack of a blockbuster the size of 2012's "Skyfall", which took £100m and became the UK's highest grossing film of all time, cinemas took £1.17bn in 2013, down 1% on the previous year. It is the biggest dip since research company Rentrak began tracking box office returns in 1991.

2013's biggest movies in the UK were animated sequel Despicable Me 2, which took £47.2m, Les Misérables (£40.8m), and Iron Man 3 (£37.2m). The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (£34m) and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (£32.5m) rounded out the top five.

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