Following the BAFTAs ceremony on February 22nd, analysis from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has revealed a widening gap between box office success and critical acclaim in the UK over the last four decades.

Analysing nearly 37 years of BBFC age rating data – ranging back to 1989 when the 12 age rating was introduced – UK box office figures, and BAFTA Best Film nominations, BBFC has found a generational shift in what films performed well at the box office and those that received acclaim at the BAFTAs.

Over the past four decades, the British public has over time become more attracted to films that are accessible to all ages, whereas BAFTA judges have consistently favoured films that have been more likely to contain stronger content issues and be classified as 15 or 18.

Commercial success mirrored critical acclaim in the 90s

In the decade from 1989, the UK’s top ten box office hits each year generally consisted of films with a mixture of age ratings, featuring varied content issues and appealing to a range of different audiences and tastes. On average, nearly half (43 per cent) of all films in the annual box office top ten across that time period were rated 15 or above.

The trend was similarly reflected in the types of films that were nominated for the BAFTA Best Film prize. Across the same ten-year period, the percentage of nominated films with 15 or above rating was 60%, including A Fish Called Wanda (15, 1989), The Silence of the Lambs (18, 1992), and Four Weddings and a Funeral (15, 1995).

A box office and BAFTA divergence in recent years

However, in the most recent decade from 2016, the UK’s top ten highest-grossing films each year have been largely dominated by U, PG, and 12A classifications instead. On average, just two or fewer top ten hits each year rated 15 or above, reflecting a changing, growing preference in cinemas for films with broad appeal.

In terms of genre, these films have overwhelmingly consisted of animated films and family favourite franchises – from Mission Impossible to Despicable Me and multiple entries from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

But when it comes to BAFTA Best Film nominations over the last decade, 74 per cent have been rated 15 or 18. In two of those years –  2020 and 2024 – every film carried a 15 or 18 rating, including critic favourites like Parasite (15, 2020) and Oppenheimer (15, 2024). That pattern continued at this year’s BAFTAs ceremony, with Best Film winner One Battle After Another (pictured) also carrying a 15 classification.

This shows a clear and growing divergence between films that have performed well at the box office and what interests judges, and is reinforced by the three highest-grossing box office years of the last decade – 2017, 2018, and 2019 – which saw more than a third (37 per cent) of the top ten hits rated U or PG. In contrast, two thirds (67 per cent) of BAFTA Best Film nominees across the same three years were rated 15.

Only 8% secure the cross over

While the data points to a widening gap between what appeals to cinema goers compared with BAFTA critics over the last 40 years, a rare few films have found success with both. Since 1989, just 8 per cent of the biggest box office hits have also secured BAFTA Best Film nominations. However, all of these bar two were rated 12 or above, again showing how critics have usually favoured films with complex or adult themes that billion-pound franchises might avoid.

The findings highlight how BBFC age ratings can help chart wider shifts in the types of stories being told on our screens and how different kinds of content appeal to different audiences. It also reinforces how classification can help content reach the broadest possible audience while simultaneously protecting children and vulnerable people from potentially harmful content.

David Austin OBE, Chief Executive of the BBFC, commented: “While the BBFC’s trusted classifications reflect the evolving expectations and values of the British public, they also offer fascinating insight into how storytelling changes over the years and resonates with different audiences. Our analysis shows an interesting trend over the last four decades, with films that have dominated at the box office seeing a clear change in direction, while awards contenders have consistently contained more mature content issues that result in higher age ratings. Regardless of genre – from action to animation – our role remains the same: to provide clear, trusted guidance that empowers people across the UK to choose what is right for them and their families to view.”

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Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Content, Research

Tags: bafta, BBFC, Marvel, Mission Impossible, movie