The UK/Ireland box office recorded final year revenues of $1.63.5bn (£840.2m), less than a percentage point down on the previous year, according to figures from Nielsen EDI.

The figures were boosted in the final quarter by the extraordinary success of Casino Royale and Borat.

The 21st James Bond outing is close to crossing the $100m after eight weeks and is already the biggest film of the highly-successful 35-year franchise.

Borat starring UK comedian Sacha Baron Cohen took $46.3m in the UK.

There had been some concern before Christmas that the final couple of weeks of the year would be slow.

But 20th Century Fox decision to use Boxing Day as the opening date for Night At The Museum across 500 sites paid off.

The film added a strong $15m with a screen average of $15,986 for the final week of the year.

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