Can the UK make successful blockbusters?

At the heart of every major blockbuster is American financing. However, the UK has such a strong domestic market and demand for films it seems there’s a big gag in what can be done at home. Why are there no big blockbusters produced and financed in the UK?

The UK is a very important market for American movies but there are very few high budget movies shot and produced in the UK for international distribution. The James Bond franchise, Harrry Potter and the rest all have UK talent, but are financed primarily by big American studios.

Although the UK doesn’t have the same studio system as in the US, it has the potential and infrastructure to create big blockbusters for American, British and international audiences. There are plenty of talented actors, directors, sensational sets, big film production studios like Pinewood and so on that can accommodate such productions.

British stories are also hugely successful. Look at the Harry Potter franchise. How much did that make, and why wasn’t it fully financed in the UK? There is a lot of work to do to compete on the global stage as a film production centre, but with good stories and a great workforce I can’t envisage it being unrealistic to see big blockbusters with £100 million being financed at home.

What do you think? Is it hard to finance big pictures in the UK?