I always love it when British films do well, so that they stormed the box office in 2008 is just brilliant !!!

Batman and James Bond helped make 2008 a bumper year for U.K. movies – British films raked in more than $3.75 billion (£2.5 billion) at the global box office last year.

The Dark Knight, starring Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger, was the top earner, with just over $1 billion (£666 million) in sales and Quantum Of Solace took $576 million (£384 million) worldwide.

Abba movie musical Mamma Mia!, featuring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, also proved a box office smash, taking $602 million (£401 million) since its release in July.

Other Brit films in the top 10 earners of 2008 include fantasy film The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian which took $419 million (£279 million) and The Other Boleyn Girl, starring Natalie Portman, which garnered $75 million (£50 million).

John Woodward of the U.K. Film Council says, “That’s a phenomenal achievement and a measure of film’s contribution to the wider economy.”

Movies are classified as British if they meet criteria on whether the stars, directors, producers and funding come from the U.K.