Cineworld has announced a boost to its box office revenues, resulting from a line of popular 3D blockbuster films that helped to draw in low-spenders.

Total sales were up by 8.5% over the 42 weeks ending on October 21. This is 0.2% more gain than in the same period last year. It also beats the more conservative rise in revenues from earlier this year (3.8%).

The “healthy performance since the end of June” was assisted by such 3D films as ‘Shrek Forever’ and ‘Toy Story 3’, which drew in enormous crowds.

British cinema operator Cineworld said it witnessed a rise of 6.5 per cent in its revenues in the 43-week period ended October 23 owing to 3D hit films like Ice ‘Age3’, ‘Up’ and ‘Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince’.

Recession-hit people also spent more time in cinemas, pushing Cineworld’s revenues up.

Company’s revenues from box office jumped 11 per cent.

British cinema chain, Cineworld reported a 33 per cent increase in its profits for the first half of 2009 owing to blockbuster hit such as Slumdog Millionaire.

Pre-tax profits of the company stood at £11.6 million for the 27 weeks to July 2, 2009, up from £8.7 million for the corresponding period in the previous year.

Box office receipts were recorded at £111.4 million, up 24.3 per cent as compared with £86.9 million last year.