Despite fears that internet piracy would dent its profits, Hollywood has had a buoyant year.
Worldwide revenues from cinema tickets, videos and DVD sales, as well as television rights, reached a whopping $44.8bn (£24bn) last year, up 9% from 2003.
Record DVD sales fuelled the increase, up 14% in the US and 46% worldwide, but most other sectors did better than last year. The only exception was cinema ticket sales outside America. These did fall, but by a relatively modest 1%.
The figures are from a report by the Motion Picture Association, part of the Motion Picture Association of America, which represents Hollywood studios.
