# 2005 in film

**2005 in film** is an overview of the year's cinematic output, commercial performance, festivals, and awards. It was a commercially weak year for North American theaters but a strong one for critically favored dramas, and it marked a turning point in home-video formats as the VHS cassette neared the end of its theatrical run.

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| North American box office | Revenues fell over 5% from 2004, the largest year-to-year decline since 1985; attendance dropped more than 7%, the lowest figure since 1997<sup>[1](https://www.filmsite.org/2005-filmhistory.html)</sup> |
| Worldwide gross | $23.2 billion worldwide, with $9.0 billion in U.S. domestic receipts and $14.3 billion international<sup>[2](https://www.outofobscurity.com/downloads/MPF_Brochure_2007_SP.pdf)</sup> |
| Average ticket price | $6.41 in the United States<sup>[3](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/885975/000095013406006056/d34311e10vk.htm)</sup> |
| Academy Awards | *Crash* won Best Picture at the 78th Academy Awards (March 5, 2006); *Brokeback Mountain* led with 8 nominations and 3 wins<sup>[4](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2006)</sup> |
| Cannes | Palme d'Or to *L'Enfant* by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne<sup>[5](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/retrospective/2005/awards/)</sup> |
| European box office | *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* was the most successful film in Europe of 2005, with over 41 million admissions<sup>[6](https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/64529/)</sup> |
| Format milestone | *A History of Violence* (2005) was the last major Hollywood feature released on VHS, in early 2006<sup>[1](https://www.filmsite.org/2005-filmhistory.html)</sup> |

## Box office and industry conditions

The year's theatrical business contracted on both sides of the ledger. Box office revenue fell by more than 5% compared to the year before, the steepest such drop since 1985, while attendance declined over 7%, reaching its lowest level since 1997.<sup>[1](https://www.filmsite.org/2005-filmhistory.html)</sup> Weekend box-office grosses beginning in late February slid for a record 19 weeks in a row when compared with the corresponding period in 2004<sup>[1](https://www.filmsite.org/2005-filmhistory.html)</sup>. The average U.S. ticket price stood at $6.41<sup>[3](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/885975/000095013406006056/d34311e10vk.htm)</sup>.

Globally the picture was healthier. According to Motion Picture Association figures, worldwide box office sales reached $23.2 billion in 2005, with U.S. domestic receipts of $9.0 billion, up from $5.5 billion in 1995, and international revenue of $14.3 billion<sup>[2](https://www.outofobscurity.com/downloads/MPF_Brochure_2007_SP.pdf)</sup>. In Europe, adaptations of literary works drove the market: *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* led with over 41 million admissions, ahead of *War of the Worlds* (23.9 million) and *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory* (over 20 million)<sup>[6](https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/64529/)</sup>.

**R-rated comedy as a commercial engine.** Two boundary-pushing comedies proved especially profitable: *Wedding Crashers*, with $209.3 million domestic, and [Judd Apatow](https://www.edgepedia.org/judd-apatow)'s *The 40 Year-Old Virgin*, with $109.5 million domestic<sup>[1](https://www.filmsite.org/2005-filmhistory.html)</sup>. The same source notes a broader industry trend toward releasing "unrated" versions of R-rated and PG-13 films on DVD and videocassette, often with additional content that would have changed the original MPAA ratings<sup>[1](https://www.filmsite.org/2005-filmhistory.html)</sup>.

## The Academy Awards

The 78th Academy Awards, held on Sunday, March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre, honored films released in 2005<sup>[4](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2006)</sup>. *Crash*, produced by [Paul Haggis](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-haggis) and Cathy Schulman, won Best Picture, along with Film Editing and Original Screenplay, for a total of 3 wins from 6 nominations<sup>[4](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2006)</sup>.

*Brokeback Mountain*, Ang Lee's drama, received 8 nominations and 3 wins: Directing ([Ang Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/ang-lee)), Original Score ([Gustavo Santaolalla](https://www.edgepedia.org/gustavo-santaolalla)), and Adapted Screenplay ([Larry McMurtry](https://www.edgepedia.org/larry-mcmurtry) and Diana Ossana)<sup>[4](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2006)</sup>. The acting winners were Philip Seymour Hoffman for *Capote*, Reese Witherspoon for *Walk the Line*, George Clooney for *Syriana*, and Rachel Weisz for *The Constant Gardener*<sup>[4](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2006)</sup>. Other notable results included *Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit* for Animated Feature, *March of the Penguins* for Documentary Feature, *Tsotsi* (South Africa) for Foreign Language Film, and *King Kong* with wins in Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Visual Effects<sup>[4](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2006)</sup>. *Hustle & Flow* won Original Song for "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp"<sup>[4](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2006)</sup>.

## Critics' awards and year-end honors

The critics' consensus centered on a small group of films. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association, in the first major award announced that year, named *Brokeback Mountain* Best Picture, with Ang Lee Best Director, Philip Seymour Hoffman Best Actor for *Capote*, and Vera Farmiga Best Actress for *Down to the Bone*; *A History of Violence* was runner-up for Best Picture and took Supporting Actor for William Hurt<sup>[7](https://www.lafca.net/Years/2005.php)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-dec-11-me-film11-story.html)</sup>. The Boston Film Critics also chose *Brokeback Mountain* and Lee, with Hoffman and Witherspoon in the lead acting categories<sup>[9](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/awards-season-gets-rolling-with-crix-picks/)</sup>.

The Online Film Critics Society diverged, naming *A History of Violence* Best Picture and Best Director ([David Cronenberg](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-cronenberg)), with Best Documentary going to *Grizzly Man* and Best Foreign-Language Film to *Downfall* (Germany)<sup>[10](https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2006/01/2005-online-film-critics-society-year.html?m=0)</sup>. The [National Board of Review](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-board-of-review), which viewed over 250 films that year, named *Good Night, and Good Luck* its Best Film of the Year<sup>[11](https://nationalboardofreview.org/galas/2005-awards-gala/)</sup>.

Rotten Tomatoes' Golden Tomato Awards, based on a Bayesian-weighted tally of reviews, gave Best Wide Release to *Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit* (148 critics) and Best Limited Release to [George Clooney](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-clooney)'s *Good Night, And Good Luck* (167 reviews), with *The 40 Year-Old Virgin* Best Comedy, *March of the Penguins* Best Documentary, and *Kung Fu Hustle* Best Foreign Film<sup>[12](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/2005-golden-tomato-awards-winners-announced/)</sup>. A critical-consensus ranking of major American reviewers placed *Ballets Russes* first at 9.0 on a 10-point scale, with *Brokeback Mountain* at 8.9 and *Grizzly Man* at 8.7<sup>[13](https://www.sfgate.com/movies/criticalconsensus/article/Top-20-Films-of-2005-2524327.php)</sup>.

## Festivals

At Cannes, the [Palme d'Or](https://www.edgepedia.org/palme-dor) went to the Dardenne brothers' *L'Enfant*, with the Grand Prix to [Jim Jarmusch](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-jarmusch)'s *Broken Flowers*, Best Director to [Michael Haneke](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-haneke) for *Caché*, Best Screenplay to Guillermo Arriaga for *The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada*, Best Actress to Hanna Laslo for *Free Zone*, and Best Actor to Tommy Lee Jones for *The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada*<sup>[5](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/retrospective/2005/awards/)</sup>.

The 55th Berlinale (February 10 to 20, 2005) set an attendance record with 400,000 visitors and 180,000 sold tickets, and welcomed 17,000 accredited guests from 120 countries; its retrospective was devoted to [Stanley Kubrick](https://www.edgepedia.org/stanley-kubrick) under the title "Production Design + Film"<sup>[14](https://www.inter-film.org/artikel/55th-berlinale-35th-international-forum-new-cinema/510)</sup>. The 49th Times BFI London International Film Festival (October 19 to November 3) presented more than 300 titles from around the world<sup>[15](https://filmitalia.org/en/release/33354/)</sup>.

## Notable films and themes

Commentators identified 2005 as a year of message-driven cinema, with political dramas such as *V for Vendetta* and *Syriana* and social commentaries such as *Brokeback Mountain* and *Transamerica*<sup>[16](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-movies-2005/)</sup>. Both lead acting Oscars went to portrayals of real-life subjects: [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://www.edgepedia.org/philip-seymour-hoffman) as [Truman Capote](https://www.edgepedia.org/truman-capote) in *Capote* and [Reese Witherspoon](https://www.edgepedia.org/reese-witherspoon) as June Carter in the Johnny Cash biopic *Walk the Line*<sup>[16](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-movies-2005/)</sup>.

*Brokeback Mountain*, distributed by Focus Features, earned about $83 million domestically and $177 million worldwide<sup>[17](https://journals.publishing.umich.edu/mij/article/1482/galley/2445/download/)</sup>. In animation, Tim Burton returned to stop-motion Gothic style with *Corpse Bride*, which was also an Oscar nominee for Animated Feature<sup>[18](https://www.creativebloq.com/art/animation/from-shrek-to-chicken-run-these-are-the-most-influential-animated-films-of-the-2000s)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2006)</sup>.

## Formats and technology

2005 sat at a transition point in home video. *A History of Violence*, David Cronenberg's crime thriller, was the last major Hollywood feature film to be released on the once-ubiquitous VHS videotape cassette, in early 2006<sup>[1](https://www.filmsite.org/2005-filmhistory.html)</sup>. On the incoming side, the action sequel *Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle* (2003) became the first feature film released on Blu-ray Disc, the high-definition optical disc format pioneered by Sony<sup>[1](https://www.filmsite.org/2005-filmhistory.html)</sup>. The American Film Institute also released the eighth entry in its series, *100 Years...100 Movie Quotes*, recognizing the top 100 movie quotes in cinematic history<sup>[1](https://www.filmsite.org/2005-filmhistory.html)</sup>.

## References

1. [Film History Milestones – 2005, Filmsite](https://www.filmsite.org/2005-filmhistory.html)
2. [The Movie Industry, MPAA figures brochure](https://www.outofobscurity.com/downloads/MPF_Brochure_2007_SP.pdf)
3. [Regal Entertainment Group Form 10-K proxy filing, SEC](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/885975/000095013406006056/d34311e10vk.htm)
4. [The 78th Academy Awards (2006), Oscars.org](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2006)
5. [Retrospective 2005 Awards, Festival de Cannes](https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/retrospective/2005/awards/)
6. [2005: More films, less admissions, Cineuropa](https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/64529/)
7. [Awards for 2005, LAFCA](https://www.lafca.net/Years/2005.php)
8. [L.A. Film Critics Honor 'Brokeback', Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-dec-11-me-film11-story.html)
9. [Awards Season Gets Rolling with Crix Picks, Rotten Tomatoes](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/awards-season-gets-rolling-with-crix-picks/)
10. [2005 Online Film Critics Society year-end awards, Reel Times](https://reeltimes.blogspot.com/2006/01/2005-online-film-critics-society-year.html?m=0)
11. [2005 Awards Gala, National Board of Review](https://nationalboardofreview.org/galas/2005-awards-gala/)
12. [2005 Golden Tomato Awards Winners Announced, Rotten Tomatoes](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/2005-golden-tomato-awards-winners-announced/)
13. [Top 20 Films of 2005, SFGate Critical Consensus](https://www.sfgate.com/movies/criticalconsensus/article/Top-20-Films-of-2005-2524327.php)
14. [55th Berlinale – 35th International Forum of New Cinema, INTERFILM](https://www.inter-film.org/artikel/55th-berlinale-35th-international-forum-new-cinema/510)
15. [The London Film Festival: The Italians, Filmitalia](https://filmitalia.org/en/release/33354/)
16. [100 Best Movies of 2005 Ranked, Rotten Tomatoes](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-movies-2005/)
17. [Media Industries 10.1 (2023), University of Michigan Publishing](https://journals.publishing.umich.edu/mij/article/1482/galley/2445/download/)
18. [The most influential animated films of the 2000s, Creative Bloq](https://www.creativebloq.com/art/animation/from-shrek-to-chicken-run-these-are-the-most-influential-animated-films-of-the-2000s)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › National and regional cinemas by year*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license