MUMBAI: Though James Cameron‘s science fiction epic Avatar may be the stand out 3D film in 2009, this year has seen a continued rise of 3D‘s popularity.

Nielsen EDI‘s latest report on 3D releases in the UK highlights the growth of the sector in terms of outright grosses, 3D percentage gross and the number of releases.

Warner Bros‘ Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince stands at number one as the highest-grossing 3D release on ?50.6m to date in the UK, although the wizard‘s adventure 3D element was confining to the opening sequence of the IMAX version that generated ?1.6m or 3.2 per cent of the total gross.

A clearer illustration of the 3D spread is provided by the animations that were released this year. Back in March DreamWork‘s Monsters Vs. Aliens took ?21.3m with 44 per cent coming from 3D screens followed by Fox International‘s Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs ,the opening of which grossed ?34.9m. Released on 9 October, Walt Disney/Pixar‘s Up continued the trend with 3D screen providing 60.5 per cent of the film‘s current ?34.2m tally.

The widest point of release for 3D films noticeably increased in the second half of the year in the run up to the Avatar launch. Ice Age 3‘s 3D screen count stood at 240 on release, followed by Pixar‘s 1995 classic Toy Story with 251screens ( 3D screens), Up with 266 screens and Disney‘s A Christmas Carol with 281 screens, the largest 3D release to date.