Dark fantasy, violence, adult themes: BBFC data reveals animation's shift towards older audiences

Animation is no longer limited to children, as filmmakers are now exploring complex and darker narratives created for adults. The shift can be seen in the latest age-classification figures released by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), which show a significant decline in the proportion of animated films receiving a U certificate.

How animation has changed

According to a report by The Times, only around one-fifth of animated films released in UK cinemas so far this year have received a U rating. The proportion stood at approximately two-thirds in 2001.

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The BBFC data also reveals that one in three animated films released in UK cinemas this year has received a 12A rating or higher. Meanwhile, 22 animated films were awarded a 15 certificate in 2025.

The changing trend is clearly visible in the Wildwood, a stop-motion fantasy film that features Carey Mulligan, Richard E Grant and Rob Delaney. Rather than following the conventions of traditional children's animation, the film explores darker territory, including violence, grief, trauma and ideological conflict.

The BBFC also lists moderate violence, injury detail, threatening scenes, language and upsetting content among the film's elements.

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BBFC on wider range of animated films

According to The Times, the BBFC classified 95 animated films in 2025, compared with just 15 in 2000 in the UK.

Speaking on the way animation is changing, BBFC chief executive David Austin said, "For years, animated feature films have been most commonly aimed at a younger audience,” he said. “But our research shows we are now seeing a far wider range of animated films than ever before, with many of them made for teenage and adult audiences," as quoted by The Times.

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Among the examples he highlighted was Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle, the fantasy action film that received a 15 rating last year for strong violence and bloody images. Another was The Most Precious of Cargoes, an animated Holocaust drama.

Japanese anime has emerged as an important contributor to animation's expanding audience. According to the figures reported by The Times, anime accounted for nearly 40 per cent of animated features classified by the BBFC in 2025.

The genre covers a wide variety of formats, from fantasy adventures and action films to psychological dramas and stories dealing with mature subject matter.

Changing audience perceptions

Kate O’Connor, strategic lead for industry body Animation UK, said, "Animation has lost its stigma as only being for youngsters,” she said. “We’re seeing a much wider recognition that animation can tell any story, for any audience. It can be funny, challenging, political, emotional or unsettling. Animation hasn’t suddenly grown up. Our perception of it has finally caught up," as quoted by The Times.

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O’Connor further added, "Animation offers extraordinary creative freedom. It can take audiences into entirely imagined worlds, tell stories that would be impossible or prohibitively expensive to realise in live action, and tackle difficult subjects through visual metaphor, humour and imagination. It also travels remarkably well internationally. Great visual storytelling crosses cultural and language boundaries, which helps explain animation’s growing global appeal."

With animation attracting viewers across different age groups, O’Connor anticipates "We’ll see more stories for older audiences, stronger international collaborations and more crossovers between animation, games and other entertainment."