#1 of 8 #1 action movie of 1972
1972 · Action, Adventure
$84.6M worldwide · 89% of the chart's total
$84.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Action box office · 1972
Action Box Office 1972: Highest-Grossing Action Movies
The Poseidon Adventure (1972) is the highest-grossing action movie released in 1972, with $84.6M worldwide, ahead of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) at $9M and Bombay to Goa (1972) at $886.7K. 8 action films released in 1972 report a worldwide gross, $94.5M in all, 99% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 16% on 1971, whose releases took $112.6M. By language, English leads with $93.6M across 4 action releases.
- 1972 releases with a gross
- 8
- combined worldwide
- $94.5M
- The Poseidon Adventure (1972), the #1
- $84.6M
- vs 1971
- −16%
#1 of 8 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of 1972?
The Poseidon Adventure (1972) leads with $84.6M, 89% of the total. The top 5 together took $94.5M, almost all of what the 8 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Action Release of 1972, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1972.
- 1 Dec 13, 1972 US and Canada: $84.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $84.6M
- 2 Jun 30, 1972 US and Canada: $9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9M
- 3 Mar 3, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $886.7K
- 4 Dec 13, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $9.6K
- 5 Mar 17, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.8K
- 6
Jun 1, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $980 - 7
Mar 11, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $585 - 8
Jan 26, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $250
By release month
Which Month of 1972 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $84.6M from 2 films, led by The Poseidon Adventure (1972). January was the quietest month ($250). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan The Hot Rock (1972) $250 The Hot Rock (1972)
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar Bombay to Goa (1972) $890K Bombay to Goa (1972)
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- June Jun Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) $9M Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec The Poseidon Adventure (1972) $84.6M The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
Last 10 years
How Does 1972 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1970 earned the most: $119.5M from 3 films, led by Airport (1970). 1972 took $94.5M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 4 films | 4 | $62.5M | – | It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) $46.3M |
| 1964 3 films · −60% | 3 | $24.8M | −60% | From Russia with Love (1964) $24.8M |
| 1965 3 films · +364% | 3 | $115.3M | +364% | Thunderball (1965) $63.6M |
| 1966 4 films · −100% | 4 | $31.4K | −100% | Django (1966) $30.3K |
| 1967 2 films · +156410% | 2 | $49.1M | +156410% | You Only Live Twice (1967) $43.1M |
| 1968 3 films · −93% | 3 | $3.6M | −93% | Coogan’s Bluff (1968) $3.1M |
| 1969 6 films · +748% | 6 | $30.7M | +748% | On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) $22.8M |
| 1970 3 films · +289% | 3 | $119.5M | +289% | Airport (1970) $100.5M |
| 1971 6 films · −6% | 6 | $112.6M | −6% | The French Connection (1971) $51.7M |
| 1972 8 films · −16% | 8 | $94.5M | −16% | The Poseidon Adventure (1972) $84.6M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Action Movies Speak in 1972?
English-language action films took $93.6M across 4 films, 99% of the total, ahead of Hindi-language action films ($886.7K) and Japanese-language action films ($585).
Archive
Action Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1924 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2017 leads with $20.6B, led by Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017).
2020s 7 years · $61.4B
- 2026 so far $6B #1 Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
- 2025 $11.9B #1 Zootopia 2 (2025)
- 2024 $8.7B #1 Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
- 2023 $10B #1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
- 2022 $11.2B #1 Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- 2021 $10.3B #1 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
- 2020 $3.4B #1 The Eight Hundred (2020)
2010s 10 years · $152.6B
- 2019 $16.5B #1 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- 2018 $19.7B #1 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- 2017 $20.6B #1 Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
- 2016 $16.5B #1 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- 2015 $16.7B #1 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
- 2014 $16.1B #1 Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014)
- 2013 $12.5B #1 Iron Man 3 (2013)
- 2012 $13.8B #1 The Avengers (2012)
- 2011 $10.7B #1 Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
- 2010 $9.3B #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (2010)
2000s 10 years · $73.2B
- 2009 $12.5B #1 Avatar (2009)
- 2008 $9.7B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $7.5B #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
- 2006 $6.7B #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
- 2005 $5.5B #1 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- 2004 $6.8B #1 Spider-Man 2 (2004)
- 2003 $8.7B #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- 2002 $5.6B #1 Spider-Man (2002)
- 2001 $5.5B #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
- 2000 $4.7B #1 Mission: Impossible II (2000)
1990s 10 years · $32.6B
- 1999 $4.4B #1 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- 1998 $4.3B #1 Armageddon (1998)
- 1997 $5.1B #1 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
- 1996 $4.2B #1 Independence Day (1996)
- 1995 $3.6B #1 Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
- 1994 $2.9B #1 True Lies (1994)
- 1993 $1.6B #1 The Fugitive (1993)
- 1992 $2B #1 The Bodyguard (1992)
- 1991 $2.1B #1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- 1990 $2.5B #1 Total Recall (1990)
1980s 10 years · $10.7B
- 1989 $1.8B #1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- 1988 $1.2B #1 Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
- 1987 $1B #1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- 1986 $1.1B #1 Top Gun (1986)
- 1985 $931.7M #1 Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- 1984 $1.4B #1 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- 1983 $1.1B #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- 1982 $653.6M #1 First Blood (1982)
- 1981 $544.5M #1 Superman II (1981)
- 1980 $1B #1 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
1970s 10 years · $2.8B
- 1979 $524.3M #1 Moonraker (1979)
- 1978 $509.4M #1 Superman (1978)
- 1977 $1B #1 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- 1976 $104.8M #1 Silver Streak (1976)
- 1975 $28.9M #1 The Eiger Sanction (1975)
- 1974 $238.7M #1 The Towering Inferno (1974)
- 1973 $84.1M #1 Magnum Force (1973)
- 1972 $94.5M #1 The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
- 1971 $112.6M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $119.5M #1 Airport (1970)
1960s 10 years · $286.3M
- 1969 $30.7M #1 On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
- 1968 $3.6M #1 Coogan’s Bluff (1968)
- 1967 $49.1M #1 You Only Live Twice (1967)
- 1966 $31.4K #1 Django (1966)
- 1965 $115.3M #1 Thunderball (1965)
- 1964 $24.8M #1 From Russia with Love (1964)
- 1963 $62.5M #1 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
- 1962 $88.9K #1 Sanjuro (1962)
- 1961 $88.8K #1 Yojimbo (1961)
- 1960 $13.1K #1 Exodus (1960)
1950s 7 years · $3.2M
1940s 2 years · $2.3M
1930s 2 years · $5.8K
1920s 2 years · $1.8K
FAQ
Action Box Office 1972: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 8 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing action movie in 1972?
The Poseidon Adventure (1972) leads with $84.6M worldwide, $84.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) at $9M and Bombay to Goa (1972) at $886.7K.
How much did action movies released in 1972 earn?
8 action films released in 1972 report a worldwide gross, $94.5M in all, or $11.8M per film on average. 1971 releases took $112.6M.
How many action movies released in 1972 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Poseidon Adventure (1972), earned $84.6M.
How is the 1972 action box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in 1972. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact.
How often is the 1972 action box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.