#1 of 4 #1 action movie of December 1978
1978 · Action, Adventure
$300.5M worldwide · 76% of the chart's total
$134.5M US & Canada · 45% $166M elsewhere · 55%
Action box office · December 1978
Action Box Office, December 1978: Top-Grossing Releases
Superman (1978) is the highest-grossing action movie released in December 1978, with $300.5M worldwide, ahead of Every Which Way But Loose (1978) at $85.2M and Force 10 from Navarone (1978) at $7.2M. 4 action films released in December 1978 report a worldwide gross, $397.9M in all, 58% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion.
- December 1978 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $397.9M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- earned in the US & Canada
- 58%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of December 1978?
Superman (1978) leads with $300.5M, 76% of the total. The top 4 together took $397.9M, almost all of what the 4 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Action Release of December 1978, 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 December 1978.
- 1 Dec 15, 1978 US and Canada: $134.5M Rest of the world: $166M Worldwide: $300.5M
- 2 Dec 20, 1978 US and Canada: $85.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $85.2M
- 3 Dec 8, 1978 US and Canada: $7.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.2M
- 4 Dec 22, 1978 US and Canada: $5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1978?
Of the top 4, Every Which Way But Loose (1978) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Superman (1978) made 55% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $231.9M (58%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Superman (1978) $300.5M $134.5M US & Canada · 45% $166M elsewhere · 55%
- 2 Every Which Way But Loose (1978) $85.2M $85.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Force 10 from Navarone (1978) $7.2M $7.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Brass Target (1978) $5M $5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of December 1978 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 50 (Dec 10–16) took $300.5M, led by Superman (1978). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 48 Wk 48 Nov 26–Dec 2 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 49 Wk 49 Dec 3–9 Force 10 from Navarone (1978) $7.2M Force 10 from Navarone (1978)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 10–16 Superman (1978) $300.5M Superman (1978)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 17–23 Every Which Way But Loose (1978) $90.2M Every Which Way But Loose (1978)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 24–30 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1978 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1978 earned the most: $397.9M from 4 films, led by Superman (1978).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1969 1 film | 1 | $22.8M | – | On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) $22.8M |
| December 1970 1 film · −100% | 1 | $28.8K | −100% | They Call Me Trinity (1970) $28.8K |
| December 1971 1 film · +124836% | 1 | $36M | +124836% | Dirty Harry (1971) $36M |
| December 1972 2 films · +135% | 2 | $84.6M | +135% | The Poseidon Adventure (1972) $84.6M |
| December 1973 2 films · −53% | 2 | $39.8M | −53% | Magnum Force (1973) $39.8M |
| December 1974 2 films · +244% | 2 | $137M | +244% | The Towering Inferno (1974) $116M |
| December 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1976 2 films | 2 | $97.3M | – | Silver Streak (1976) $51.1M |
| December 1977 1 film · −73% | 1 | $26.4M | −73% | The Gauntlet (1977) $26.4M |
| December 1978 4 films · +1406% | 4 | $397.9M | +1406% | Superman (1978) $300.5M |
Archive
Action Box Office in 1978, Month by Month
The months of 1978 with their totals: December leads with $397.9M, led by Superman (1978).
FAQ
Action Box Office December 1978: 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 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing action movie in December 1978?
Superman (1978) leads with $300.5M worldwide, $134.5M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Every Which Way But Loose (1978) at $85.2M and Force 10 from Navarone (1978) at $7.2M.
How much did action movies released in December 1978 earn?
4 action films released in December 1978 report a worldwide gross, $397.9M in all, or $99.5M per film on average.
How many action movies released in December 1978 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Superman (1978) with $300.5M.
How is the December 1978 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 December 1978. 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 December 1978 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.