#1 of 6 #1 action movie of December 1983
1983 · Action, Thriller
$67.6M worldwide · 37% of the chart's total
$67.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Action box office · December 1983
Action Box Office, December 1983: Top-Grossing Releases
Sudden Impact (1983) is the highest-grossing action movie released in December 1983, with $67.6M worldwide, ahead of Scarface (1983) at $66.4M and Uncommon Valor (1983) at $30.5M. 6 action films released in December 1983 report a worldwide gross, $182.2M in all, 89% of it from the US & Canada. By language, English leads with $182.2M across 6 action releases.
- December 1983 releases with a gross
- 6
- combined worldwide
- $182.2M
- Sudden Impact (1983), the #1
- $67.6M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 89%
#1 of 6 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of December 1983?
Sudden Impact (1983) leads with $67.6M, 37% of the total. The top 5 together took $182.1M, almost all of what the 6 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 December 1983, 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 1983.
- 1 Dec 9, 1983 US and Canada: $67.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $67.6M
- 2 Dec 1, 1983 US and Canada: $46M Rest of the world: $20.5M Worldwide: $66.4M
- 3 Dec 16, 1983 US and Canada: $30.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $30.5M
- 4 Dec 16, 1983 US and Canada: $16.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.1M
- 5 Dec 1, 1983 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.4M
- 6
Dec 1, 1983 US and Canada: $108.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $108.1K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1983?
Of the top 6, Sudden Impact (1983) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Scarface (1983) made 31% of its gross abroad. Across all 6 films, $161.8M (89%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Sudden Impact (1983) $67.6M $67.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Scarface (1983) $66.4M $46M US & Canada · 69% $20.5M elsewhere · 31%
- 3 Uncommon Valor (1983) $30.5M $30.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 D.C. Cab (1983) $16.1M $16.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Sahara (1983) $1.4M $1.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Slayground (1983) $108.1K $108.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of December 1983 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 49 (Nov 27–Dec 3) took $68M, led by Scarface (1983). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 27–Dec 3 Scarface (1983) $68M Scarface (1983)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 4–10 Sudden Impact (1983) $67.6M Sudden Impact (1983)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 11–17 Uncommon Valor (1983) $46.6M Uncommon Valor (1983)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 18–24 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 25–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1983 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1978 earned the most: $397.9M from 4 films, led by Superman (1978). December 1983 took $182.2M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1974 2 films | 2 | $137M | – | 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 |
| December 1979 2 films · −68% | 2 | $128.3M | −68% | 1941 (1979) $92.5M |
| December 1980 3 films · −24% | 3 | $97.9M | −24% | Any Which Way You Can (1980) $70.7M |
| December 1981 3 films · −57% | 3 | $42.5M | −57% | Sharky's Machine (1981) $35.6M |
| December 1982 1 film · +85% | 1 | $78.9M | +85% | 48 Hrs. (1982) $78.9M |
| December 1983 6 films · +131% | 6 | $182.2M | +131% | Sudden Impact (1983) $67.6M |
Archive
Action Box Office in 1983, Month by Month
The months of 1983 with their totals: May leads with $550.8M, led by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983).
- January No grosses
- February $1.7K #1 Midnite Spares (1983)
- March $1.3M #1 Eddie Macon’s Run (1983)
- April $15.9M #1 Lone Wolf McQuade (1983)
- May $550.8M #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- June $152.5M #1 Superman III (1983)
- July $29.9M #1 Krull (1983)
- August $13.1M #1 Hercules (1983)
- September $14.9M #1 Revenge of the Ninja (1983)
- October $91.5M #1 Never Say Never Again (1983)
- November No grosses
- December $182.2M #1 Sudden Impact (1983)
FAQ
Action Box Office December 1983: 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 6 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing action movie in December 1983?
Sudden Impact (1983) leads with $67.6M worldwide, $67.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Scarface (1983) at $66.4M and Uncommon Valor (1983) at $30.5M.
How much did action movies released in December 1983 earn?
6 action films released in December 1983 report a worldwide gross, $182.2M in all, or $30.4M per film on average.
How many action movies released in December 1983 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Sudden Impact (1983), earned $67.6M.
How is the December 1983 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 1983. 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 1983 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.