#1 of 8 #1 action movie of May 1996
1996 · Action, Adventure
$494.6M worldwide · 44% of the chart's total
$241.8M US & Canada · 49% $252.8M elsewhere · 51%
Action box office · May 1996
Action Box Office, May 1996: Top-Grossing Releases
Twister (1996) is the highest-grossing action movie released in May 1996, with $494.6M worldwide, ahead of Mission: Impossible (1996) at $457.7M and DragonHeart (1996) at $115.3M. 8 action films released in May 1996 report a worldwide gross, $1.1B in all, 48% of it from the US & Canada. 3 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 6.5 times the total of April 1996, whose releases took $173.1M. By language, English leads with $1.1B across 7 action releases.
- May 1996 releases with a gross
- 8
- combined worldwide
- $1.1B
- films crossed $100M
- 3
- vs April 1996
- ×6.5
#1 of 8 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of May 1996?
Twister (1996) leads with $494.6M, 44% of the total. The top 5 together took $1.1B, 99% of what all 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 May 1996, 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 May 1996.
- 1 May 10, 1996 US and Canada: $241.8M Rest of the world: $252.8M Worldwide: $494.6M
- 2 May 22, 1996 US and Canada: $181M Rest of the world: $276.7M Worldwide: $457.7M
- 3 May 31, 1996 US and Canada: $51.4M Rest of the world: $63.9M Worldwide: $115.3M
- 4 May 31, 1996 US and Canada: $31.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.4M
- 5 May 24, 1996 US and Canada: $27M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $27M
- 6
May 3, 1996 US and Canada: $3.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.8M - 7
May 10, 1996 US and Canada: $3.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.7M - 8
May 9, 1996 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $184
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1996?
Of the top 8, Eddie (1996) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Mission: Impossible (1996) made 60% of its gross abroad. Across all 8 films, $540M (48%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 8 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Twister (1996) $494.6M $241.8M US & Canada · 49% $252.8M elsewhere · 51%
- 2 Mission: Impossible (1996) $457.7M $181M US & Canada · 40% $276.7M elsewhere · 60%
- 3 DragonHeart (1996) $115.3M $51.4M US & Canada · 45% $63.9M elsewhere · 55%
- 4 Eddie (1996) $31.4M $31.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Spy Hard (1996) $27M $27M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Barb Wire (1996) $3.8M $3.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Original Gangstas (1996) $3.7M $3.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Indian (1996) $184 No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of May 1996 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 19 (May 5–11) took $498.3M, led by Twister (1996). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 28–May 4 Barb Wire (1996) $3.8M Barb Wire (1996)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 5–11 Twister (1996) $498.3M Twister (1996)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 12–18 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 19–25 Mission: Impossible (1996) $484.7M Mission: Impossible (1996)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 26–Jun 1 DragonHeart (1996) $146.7M DragonHeart (1996)
Earlier years
How Does May 1996 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1996 earned the most: $1.1B from 8 films, led by Twister (1996).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1987 5 films | 5 | $308.5M | – | Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $300M |
| May 1988 8 films · +61% | 8 | $498.2M | +61% | Crocodile Dundee II (1988) $239.6M |
| May 1989 5 films · +6% | 5 | $525.7M | +6% | Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) $474.2M |
| May 1990 5 films · −70% | 5 | $159.9M | −70% | Bird on a Wire (1990) $138.7M |
| May 1991 6 films · +35% | 6 | $215.8M | +35% | Backdraft (1991) $152.4M |
| May 1992 4 films · +129% | 4 | $493.6M | +129% | Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) $321.7M |
| May 1993 6 films · −7% | 6 | $460.7M | −7% | Cliffhanger (1993) $255M |
| May 1994 5 films · −21% | 5 | $364.9M | −21% | Maverick (1994) $183M |
| May 1995 4 films · +107% | 4 | $755.8M | +107% | Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995) $366.1M |
| May 1996 8 films · +50% | 8 | $1.1B | +50% | Twister (1996) $494.6M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Action Movies Speak in May 1996?
English-language action films took $1.1B across 7 films, 100% of the total, ahead of Tamil-language action films ($184).
Archive
Action Box Office in 1996, Month by Month
The months of 1996 with their totals: May leads with $1.1B, led by Twister (1996).
- January $28.2M #1 From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
- February $217M #1 Broken Arrow (1996)
- March $122.9M #1 Executive Decision (1996)
- April $173.1M #1 Courage Under Fire (1996)
- May $1.1B #1 Twister (1996)
- June $594.7M #1 The Rock (1996)
- July $834.6M #1 Independence Day (1996)
- August $91.1M #1 Chain Reaction (1996)
- September $84.4M #1 Last Man Standing (1996)
- October $132.8M #1 The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
- November $509.9M #1 Ransom (1996)
- December $260.6M #1 Daylight (1996)
FAQ
Action Box Office May 1996: 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 May 1996?
Twister (1996) leads with $494.6M worldwide, $241.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Mission: Impossible (1996) at $457.7M and DragonHeart (1996) at $115.3M.
How much did action movies released in May 1996 earn?
8 action films released in May 1996 report a worldwide gross, $1.1B in all, or $141.7M per film on average. April 1996 releases took $173.1M.
How many action movies released in May 1996 made $1 billion?
None. 3 films crossed $100 million, led by Twister (1996) with $494.6M.
How is the May 1996 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 May 1996. 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 May 1996 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.