#1 of 8 #1 action movie of May 2003
2003 · Action, Adventure
$741.8M worldwide · 54% of the chart's total
$281.6M US & Canada · 38% $460.3M elsewhere · 62%
Action box office · May 2003
Action Box Office, May 2003: Top-Grossing Releases
The Matrix Reloaded (2003) is the highest-grossing action movie released in May 2003, with $741.8M worldwide, ahead of X2: X-Men United (2003) at $407.7M and The Italian Job (2003) at $176.1M. 8 action films released in May 2003 report a worldwide gross, $1.4B in all, 45% of it from the US & Canada. 3 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 12.4 times the total of April 2003, whose releases took $111.6M. By language, English leads with $918.5M across 4 action releases.
- May 2003 releases with a gross
- 8
- combined worldwide
- $1.4B
- films crossed $100M
- 3
- vs April 2003
- ×12.4
#1 of 8 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of May 2003?
The Matrix Reloaded (2003) leads with $741.8M, 54% of the total. The top 5 together took $1.4B, 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 May 2003, 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 2003.
- 1 May 15, 2003 US and Canada: $281.6M Rest of the world: $460.3M Worldwide: $741.8M
- 2 May 2, 2003 US and Canada: $214.9M Rest of the world: $192.8M Worldwide: $407.7M
- 3 May 30, 2003 US and Canada: $106.1M Rest of the world: $69.9M Worldwide: $176.1M
- 4 May 23, 2003 US and Canada: $20.5M Rest of the world: $6.4M Worldwide: $26.9M
- 5 May 16, 2003 US and Canada: $746.4K Rest of the world: $20.1M Worldwide: $20.9M
- 6
May 7, 2003 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.1M - 7
May 16, 2003 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $567.5K - 8
May 16, 2003 US and Canada: $56.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $56.1K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 2003?
Of the top 8, Kart Racer (2003) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Pokémon Heroes (2003) made 96% of its gross abroad. Across all 8 films, $623.9M (45%) came from the US & Canada. 2 films of the top 8 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Matrix Reloaded (2003) $741.8M $281.6M US & Canada · 38% $460.3M elsewhere · 62%
- 2 X2: X-Men United (2003) $407.7M $214.9M US & Canada · 53% $192.8M elsewhere · 47%
- 3 The Italian Job (2003) $176.1M $106.1M US & Canada · 60% $69.9M elsewhere · 40%
- 4 The In-Laws (2003) $26.9M $20.5M US & Canada · 76% $6.4M elsewhere · 24%
- 5 Pokémon Heroes (2003) $20.9M $746.4K US & Canada · 4% $20.1M elsewhere · 96%
- 6 Payoff (2003) $5.1M No US & Canada figure reported
- 7 To Kill a King (2003) $567.5K No US & Canada figure reported
- 8 Kart Racer (2003) $56.1K $56.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of May 2003 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 20 (May 11–17) took $763.3M, led by The Matrix Reloaded (2003). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 27–May 3 X2: X-Men United (2003) $407.7M X2: X-Men United (2003)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 4–10 Payoff (2003) $5.1M Payoff (2003)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 11–17 The Matrix Reloaded (2003) $763.3M The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 18–24 The In-Laws (2003) $26.9M The In-Laws (2003)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 25–31 The Italian Job (2003) $176.1M The Italian Job (2003)
Earlier years
How Does May 2003 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 2002 earned the most: $1.7B from 11 films, led by Spider-Man (2002). May 2003 took $1.4B.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1994 5 films | 5 | $364.9M | – | 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 |
| May 1997 4 films · −16% | 4 | $956.8M | −16% | The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) $618.6M |
| May 1998 4 films · −21% | 4 | $751.7M | −21% | Godzilla (1998) $379M |
| May 1999 3 films · +95% | 3 | $1.5B | +95% | Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) $1B |
| May 2000 4 films · −22% | 4 | $1.1B | −22% | Mission: Impossible II (2000) $546.4M |
| May 2001 6 films · −11% | 6 | $1B | −11% | Pearl Harbor (2001) $449.2M |
| May 2002 11 films · +70% | 11 | $1.7B | +70% | Spider-Man (2002) $825.8M |
| May 2003 8 films · −20% | 8 | $1.4B | −20% | The Matrix Reloaded (2003) $741.8M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Action Movies Speak in May 2003?
English-language action films took $918.5M across 4 films, 67% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language action films ($20.9M) and French-language action films ($5.1M).
Archive
Action Box Office in 2003, Month by Month
The months of 2003 with their totals: July leads with $2.2B, led by Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003).
- January $249.5M #1 The Recruit (2003)
- February $375.6M #1 Daredevil (2003)
- March $144.4M #1 The Core (2003)
- April $111.6M #1 A Man Apart (2003)
- May $1.4B #1 The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
- June $871M #1 Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
- July $2.2B #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
- August $396.3M #1 S.W.A.T. (2003)
- September $299.8M #1 Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)
- October $208.5M #1 Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
- November $691.4M #1 The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
- December $1.7B #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
FAQ
Action Box Office May 2003: 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 2003?
The Matrix Reloaded (2003) leads with $741.8M worldwide, $281.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come X2: X-Men United (2003) at $407.7M and The Italian Job (2003) at $176.1M.
How much did action movies released in May 2003 earn?
8 action films released in May 2003 report a worldwide gross, $1.4B in all, or $172.4M per film on average. April 2003 releases took $111.6M.
How many action movies released in May 2003 made $1 billion?
None. 3 films crossed $100 million, led by The Matrix Reloaded (2003) with $741.8M.
How is the May 2003 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 2003. 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 2003 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.