#1 of 5 #1 adventure movie of 1959
1959 · Adventure, Drama
$74.4M worldwide · 100% of the chart's total
$74.4M US & Canada · 100% $6.7K elsewhere · <1%
Adventure box office · 1959
Adventure Box Office 1959: Highest-Grossing Adventure Movies
Ben-Hur (1959) is the highest-grossing adventure movie released in 1959, with $74.4M worldwide, ahead of North by Northwest (1959) at $197.9K and The Indian Tomb (1959) at $4.7K. 5 adventure films released in 1959 report a worldwide gross, $74.6M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. By language, English leads with $74.6M across 3 adventure releases.
- 1959 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $74.6M
- Ben-Hur (1959), the #1
- $74.4M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Adventure Hits of 1959?
Ben-Hur (1959) leads with $74.4M, 100% of the total. The top 5 together took $74.6M, almost all of what the 5 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 Adventure Release of 1959, 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 1959.
- 1 Nov 18, 1959 US and Canada: $74.4M Rest of the world: $6.7K Worldwide: $74.4M
- 2 Aug 6, 1959 US and Canada: $66.7K Rest of the world: $131.2K Worldwide: $197.9K
- 3 Mar 5, 1959 US and Canada: $4.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7K
- 4 Jan 21, 1959 US and Canada: $4.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7K
- 5 Oct 1, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1959?
Of the top 5, The Indian Tomb (1959) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while North by Northwest (1959) made 66% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $74.5M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 5 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Ben-Hur (1959) $74.4M $74.4M US & Canada · 100% $6.7K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 North by Northwest (1959) $197.9K $66.7K US & Canada · 34% $131.2K elsewhere · 66%
- 3 The Indian Tomb (1959) $4.7K $4.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The Tiger of Eschnapur (1959) $4.7K $4.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959) $1.1K No US & Canada figure reported
By release month
Which Month of 1959 Earned the Most?
November releases took the most, $74.4M from 1 film, led by Ben-Hur (1959). October was the quietest month ($1.1K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan The Tiger of Eschnapur (1959) $4.7K The Tiger of Eschnapur (1959)
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar The Indian Tomb (1959) $4.7K The Indian Tomb (1959)
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug North by Northwest (1959) $197.9K North by Northwest (1959)
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959) $1.1K Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959)
- November Nov Ben-Hur (1959) $74.4M Ben-Hur (1959)
- December Dec No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Last 10 years
How Does 1959 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1955 earned the most: $93.9M from 3 films, led by Lady and the Tramp (1955). 1959 took $74.6M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 2 films | 2 | $7.7K | – | The Flame and the Arrow (1950) $6.7K |
| 1951 1 film · −84% | 1 | $1.2K | −84% | Alice in Wonderland (1951) $1.2K |
| 1952 5 films · +28166% | 5 | $352.2K | +28166% | Les Miserables (1952) $280.5K |
| 1953 4 films · +24732% | 4 | $87.5M | +24732% | Peter Pan (1953) $87.4M |
| 1954 8 films · −100% | 8 | $43.9K | −100% | Knights of the Round Table (1954) $14K |
| 1955 3 films · +213743% | 3 | $93.9M | +213743% | Lady and the Tramp (1955) $93.9M |
| 1956 7 films · −55% | 7 | $42M | −55% | Around the World in 80 Days (1956) $42M |
| 1957 3 films · −35% | 3 | $27.2M | −35% | The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) $27.2M |
| 1958 4 films · −99% | 4 | $172.8K | −99% | The Old Man and the Sea (1958) $67.7K |
| 1959 5 films · +43103% | 5 | $74.6M | +43103% | Ben-Hur (1959) $74.4M |
Archive
Adventure Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1923 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $20.5B, led by Avengers: Endgame (2019).
2020s 7 years · $64.6B
2010s 10 years · $150.8B
- 2019 $20.5B #1 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- 2018 $17.2B #1 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- 2017 $18.3B #1 Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
- 2016 $17.6B #1 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- 2015 $18.1B #1 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
- 2014 $13.1B #1 Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014)
- 2013 $13.7B #1 Iron Man 3 (2013)
- 2012 $15.4B #1 The Avengers (2012)
- 2011 $8.2B #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
- 2010 $8.6B #1 Toy Story 3 (2010)
2000s 10 years · $71.5B
- 2009 $11.9B #1 Avatar (2009)
- 2008 $7.7B #1 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
- 2007 $7.9B #1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
- 2006 $7.1B #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
- 2005 $7.3B #1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
- 2004 $6B #1 Shrek 2 (2004)
- 2003 $7.2B #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- 2002 $5.9B #1 Spider-Man (2002)
- 2001 $5.9B #1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
- 2000 $4.4B #1 Mission: Impossible II (2000)
1990s 10 years · $23B
- 1999 $4.6B #1 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- 1998 $3.1B #1 Armageddon (1998)
- 1997 $2.7B #1 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
- 1996 $3.5B #1 Independence Day (1996)
- 1995 $2.9B #1 Toy Story (1995)
- 1994 $2B #1 The Lion King (1994)
- 1993 $1.1B #1 Cliffhanger (1993)
- 1992 $427.5M #1 Forever Young (1992)
- 1991 $1.1B #1 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
- 1990 $1.6B #1 Dances with Wolves (1990)
1980s 10 years · $8.9B
- 1989 $1.7B #1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- 1988 $819.3M #1 Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
- 1987 $429.9M #1 Predator (1987)
- 1986 $841.3M #1 Crocodile Dundee (1986)
- 1985 $1.4B #1 Back to the Future (1985)
- 1984 $810.9M #1 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- 1983 $990M #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- 1982 $474.1M #1 First Blood (1982)
- 1981 $590.1M #1 Superman II (1981)
- 1980 $763.7M #1 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
1970s 10 years · $3.4B
- 1979 $450.6M #1 Moonraker (1979)
- 1978 $596.2M #1 Superman (1978)
- 1977 $1.4B #1 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- 1976 $52.6M #1 King Kong (1976)
- 1975 $513.1M #1 Jaws (1975)
- 1974 $60.5M #1 Benji (1974)
- 1973 $35.5M #1 Live and Let Die (1973)
- 1972 $85.5M #1 The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
- 1971 $476.6K #1 The Red Tent (1971)
- 1970 $251.8M #1 The Aristocats (1970)
1960s 10 years · $759.7M
- 1969 $133.6M #1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- 1968 $44.6M #1 Planet of the Apes (1968)
- 1967 $274.2M #1 The Jungle Book (1967)
- 1966 $16.1K #1 The Ghost of Monk’s Island (1966)
- 1965 $115.4M #1 Thunderball (1965)
- 1964 $27.3M #1 From Russia with Love (1964)
- 1963 $74.7M #1 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
- 1962 $47.3M #1 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- 1961 $370.7K #1 The Colossus of Rhodes (1961)
- 1960 $42.2M #1 Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
1950s 10 years · $325.9M
- 1959 $74.6M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- 1958 $172.8K #1 The Old Man and the Sea (1958)
- 1957 $27.2M #1 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- 1956 $42M #1 Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
- 1955 $93.9M #1 Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- 1954 $43.9K #1 Knights of the Round Table (1954)
- 1953 $87.5M #1 Peter Pan (1953)
- 1952 $352.2K #1 Les Miserables (1952)
- 1951 $1.2K #1 Alice in Wonderland (1951)
- 1950 $7.7K #1 The Flame and the Arrow (1950)
1940s 6 years · $5.3M
1930s 5 years · $25.7M
FAQ
Adventure Box Office 1959: 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 5 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing adventure movie in 1959?
Ben-Hur (1959) leads with $74.4M worldwide, $74.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come North by Northwest (1959) at $197.9K and The Indian Tomb (1959) at $4.7K.
How much did adventure movies released in 1959 earn?
5 adventure films released in 1959 report a worldwide gross, $74.6M in all, or $14.9M per film on average.
How many adventure movies released in 1959 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Ben-Hur (1959), earned $74.4M.
How is the 1959 adventure 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 1959. 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 1959 adventure 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.