#1 of 10 #1 comedy movie of May 1985
1985 · Mystery, Comedy
$59.6M worldwide · 44% of the chart's total
$50.6M US & Canada · 85% $9M elsewhere · 15%
Comedy box office · May 1985
Comedy Box Office, May 1985: Top-Grossing Releases
Fletch (1985) is the highest-grossing comedy movie released in May 1985, with $59.6M worldwide, ahead of Brewster's Millions (1985) at $45.8M and Gotcha! (1985) at $10.8M. 10 comedy films released in May 1985 report a worldwide gross, $134.4M in all, 89% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 54% on April 1985, whose releases took $87.4M. By language, English leads with $133.8M across 9 comedy releases.
- May 1985 releases with a gross
- 10
- combined worldwide
- $134.4M
- Fletch (1985), the #1
- $59.6M
- vs April 1985
- +54%
#1 of 10 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Comedy Hits of May 1985?
Fletch (1985) leads with $59.6M, 44% of the total. The top 5 together took $133M, 99% of what all 10 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 Comedy Release of May 1985, 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 1985.
- 1 May 31, 1985 US and Canada: $50.6M Rest of the world: $9M Worldwide: $59.6M
- 2 May 22, 1985 US and Canada: $40.8M Rest of the world: $5M Worldwide: $45.8M
- 3 May 3, 1985 US and Canada: $10.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.8M
- 4 May 2, 1985 US and Canada: $10.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.6M
- 5 May 10, 1985 US and Canada: $6.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.1M
- 6
May 6, 1985 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $596.6K - 7
May 3, 1985 US and Canada: $372.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $372.4K - 8
May 3, 1985 US and Canada: $331.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $331.8K - 9
May 31, 1985 US and Canada: $65.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $65.8K - 10
May 31, 1985 US and Canada: $65.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $65.8K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1985?
Of the top 10, Gotcha! (1985) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Fletch (1985) made 15% of its gross abroad. Across all 10 films, $119.8M (89%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 10 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Fletch (1985) $59.6M $50.6M US & Canada · 85% $9M elsewhere · 15%
- 2 Brewster's Millions (1985) $45.8M $40.8M US & Canada · 89% $5M elsewhere · 11%
- 3 Gotcha! (1985) $10.8M $10.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) $10.6M $10.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Rustlers’ Rhapsody (1985) $6.1M $6.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Waiting for the Hearse (1985) $596.6K No US & Canada figure reported
- 7 Movers & Shakers (1985) $372.4K $372.4K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Private Resort (1985) $331.8K $331.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Shadey (1985) $65.8K $65.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Shadey (1985) $65.8K $65.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many May 1985 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 10 films reached $100M. 6 films, 60% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $134.4M total.
94%
- $1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $500M to $1B 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $100M to $500M 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $10M to $100M 4 films, 40% of the list $126.9M · 94% of the gross
- Under $10M 6 films, 60% of the list $7.5M · 6% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of May 1985 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 22 (May 26–Jun 1) took $59.7M, led by Fletch (1985). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 28–May 4 Gotcha! (1985) $22.1M Gotcha! (1985)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 5–11 Rustlers’ Rhapsody (1985) $6.7M Rustlers’ Rhapsody (1985)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 12–18 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 19–25 Brewster's Millions (1985) $45.8M Brewster's Millions (1985)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 26–Jun 1 Fletch (1985) $59.7M Fletch (1985)
Earlier years
How Does May 1985 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1985 earned the most: $134.4M from 10 films, led by Fletch (1985).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1976 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1977 4 films | 4 | $127.6M | – | Smokey and the Bandit (1977) $126.8M |
| May 1978 2 films · −65% | 2 | $44.9M | −65% | The End (1978) $44.9M |
| May 1979 4 films · −51% | 4 | $22M | −51% | La Cage aux Folles (1979) $20.4M |
| May 1980 5 films · +6% | 5 | $23.3M | +6% | The Nude Bomb (1980) $14.7M |
| May 1981 4 films · +250% | 4 | $81.7M | +250% | The Four Seasons (1981) $50.4M |
| May 1982 4 films · −73% | 4 | $22.3M | −73% | Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) $18.2M |
| May 1983 2 films · +16% | 2 | $25.9M | +16% | Still Smokin (1983) $15.5M |
| May 1984 7 films · +208% | 7 | $79.8M | +208% | Breakin' (1984) $38.7M |
| May 1985 10 films · +68% | 10 | $134.4M | +68% | Fletch (1985) $59.6M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Comedy Movies Speak in May 1985?
English-language comedy films took $133.8M across 9 films, 100% of the total, ahead of Spanish-language comedy films ($596.6K).
Archive
Comedy Box Office in 1985, Month by Month
The months of 1985 with their totals: July leads with $446.9M, led by Back to the Future (1985).
- January $9.5M #1 Tuff Turf (1985)
- February $36.1M #1 Lost in America (1985)
- March $144.9M #1 Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985)
- April $87.4M #1 Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
- May $134.4M #1 Fletch (1985)
- June $99.8M #1 The Goonies (1985)
- July $446.9M #1 Back to the Future (1985)
- August $215.4M #1 Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
- September $21.1M #1 After Hours (1985)
- October $37.8M #1 Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)
- November $49.4M #1 King Solomon's Mines (1985)
- December $220M #1 The Jewel of the Nile (1985)
FAQ
Comedy Box Office May 1985: 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 10 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing comedy movie in May 1985?
Fletch (1985) leads with $59.6M worldwide, $50.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Brewster's Millions (1985) at $45.8M and Gotcha! (1985) at $10.8M.
How much did comedy movies released in May 1985 earn?
10 comedy films released in May 1985 report a worldwide gross, $134.4M in all, or $13.4M per film on average. April 1985 releases took $87.4M.
How many comedy movies released in May 1985 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Fletch (1985), earned $59.6M.
How is the May 1985 comedy 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 1985. 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 1985 comedy 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.