#1 of 23 #1 crime movie of 1981
1981 · Action, Drama
$35.6M worldwide · 14% of the chart's total
$35.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Crime box office · 1981
Crime Box Office 1981: Highest-Grossing Crime Movies
Sharky's Machine (1981) is the highest-grossing crime movie released in 1981, with $35.6M worldwide, ahead of The Great Muppet Caper (1981) at $31.2M and Fort Apache the Bronx (1981) at $29.2M. 23 crime films released in 1981 report a worldwide gross, $247.4M in all, 98% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 34% on 1980, whose releases took $373M. By language, English leads with $246.4M across 20 crime releases.
- 1981 releases with a gross
- 23
- combined worldwide
- $247.4M
- Sharky's Machine (1981), the #1
- $35.6M
- vs 1980
- −34%
#1 of 23 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Crime Hits of 1981?
Sharky's Machine (1981) leads with $35.6M, 14% of the total. The top 5 together took $140M, 57% of what all 23 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 Crime Release of 1981, 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 1981.
- 1 Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $35.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.6M
- 2 Jun 26, 1981 US and Canada: $31.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.2M
- 3 Feb 6, 1981 US and Canada: $29.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $29.2M
- 4 Aug 28, 1981 US and Canada: $24.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $24.1M
- 5 Apr 10, 1981 US and Canada: $14.9M Rest of the world: $5M Worldwide: $19.9M
- 6
May 22, 1981 US and Canada: $17.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.4M - 7
Sep 25, 1981 US and Canada: $12.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.9M - 8
Apr 3, 1981 US and Canada: $12.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.7M - 9
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)Mar 20, 1981 US and Canada: $12.4M Rest of the world: $6.8K Worldwide: $12.4M
Mar 20, 1981 · English · Drama, Thriller, Romance $12.4M worldwide - 10
Mar 27, 1981 US and Canada: $11.5M Rest of the world: $2.6K Worldwide: $11.5M - 11
Aug 21, 1981 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M - 12
Apr 2, 1981 US and Canada: $7.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.3M - 13
Dec 11, 1981 US and Canada: $6.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.9M - 14
Feb 13, 1981 US and Canada: $6.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.4M - 15
Apr 10, 1981 US and Canada: $5.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.5M - 16
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper (1981)Nov 13, 1981 US and Canada: $3.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.7M Nov 13, 1981 · English · Adventure, Thriller, Crime $3.7M worldwide - 17
Mar 20, 1981 US and Canada: $1.7M Rest of the world: $23.4K Worldwide: $1.8M - 18
Oct 10, 1981 US and Canada: $777.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $777.1K - 19
Mar 11, 1981 US and Canada: $183.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $183.4K - 20
Sep 17, 1981 US and Canada: $39K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $39K - 21
Sep 5, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $533 - 22
Apr 24, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $91 - 23
Aug 14, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $17
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1981?
Of the top 10, Sharky's Machine (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Nighthawks (1981) made 25% of its gross abroad. Across all 23 films, $242.4M (98%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Sharky's Machine (1981) $35.6M $35.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 The Great Muppet Caper (1981) $31.2M $31.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Fort Apache the Bronx (1981) $29.2M $29.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Body Heat (1981) $24.1M $24.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Nighthawks (1981) $19.9M $14.9M US & Canada · 75% $5M elsewhere · 25%
- 6 Outland (1981) $17.4M $17.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 True Confessions (1981) $12.9M $12.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Atlantic City (1981) $12.7M $12.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) $12.4M $12.4M US & Canada · 100% $6.8K elsewhere · <1%
- 10 Thief (1981) $11.5M $11.5M US & Canada · 100% $2.6K elsewhere · <1%
Gross bands
How Many 1981 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 23 films reached $100M. 13 films, 57% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $247.4M total.
84% 16%
- $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 10 films, 43% of the list $206.8M · 84% of the gross
- Under $10M 13 films, 57% of the list $40.6M · 16% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1981 Earned the Most?
April releases took the most, $45.4M from 5 films, led by Nighthawks (1981). October was the quietest month ($777.1K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb Fort Apache the Bronx (1981) $35.6M Fort Apache the Bronx (1981)
- March Mar The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) $25.8M The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
- April Apr Nighthawks (1981) $45.4M Nighthawks (1981)
- May May Outland (1981) $17.4M Outland (1981)
- June Jun The Great Muppet Caper (1981) $31.2M The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug Body Heat (1981) $32.2M Body Heat (1981)
- September Sep True Confessions (1981) $12.9M True Confessions (1981)
- October Oct Lonely Heart (1981) $777.1K Lonely Heart (1981)
- November Nov The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper (1981) $3.7M The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper (1981)
- December Dec Sharky's Machine (1981) $42.5M Sharky's Machine (1981)
Last 10 years
How Does 1981 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1980 earned the most: $373M from 15 films, led by The Blues Brothers (1980). 1981 took $247.4M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 5 films | 5 | $250.4M | – | The Godfather (1972) $250.3M |
| 1973 16 films · +12% | 16 | $281.5M | +12% | The Sting (1973) $156M |
| 1974 14 films · −29% | 14 | $199.1M | −29% | The Godfather: Part II (1974) $48M |
| 1975 10 films · −27% | 10 | $145.7M | −27% | Dog Day Afternoon (1975) $50M |
| 1976 12 films · +32% | 12 | $192.9M | +32% | Silver Streak (1976) $51.1M |
| 1977 7 films · −78% | 7 | $42.2M | −78% | The Gauntlet (1977) $26.4M |
| 1978 9 films · +259% | 9 | $151.3M | +259% | Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978) $49.6M |
| 1979 12 films · −13% | 12 | $132M | −13% | Escape from Alcatraz (1979) $43M |
| 1980 15 films · +183% | 15 | $373M | +183% | The Blues Brothers (1980) $115.2M |
| 1981 23 films · −34% | 23 | $247.4M | −34% | Sharky's Machine (1981) $35.6M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Crime Movies Speak in 1981?
English-language crime films took $246.4M across 20 films, 100% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language crime films ($777.1K) and French-language crime films ($183.4K).
Archive
Crime Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1920 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2013 leads with $6.1B, led by Despicable Me 2 (2013).
2020s 7 years · $16.4B
2010s 10 years · $37.4B
- 2019 $4.9B #1 Joker (2019)
- 2018 $3.7B #1 Skyscraper (2018)
- 2017 $3.8B #1 The Fate of the Furious (2017)
- 2016 $3.9B #1 Zootopia (2016)
- 2015 $4.1B #1 Furious 7 (2015)
- 2014 $2.1B #1 22 Jump Street (2014)
- 2013 $6.1B #1 Despicable Me 2 (2013)
- 2012 $4.9B #1 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
- 2011 $1.7B #1 Fast Five (2011)
- 2010 $2.2B #1 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2010)
2000s 10 years · $28.4B
- 2009 $3.2B #1 Sherlock Holmes (2009)
- 2008 $3.5B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $3.4B #1 Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
- 2006 $2.5B #1 The Departed (2006)
- 2005 $2.7B #1 Batman Begins (2005)
- 2004 $2.1B #1 Ocean's Twelve (2004)
- 2003 $3.1B #1 Bad Boys II (2003)
- 2002 $2.6B #1 Catch Me If You Can (2002)
- 2001 $3.3B #1 Ocean's Eleven (2001)
- 2000 $2B #1 Charlie's Angels (2000)
1990s 10 years · $19.3B
- 1999 $2.5B #1 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999)
- 1998 $1.7B #1 Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
- 1997 $2.1B #1 Face/Off (1997)
- 1996 $1.8B #1 Ransom (1996)
- 1995 $2.5B #1 Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
- 1994 $1.9B #1 The Mask (1994)
- 1993 $1.3B #1 The Fugitive (1993)
- 1992 $1.7B #1 Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)
- 1991 $1.7B #1 The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
- 1990 $2.1B #1 Home Alone (1990)
1980s 10 years · $6.5B
- 1989 $1.6B #1 Batman (1989)
- 1988 $1.2B #1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
- 1987 $1.1B #1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- 1986 $480.9M #1 Legal Eagles (1986)
- 1985 $257M #1 Fletch (1985)
- 1984 $664.2M #1 Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
- 1983 $344.3M #1 Sudden Impact (1983)
- 1982 $236.6M #1 48 Hrs. (1982)
- 1981 $247.4M #1 Sharky's Machine (1981)
- 1980 $373M #1 The Blues Brothers (1980)
1970s 10 years · $1.6B
- 1979 $132M #1 Escape from Alcatraz (1979)
- 1978 $151.3M #1 Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)
- 1977 $42.2M #1 The Gauntlet (1977)
- 1976 $192.9M #1 Silver Streak (1976)
- 1975 $145.7M #1 Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
- 1974 $199.1M #1 The Godfather: Part II (1974)
- 1973 $281.5M #1 The Sting (1973)
- 1972 $250.4M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- 1971 $140.3M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $20.4M #1 Joe (1970)
1960s 10 years · $174M
- 1969 $102.7M #1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- 1968 $3.7M #1 Coogan’s Bluff (1968)
- 1967 $6.5M #1 The War Wagon (1967)
- 1966 $143.5K #1 Made in U.S.A (1966)
- 1965 $186.8K #1 Pierrot le Fou (1965)
- 1964 $10.9M #1 The Pink Panther (1964)
- 1963 $46.4M #1 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
- 1962 $2.5M #1 Copacabana Palace (1962)
- 1961 $3.8K #1 Accattone (1961)
- 1960 $1M #1 Breathless (1960)
1950s 10 years · $13.7M
- 1959 $27.6K #1 The Law (1959)
- 1958 $2.7M #1 Touch of Evil (1958)
- 1957 $3.7K #1 12 Angry Men (1957)
- 1956 $76.3K #1 The Ladykillers (1956)
- 1955 $1.5M #1 Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
- 1954 $6.4M #1 An Inspector Calls (1954)
- 1953 $7.5K #1 The Big Heat (1953)
- 1952 $8.9K #1 Deadline - U.S.A. (1952)
- 1951 $1.9M #1 The Girl on the Bridge (1951)
- 1950 $994.2K #1 Shadow on the Wall (1950)
1940s 7 years · $667K
1930s 7 years · $3.3M
FAQ
Crime Box Office 1981: 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 23 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing crime movie in 1981?
Sharky's Machine (1981) leads with $35.6M worldwide, $35.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Great Muppet Caper (1981) at $31.2M and Fort Apache the Bronx (1981) at $29.2M.
How much did crime movies released in 1981 earn?
23 crime films released in 1981 report a worldwide gross, $247.4M in all, or $10.8M per film on average. 1980 releases took $373M.
How many crime movies released in 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Sharky's Machine (1981), earned $35.6M.
How is the 1981 crime 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 1981. 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 1981 crime 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.