#1 of 5 #1 crime movie of April 1981
1981 · Action, Thriller
$19.9M worldwide · 44% of the chart's total
$14.9M US & Canada · 75% $5M elsewhere · 25%
Crime box office · April 1981
Crime Box Office, April 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
Nighthawks (1981) is the highest-grossing crime movie released in April 1981, with $19.9M worldwide, ahead of Atlantic City (1981) at $12.7M and Buddy Buddy (1981) at $7.3M. 5 crime films released in April 1981 report a worldwide gross, $45.4M in all, 89% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 76% on March 1981, whose releases took $25.8M. By language, English leads with $45.4M across 5 crime releases.
- April 1981 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $45.4M
- Nighthawks (1981), the #1
- $19.9M
- vs March 1981
- +76%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Crime Hits of April 1981?
Nighthawks (1981) leads with $19.9M, 44% of the total. The top 5 together took $45.4M, 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 Crime Release of April 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 April 1981.
- 1 Apr 10, 1981 US and Canada: $14.9M Rest of the world: $5M Worldwide: $19.9M
- 2 Apr 3, 1981 US and Canada: $12.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.7M
- 3 Apr 2, 1981 US and Canada: $7.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.3M
- 4 Apr 10, 1981 US and Canada: $5.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.5M
- 5 Apr 24, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $91
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in April 1981?
Of the top 5, Atlantic City (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Nighthawks (1981) made 25% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $40.4M (89%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 5 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Nighthawks (1981) $19.9M $14.9M US & Canada · 75% $5M elsewhere · 25%
- 2 Atlantic City (1981) $12.7M $12.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Buddy Buddy (1981) $7.3M $7.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Going Ape! (1981) $5.5M $5.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Ms. 45 (1981) $91 No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of April 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 15 (Apr 5–11) took $25.4M, led by Nighthawks (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 14 Wk 14 Mar 29–Apr 4 Atlantic City (1981) $20M Atlantic City (1981)
- Week 15 Wk 15 Apr 5–11 Nighthawks (1981) $25.4M Nighthawks (1981)
- Week 16 Wk 16 Apr 12–18 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 17 Wk 17 Apr 19–25 Ms. 45 (1981) $91 Ms. 45 (1981)
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 26–May 2 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does April 1981 Compare With April in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, April 1981 earned the most: $45.4M from 5 films, led by Nighthawks (1981).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1972 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| April 1973 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| April 1974 2 films | 2 | $7.5M | – | The Sugarland Express (1974) $7.5M |
| April 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| April 1976 2 films | 2 | $8.3M | – | Lipstick (1976) $8.3M |
| April 1977 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| April 1978 1 film | 1 | $20.4M | – | F.I.S.T. (1978) $20.4M |
| April 1979 1 film · −100% | 1 | $5.6K | −100% | Serie Noire (1979) $5.6K |
| April 1980 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| April 1981 5 films | 5 | $45.4M | – | Nighthawks (1981) $19.9M |
Archive
Crime Box Office in 1981, Month by Month
The months of 1981 with their totals: April leads with $45.4M, led by Nighthawks (1981).
- January No grosses
- February $35.6M #1 Fort Apache the Bronx (1981)
- March $25.8M #1 The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
- April $45.4M #1 Nighthawks (1981)
- May $17.4M #1 Outland (1981)
- June $31.2M #1 The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
- July No grosses
- August $32.2M #1 Body Heat (1981)
- September $12.9M #1 True Confessions (1981)
- October $777.1K #1 Lonely Heart (1981)
- November $3.7M #1 The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper (1981)
- December $42.5M #1 Sharky's Machine (1981)
FAQ
Crime Box Office April 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 5 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing crime movie in April 1981?
Nighthawks (1981) leads with $19.9M worldwide, $14.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Atlantic City (1981) at $12.7M and Buddy Buddy (1981) at $7.3M.
How much did crime movies released in April 1981 earn?
5 crime films released in April 1981 report a worldwide gross, $45.4M in all, or $9.1M per film on average. March 1981 releases took $25.8M.
How many crime movies released in April 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Nighthawks (1981), earned $19.9M.
How is the April 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 April 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 April 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.