#1 of 6 #1 drama movie of December 1973
1973 · Drama, Thriller
$430.9M worldwide · 64% of the chart's total
$233M US & Canada · 54% $197.9M elsewhere · 46%
Drama box office · December 1973
Drama Box Office, December 1973: Top-Grossing Releases
The Exorcist (1973) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in December 1973, with $430.9M worldwide, ahead of The Sting (1973) at $156M and Papillon (1973) at $53.3M. 6 drama films released in December 1973 report a worldwide gross, $670.3M in all, 70% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. By language, English leads with $670.1M across 5 drama releases.
- December 1973 releases with a gross
- 6
- combined worldwide
- $670.3M
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- earned in the US & Canada
- 70%
#1 of 6 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of December 1973?
The Exorcist (1973) leads with $430.9M, 64% of the total. The top 5 together took $670.2M, almost all of what the 6 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 Drama Release of December 1973, 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 December 1973.
- 1 Dec 26, 1973 US and Canada: $233M Rest of the world: $197.9M Worldwide: $430.9M
- 2 Dec 25, 1973 US and Canada: $156M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $156M
- 3 Dec 16, 1973 US and Canada: $53.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $53.3M
- 4 Dec 5, 1973 US and Canada: $29.8M Rest of the world: $57.9K Worldwide: $29.9M
- 5 Dec 18, 1973 US and Canada: $125.5K Rest of the world: $70.3K Worldwide: $195.8K
- 6
Dec 9, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $116.1K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1973?
Of the top 6, The Sting (1973) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Exorcist (1973) made 46% of its gross abroad. Across all 6 films, $472.2M (70%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 6 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Exorcist (1973) $430.9M $233M US & Canada · 54% $197.9M elsewhere · 46%
- 2 The Sting (1973) $156M $156M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Papillon (1973) $53.3M $53.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Serpico (1973) $29.9M $29.8M US & Canada · 100% $57.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Amarcord (1973) $195.8K $125.5K US & Canada · 64% $70.3K elsewhere · 36%
- 6 Don't Look Now (1973) $116.1K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of December 1973 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 52 (Dec 23–29) took $586.9M, led by The Exorcist (1973). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 48 Wk 48 Nov 25–Dec 1 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 49 Wk 49 Dec 2–8 Serpico (1973) $29.9M Serpico (1973)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 9–15 Don't Look Now (1973) $116.1K Don't Look Now (1973)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 16–22 Papillon (1973) $53.5M Papillon (1973)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 23–29 The Exorcist (1973) $586.9M The Exorcist (1973)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 30–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1973 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1973 earned the most: $670.3M from 6 films, led by The Exorcist (1973).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1964 2 films | 2 | $72.7M | – | My Fair Lady (1964) $72.7M |
| December 1965 4 films · +54% | 4 | $112.1M | +54% | Doctor Zhivago (1965) $112.1M |
| December 1966 5 films · −100% | 5 | $253.1K | −100% | Andrei Rublev (1966) $181K |
| December 1967 4 films · +63777% | 4 | $161.7M | +63777% | The Graduate (1967) $105M |
| December 1968 2 films · −98% | 2 | $3.2M | −98% | Hell in the Pacific (1968) $3.2M |
| December 1969 3 films · −97% | 3 | $84.1K | −97% | Z (1969) $83.3K |
| December 1970 5 films · +37674% | 5 | $31.8M | +37674% | Little Big Man (1970) $31.6M |
| December 1971 4 films · +18% | 4 | $37.6M | +18% | A Clockwork Orange (1971) $27M |
| December 1972 5 films · +126% | 5 | $84.9M | +126% | The Poseidon Adventure (1972) $84.6M |
| December 1973 6 films · +689% | 6 | $670.3M | +689% | The Exorcist (1973) $430.9M |
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1973, Month by Month
The months of 1973 with their totals: December leads with $670.3M, led by The Exorcist (1973).
- January $36.2M #1 Last Tango in Paris (1973)
- February $16.3K #1 The Harder They Come (1973)
- March $24.8K #1 The Long Goodbye (1973)
- April $21.5K #1 Ganja & Hess (1973)
- May $9.6K #1 Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973)
- June $913 #1 The Last of Sheila (1973)
- July $2.3M #1 The Day of the Jackal (1973)
- August $115.2M #1 American Graffiti (1973)
- September $190.9K #1 The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
- October $45.2M #1 The Way We Were (1973)
- November $135K #1 The Holy Mountain (1973)
- December $670.3M #1 The Exorcist (1973)
FAQ
Drama Box Office December 1973: 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 6 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in December 1973?
The Exorcist (1973) leads with $430.9M worldwide, $233M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Sting (1973) at $156M and Papillon (1973) at $53.3M.
How much did drama movies released in December 1973 earn?
6 drama films released in December 1973 report a worldwide gross, $670.3M in all, or $111.7M per film on average.
How many drama movies released in December 1973 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by The Exorcist (1973) with $430.9M.
How is the December 1973 drama 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 December 1973. 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 December 1973 drama 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.