#1 of 6 #1 drama movie of May 1979
1979 · Drama, Adventure
$1.9M worldwide · 54% of the chart's total
No US & Canada figure reported
Drama box office · May 1979
Drama Box Office, May 1979: Top-Grossing Releases
Zulu Dawn (1979) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in May 1979, with $1.9M worldwide, ahead of Winter Kills (1979) at $1.2M and Stalker (1979) at $456K. 6 drama films released in May 1979 report a worldwide gross, $3.5M in all, 42% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 89% on April 1979, whose releases took $30.5M. By language, English leads with $3M across 3 drama releases.
- May 1979 releases with a gross
- 6
- combined worldwide
- $3.5M
- Zulu Dawn (1979), the #1
- $1.9M
- vs April 1979
- −89%
#1 of 6 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of May 1979?
Zulu Dawn (1979) leads with $1.9M, 54% of the total. The top 5 together took $3.5M, 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 May 1979, 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 1979.
- 1 May 14, 1979 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.9M
- 2 May 11, 1979 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: $462 Worldwide: $1.2M
- 3 May 25, 1979 US and Canada: $292K Rest of the world: $163.9K Worldwide: $456K
- 4 May 14, 1979 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.8K
- 5 May 20, 1979 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.8K
- 6
May 9, 1979 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $923
By release week
Which Week of May 1979 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 20 (May 13–19) took $1.9M, led by Zulu Dawn (1979). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 29–May 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 6–12 Winter Kills (1979) $1.2M Winter Kills (1979)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 13–19 Zulu Dawn (1979) $1.9M Zulu Dawn (1979)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 20–26 Stalker (1979) $457.7K Stalker (1979)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 27–Jun 2 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1979 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1978 earned the most: $76M from 8 films, led by The End (1978). May 1979 took $3.5M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1970 1 film | 1 | $13.3M | – | Getting Straight (1970) $13.3M |
| May 1971 3 films · −97% | 3 | $342.4K | −97% | Wake in Fright (1971) $269.3K |
| May 1972 2 films · −95% | 2 | $16.5K | −95% | We Won’t Grow Old Together (1972) $14.1K |
| May 1973 4 films · −42% | 4 | $9.6K | −42% | Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) $8.5K |
| May 1974 3 films · +225650% | 3 | $21.7M | +225650% | Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) $21.7M |
| May 1975 5 films · −42% | 5 | $12.5M | −42% | French Connection II (1975) $12.5M |
| May 1976 4 films · −97% | 4 | $405.2K | −97% | Mr. Klein (1976) $219.1K |
| May 1977 4 films · +102% | 4 | $819.4K | +102% | Citizens Band (1977) $815.5K |
| May 1978 8 films · +9178% | 8 | $76M | +9178% | The End (1978) $44.9M |
| May 1979 6 films · −95% | 6 | $3.5M | −95% | Zulu Dawn (1979) $1.9M |
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1979, Month by Month
The months of 1979 with their totals: December leads with $276.6M, led by Kramer vs. Kramer (1979).
- January $509 #1 Love on the Run (1979)
- February $13.1M #1 The Great Train Robbery (1979)
- March $133.2M #1 The China Syndrome (1979)
- April $30.5M #1 The Champ (1979)
- May $3.5M #1 Zulu Dawn (1979)
- June $134.8M #1 Rocky II (1979)
- July $25.8M #1 Breaking Away (1979)
- August $180.7M #1 Apocalypse Now (1979)
- September $16.8M #1 The Onion Field (1979)
- October $75.1M #1 ...and justice for all. (1979)
- November $29.2M #1 The Rose (1979)
- December $276.6M #1 Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
FAQ
Drama Box Office May 1979: 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 May 1979?
Zulu Dawn (1979) leads with $1.9M worldwide. Next come Winter Kills (1979) at $1.2M and Stalker (1979) at $456K.
How much did drama movies released in May 1979 earn?
6 drama films released in May 1979 report a worldwide gross, $3.5M in all, or $583K per film on average. April 1979 releases took $30.5M.
How many drama movies released in May 1979 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Zulu Dawn (1979), earned $1.9M.
How is the May 1979 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 May 1979. 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 1979 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.