#1 of 4 #1 drama movie of May 1980
1980 · Drama, Music
$21.2M worldwide · 92% of the chart's total
$21.2M US & Canada · 100% $878 elsewhere · <1%
Drama box office · May 1980
Drama Box Office, May 1980: Top-Grossing Releases
Fame (1980) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in May 1980, with $21.2M worldwide, ahead of Carny (1980) at $1.8M and Every Man for Himself (1980) at $47.3K. 4 drama films released in May 1980 report a worldwide gross, $23.1M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is 5.5 times the total of April 1980, whose releases took $4.2M.
- May 1980 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $23.1M
- Fame (1980), the #1
- $21.2M
- vs April 1980
- ×5.5
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of May 1980?
Fame (1980) leads with $21.2M, 92% of the total. The top 4 together took $23.1M, almost all of what the 4 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Drama Release of May 1980, 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 1980.
- 1 May 16, 1980 US and Canada: $21.2M Rest of the world: $878 Worldwide: $21.2M
- 2 May 23, 1980 US and Canada: $1.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.8M
- 3 May 22, 1980 US and Canada: $47.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $47.3K
- 4 May 21, 1980 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $38.5K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1980?
Of the top 4, Carny (1980) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Fame (1980) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $23.1M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 4 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Fame (1980) $21.2M $21.2M US & Canada · 100% $878 elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Carny (1980) $1.8M $1.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Every Man for Himself (1980) $47.3K $47.3K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 My American Uncle (1980) $38.5K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of May 1980 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 20 (May 11–17) took $21.2M, led by Fame (1980). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 27–May 3 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 4–10 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 11–17 Fame (1980) $21.2M Fame (1980)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 18–24 Carny (1980) $1.9M Carny (1980)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 25–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1980 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 1980 took $23.1M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1971 3 films | 3 | $342.4K | – | 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 |
| May 1980 4 films · +561% | 4 | $23.1M | +561% | Fame (1980) $21.2M |
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1980, Month by Month
The months of 1980 with their totals: June leads with $115.4M, led by Urban Cowboy (1980).
- January $2.1M #1 Windows (1980)
- February $73.6M #1 American Gigolo (1980)
- March $110.9M #1 Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
- April $4.2M #1 Lost and Found (1980)
- May $23.1M #1 Fame (1980)
- June $115.4M #1 Urban Cowboy (1980)
- July $83.9M #1 The Blue Lagoon (1980)
- August $37.2M #1 The Octagon (1980)
- September $97.3M #1 Ordinary People (1980)
- October $49.9M #1 The Elephant Man (1980)
- November $29.6M #1 Raging Bull (1980)
- December $47.2M #1 The Jazz Singer (1980)
FAQ
Drama Box Office May 1980: 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 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in May 1980?
Fame (1980) leads with $21.2M worldwide, $21.2M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Carny (1980) at $1.8M and Every Man for Himself (1980) at $47.3K.
How much did drama movies released in May 1980 earn?
4 drama films released in May 1980 report a worldwide gross, $23.1M in all, or $5.8M per film on average. April 1980 releases took $4.2M.
How many drama movies released in May 1980 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Fame (1980), earned $21.2M.
How is the May 1980 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 1980. 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 1980 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.