#1 of 5 #1 drama movie of April 1981
1981 · Adventure, Drama
$35M worldwide · 69% of the chart's total
$35M US & Canada · 100% $3.7K elsewhere · <1%
Drama box office · April 1981
Drama Box Office, April 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
Excalibur (1981) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in April 1981, with $35M worldwide, ahead of Atlantic City (1981) at $12.7M and The Hand (1981) at $2.4M. 5 drama films released in April 1981 report a worldwide gross, $50.7M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 43% on March 1981, whose releases took $35.5M. By language, English leads with $50.7M across 5 drama releases.
- April 1981 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $50.7M
- Excalibur (1981), the #1
- $35M
- vs March 1981
- +43%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of April 1981?
Excalibur (1981) leads with $35M, 69% of the total. The top 5 together took $50.7M, 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 Drama 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: $35M Rest of the world: $3.7K Worldwide: $35M
- 2 Apr 3, 1981 US and Canada: $12.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.7M
- 3 Apr 24, 1981 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.4M
- 4 Apr 1, 1981 US and Canada: $534.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $534.7K
- 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 Excalibur (1981) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $50.7M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 5 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Excalibur (1981) $35M $35M US & Canada · 100% $3.7K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Atlantic City (1981) $12.7M $12.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Hand (1981) $2.4M $2.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Hard Country (1981) $534.7K $534.7K 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 $35M, led by Excalibur (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) $13.3M Atlantic City (1981)
- Week 15 Wk 15 Apr 5–11 Excalibur (1981) $35M Excalibur (1981)
- Week 16 Wk 16 Apr 12–18 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 17 Wk 17 Apr 19–25 The Hand (1981) $2.4M The Hand (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 1976 earned the most: $111.2M from 5 films, led by All the President's Men (1976). April 1981 took $50.7M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1972 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| April 1973 3 films | 3 | $21.5K | – | Ganja & Hess (1973) $21.2K |
| April 1974 2 films · +57534% | 2 | $12.4M | +57534% | The Sugarland Express (1974) $7.5M |
| April 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| April 1976 5 films | 5 | $111.2M | – | All the President's Men (1976) $70.6M |
| April 1977 1 film · −100% | 1 | $15.4K | −100% | Between the Lines (1977) $15.4K |
| April 1978 4 films · +298144% | 4 | $45.9M | +298144% | F.I.S.T. (1978) $20.4M |
| April 1979 3 films · −33% | 3 | $30.5M | −33% | The Champ (1979) $30.4M |
| April 1980 3 films · −86% | 3 | $4.2M | −86% | Lost and Found (1980) $3.2M |
| April 1981 5 films · +1111% | 5 | $50.7M | +1111% | Excalibur (1981) $35M |
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1981, Month by Month
The months of 1981 with their totals: December leads with $314.5M, led by On Golden Pond (1981).
- January $21.3K #1 Thee (1981)
- February $41.1M #1 Fort Apache the Bronx (1981)
- March $35.5M #1 The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
- April $50.7M #1 Excalibur (1981)
- May $91.8M #1 The Four Seasons (1981)
- June $14.9M #1 The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (1981)
- July $158.7M #1 The Fox and the Hound (1981)
- August $60.9M #1 Body Heat (1981)
- September $59.4M #1 Only When I Laugh (1981)
- October $47.1M #1 The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)
- November $14.9M #1 Ragtime (1981)
- December $314.5M #1 On Golden Pond (1981)
FAQ
Drama 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 drama movie in April 1981?
Excalibur (1981) leads with $35M worldwide, $35M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Atlantic City (1981) at $12.7M and The Hand (1981) at $2.4M.
How much did drama movies released in April 1981 earn?
5 drama films released in April 1981 report a worldwide gross, $50.7M in all, or $10.1M per film on average. March 1981 releases took $35.5M.
How many drama movies released in April 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Excalibur (1981), earned $35M.
How is the April 1981 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 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 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.