#1 of 5 #1 drama movie of May 1981
1981 · Romance, Drama
$50.4M worldwide · 55% of the chart's total
$50.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Drama box office · May 1981
Drama Box Office, May 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
The Four Seasons (1981) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in May 1981, with $50.4M worldwide, ahead of Bustin’ Loose (1981) at $31.3M and Inchon (1981) at $5.2M. 5 drama films released in May 1981 report a worldwide gross, $91.8M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 81% on April 1981, whose releases took $50.7M. By language, English leads with $91.8M across 5 drama releases.
- May 1981 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $91.8M
- The Four Seasons (1981), the #1
- $50.4M
- vs April 1981
- +81%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of May 1981?
The Four Seasons (1981) leads with $50.4M, 55% of the total. The top 5 together took $91.8M, 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 May 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 May 1981.
- 1 May 22, 1981 US and Canada: $50.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $50.4M
- 2 May 22, 1981 US and Canada: $31.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.3M
- 3 May 4, 1981 US and Canada: $5.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.2M
- 4 May 15, 1981 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.1M
- 5 May 1, 1981 US and Canada: $1.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.8M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1981?
Of the top 5, The Four Seasons (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while King of the Mountain (1981) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $91.8M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Four Seasons (1981) $50.4M $50.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Bustin’ Loose (1981) $31.3M $31.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Inchon (1981) $5.2M $5.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The Fan (1981) $3.1M $3.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 King of the Mountain (1981) $1.8M $1.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of May 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 17–23) took $81.7M, led by The Four Seasons (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 26–May 2 King of the Mountain (1981) $1.8M King of the Mountain (1981)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 3–9 Inchon (1981) $5.2M Inchon (1981)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 10–16 The Fan (1981) $3.1M The Fan (1981)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 17–23 The Four Seasons (1981) $81.7M The Four Seasons (1981)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 24–30 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 31–Jun 6 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1981 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1981 earned the most: $91.8M from 5 films, led by The Four Seasons (1981).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1972 2 films | 2 | $16.5K | – | 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 |
| May 1981 5 films · +297% | 5 | $91.8M | +297% | The Four Seasons (1981) $50.4M |
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 May 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 May 1981?
The Four Seasons (1981) leads with $50.4M worldwide, $50.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Bustin’ Loose (1981) at $31.3M and Inchon (1981) at $5.2M.
How much did drama movies released in May 1981 earn?
5 drama films released in May 1981 report a worldwide gross, $91.8M in all, or $18.4M per film on average. April 1981 releases took $50.7M.
How many drama movies released in May 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Four Seasons (1981), earned $50.4M.
How is the May 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 May 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 May 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.