#1 of 77 #1 drama movie of 1983
1983 · Drama, Comedy
$108.4M worldwide · 10% of the chart's total
$108.4M US & Canada · 100% $260 elsewhere · <1%
Drama box office · 1983
Drama Box Office 1983: Highest-Grossing Drama Movies
Terms of Endearment (1983) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in 1983, with $108.4M worldwide, ahead of Flashdance (1983) at $92.9M and Scarface (1983) at $66.4M. 77 drama films released in 1983 report a worldwide gross, $1.1B in all, 98% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 11% on 1982, whose releases took $1.3B. By language, English leads with $1B across 66 drama releases.
- 1983 releases with a gross
- 77
- combined worldwide
- $1.1B
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs 1982
- −11%
#1 of 77 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of 1983?
Terms of Endearment (1983) leads with $108.4M, 10% of the total. The top 5 together took $397.5M, 35% of what all 77 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 1983, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 77. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1983.
- 1 Nov 23, 1983 US and Canada: $108.4M Rest of the world: $260 Worldwide: $108.4M
- 2 Apr 15, 1983 US and Canada: $92.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $92.9M
- 3 Dec 1, 1983 US and Canada: $46M Rest of the world: $20.5M Worldwide: $66.4M
- 4 Jul 15, 1983 US and Canada: $64.9M Rest of the world: $659 Worldwide: $64.9M
- 5 Aug 19, 1983 US and Canada: $64.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $64.8M
- 6
Aug 5, 1983 US and Canada: $63.5M Rest of the world: $573 Worldwide: $63.5M - 7
Sep 28, 1983 US and Canada: $56.4M Rest of the world: $133 Worldwide: $56.4M - 8
Feb 25, 1983 US and Canada: $52.8M Rest of the world: $530 Worldwide: $52.8M - 9
May 13, 1983 US and Canada: $42.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.3M - 10
Dec 14, 1983 US and Canada: $35.6M Rest of the world: $1.4K Worldwide: $35.6M - 11
Dec 16, 1983 US and Canada: $30.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $30.5M - 12
Oct 7, 1983 US and Canada: $29.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $29.6M - 13
Mar 18, 1983 US and Canada: $28.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $28.4M - 14
Mar 25, 1983 US and Canada: $25.8M Rest of the world: $17.8K Worldwide: $25.9M - 15
Jul 22, 1983 US and Canada: $21.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.7M - 16
Oct 21, 1983 US and Canada: $21.2M Rest of the world: $213 Worldwide: $21.2M - 17
Oct 21, 1983 US and Canada: $20.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.8M - 18
May 13, 1983 US and Canada: $19.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.9M - 19
Mar 25, 1983 US and Canada: $17.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.6M - 20
Oct 21, 1983 US and Canada: $17.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.2M - 21
Dec 16, 1983 US and Canada: $15.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.9M - 22
Sep 21, 1983 US and Canada: $14.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.6M - 23
Feb 4, 1983 US and Canada: $13.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.3M - 24
Sep 16, 1983 US and Canada: $13.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.2M - 25
Apr 15, 1983 US and Canada: $12.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.2M - 26
Feb 18, 1983 US and Canada: $11.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.8M - 27
Dec 18, 1983 US and Canada: $11M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11M - 28
Jan 21, 1983 US and Canada: $10.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.3M - 29
Feb 4, 1983 US and Canada: $9.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.6M - 30
Mar 25, 1983 US and Canada: $9.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.2M - 31
Mar 4, 1983 US and Canada: $8.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.4M - 32
Mar 11, 1983 US and Canada: $7.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.2M - 33
Jun 17, 1983 US and Canada: $6.8M Rest of the world: $65.6K Worldwide: $6.8M - 34
Aug 12, 1983 US and Canada: $6.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.7M - 35
Oct 14, 1983 US and Canada: $6.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.5M - 36
Nov 10, 1983 US and Canada: $6.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.5M - 37
May 27, 1983 US and Canada: $6.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.1M - 38
Feb 17, 1983 US and Canada: $5.9M Rest of the world: $102.9K Worldwide: $6M - 39
Apr 29, 1983 US and Canada: $6M Rest of the world: $12.5K Worldwide: $6M - 40
Oct 21, 1983 US and Canada: $5.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.7M - 41
Nov 18, 1983 US and Canada: $5.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.6M - 42
Aug 5, 1983 US and Canada: $5.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.6M - 43
Dec 6, 1983 US and Canada: $5.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.3M - 44
Apr 1, 1983 US and Canada: $5.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.3M - 45
Sep 23, 1983 US and Canada: $4.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.8M - 46
Apr 6, 1983 US and Canada: $4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4M - 47
Sep 22, 1983 US and Canada: $2.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.9M - 48
Feb 18, 1983 US and Canada: $2.5M Rest of the world: $1.1K Worldwide: $2.5M - 49
Oct 8, 1983 US and Canada: $2.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.5M - 50
Feb 18, 1983 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.4M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1983?
Of the top 10, Flashdance (1983) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Scarface (1983) made 31% of its gross abroad. Across all 77 films, $1.1B (98%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Terms of Endearment (1983) $108.4M $108.4M US & Canada · 100% $260 elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Flashdance (1983) $92.9M $92.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Scarface (1983) $66.4M $46M US & Canada · 69% $20.5M elsewhere · 31%
- 4 Staying Alive (1983) $64.9M $64.9M US & Canada · 100% $659 elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Mr. Mom (1983) $64.8M $64.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Risky Business (1983) $63.5M $63.5M US & Canada · 100% $573 elsewhere · <1%
- 7 The Big Chill (1983) $56.4M $56.4M US & Canada · 100% $133 elsewhere · <1%
- 8 Gandhi (1983) $52.8M $52.8M US & Canada · 100% $530 elsewhere · <1%
- 9 Blue Thunder (1983) $42.3M $42.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Silkwood (1983) $35.6M $35.6M US & Canada · 100% $1.4K elsewhere · <1%
Gross bands
How Many 1983 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 77 films crossed $100M and took $108.4M between them, 10% of the total. 49 films, 64% of the list, earned under $10M.
10% 77% 13%
- $1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $500M to $1B 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $100M to $500M 1 film, 1% of the list $108.4M · 10% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 27 films, 35% of the list $874.7M · 77% of the gross
- Under $10M 49 films, 64% of the list $147.9M · 13% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1983 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $167.6M from 9 films, led by Scarface (1983). June was the quietest month ($6.8M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan The Year of Living Dangerously (1983) $13.6M The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
- February Feb Gandhi (1983) $98.4M Gandhi (1983)
- March Mar High Road to China (1983) $99.3M High Road to China (1983)
- April Apr Flashdance (1983) $128M Flashdance (1983)
- May May Blue Thunder (1983) $68.7M Blue Thunder (1983)
- June Jun Fanny and Alexander (1983) $6.8M Fanny and Alexander (1983)
- July Jul Staying Alive (1983) $86.6M Staying Alive (1983)
- August Aug Mr. Mom (1983) $141.2M Mr. Mom (1983)
- September Sep The Big Chill (1983) $94.7M The Big Chill (1983)
- October Oct Never Cry Wolf (1983) $103.5M Never Cry Wolf (1983)
- November Nov Terms of Endearment (1983) $122.5M Terms of Endearment (1983)
- December Dec Scarface (1983) $167.6M Scarface (1983)
Last 10 years
How Does 1983 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1982 earned the most: $1.3B from 86 films, led by Tootsie (1982). 1983 took $1.1B.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 34 films | 34 | $439.5M | – | The Towering Inferno (1974) $116M |
| 1975 30 films · −31% | 30 | $303.6M | −31% | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) $109.1M |
| 1976 27 films · +25% | 27 | $378.6M | +25% | Rocky (1976) $117.3M |
| 1977 41 films · +120% | 41 | $832.1M | +120% | Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) $306.9M |
| 1978 50 films · −30% | 50 | $585M | −30% | Jaws 2 (1978) $187.9M |
| 1979 58 films · +57% | 58 | $919.3M | +57% | Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) $106.3M |
| 1980 63 films · −27% | 63 | $674.6M | −27% | Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) $67.2M |
| 1981 67 films · +32% | 67 | $889.5M | +32% | On Golden Pond (1981) $119.3M |
| 1982 86 films · +43% | 86 | $1.3B | +43% | Tootsie (1982) $177.2M |
| 1983 77 films · −11% | 77 | $1.1B | −11% | Terms of Endearment (1983) $108.4M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in 1983?
English-language drama films took $1B across 66 films, 89% of the total, ahead of Hindi-language drama films ($64.9M) and French-language drama films ($13.6M).
1983 Drama Box Office by Language
-
English $1B66 films · #1 Terms of Endearment (1983) -
Hindi $64.9M1 film · #1 Staying Alive (1983) -
French $13.6M4 films · #1 Without a Trace (1983) -
Swedish $6.8M1 film · #1 Fanny and Alexander (1983) -
Portuguese $1.3M1 film · #1 Gabriela (1983) -
Russian $328.2K1 film · #1 Nostalgia (1983) -
Chinese $37.5K1 film · #1 That Day, on the Beach (1983)
Archive
Drama Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1919 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $13.9B, led by The Lion King (2019).
2020s 7 years · $50.1B
2010s 10 years · $113.6B
- 2019 $13.9B #1 The Lion King (2019)
- 2018 $12.7B #1 Black Panther (2018)
- 2017 $12.5B #1 Wolf Warrior 2 (2017)
- 2016 $11.1B #1 The Jungle Book (2016)
- 2015 $11.6B #1 Inside Out (2015)
- 2014 $10.3B #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)
- 2013 $12.1B #1 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
- 2012 $12B #1 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
- 2011 $7.8B #1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
- 2010 $9.6B #1 Inception (2010)
2000s 10 years · $70.7B
- 2009 $9.9B #1 2012 (2009)
- 2008 $10.6B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $7.6B #1 I Am Legend (2007)
- 2006 $7.5B #1 The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
- 2005 $8.1B #1 War of the Worlds (2005)
- 2004 $6.4B #1 The Passion of the Christ (2004)
- 2003 $5B #1 Bruce Almighty (2003)
- 2002 $5.2B #1 Signs (2002)
- 2001 $4.6B #1 Pearl Harbor (2001)
- 2000 $5.8B #1 Gladiator (2000)
1990s 10 years · $42.3B
- 1999 $5.2B #1 The Sixth Sense (1999)
- 1998 $4.9B #1 Saving Private Ryan (1998)
- 1997 $5.9B #1 Titanic (1997)
- 1996 $4.5B #1 Twister (1996)
- 1995 $4.8B #1 Apollo 13 (1995)
- 1994 $4.3B #1 The Lion King (1994)
- 1993 $4.7B #1 Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- 1992 $2.9B #1 The Bodyguard (1992)
- 1991 $2.4B #1 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
- 1990 $2.7B #1 Ghost (1990)
1980s 10 years · $14.2B
- 1989 $2B #1 Dead Poets Society (1989)
- 1988 $2.1B #1 Rain Man (1988)
- 1987 $1.7B #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- 1986 $1.4B #1 Top Gun (1986)
- 1985 $1.5B #1 Rocky IV (1985)
- 1984 $1.4B #1 Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
- 1983 $1.1B #1 Terms of Endearment (1983)
- 1982 $1.3B #1 Tootsie (1982)
- 1981 $889.5M #1 On Golden Pond (1981)
- 1980 $674.6M #1 Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
1970s 10 years · $5B
- 1979 $919.3M #1 Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
- 1978 $585M #1 Jaws 2 (1978)
- 1977 $832.1M #1 Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
- 1976 $378.6M #1 Rocky (1976)
- 1975 $303.6M #1 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
- 1974 $439.5M #1 The Towering Inferno (1974)
- 1973 $869.6M #1 The Exorcist (1973)
- 1972 $337M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- 1971 $133.4M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $229.2M #1 Airport (1970)
1960s 10 years · $865.1M
- 1969 $164M #1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- 1968 $59.2M #1 Funny Girl (1968)
- 1967 $166.8M #1 The Graduate (1967)
- 1966 $29.7M #1 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
- 1965 $272.6M #1 The Sound of Music (1965)
- 1964 $74.9M #1 My Fair Lady (1964)
- 1963 $63.5M #1 Cleopatra (1963)
- 1962 $6M #1 The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
- 1961 $6.5M #1 Mother and a Guest (1961)
- 1960 $21.9M #1 The Apartment (1960)
1950s 10 years · $438.7M
- 1959 $75M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- 1958 $3.3M #1 Touch of Evil (1958)
- 1957 $32.5M #1 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- 1956 $119.9M #1 The Ten Commandments (1956)
- 1955 $95.8M #1 Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- 1954 $32.7M #1 The Caine Mutiny (1954)
- 1953 $36.8M #1 The Robe (1953)
- 1952 $36.5M #1 The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
- 1951 $4.5M #1 Ace in the Hole (1951)
- 1950 $1.5M #1 Shadow on the Wall (1950)
1940s 10 years · $775.9M
- 1949 $164.2K #1 Stray Dog (1949)
- 1948 $6.2M #1 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
- 1947 $11.1M #1 It's a Wonderful Life (1947)
- 1946 $54.6M #1 The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
- 1945 $22M #1 The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945)
- 1944 $102.5K #1 Henry V (1944)
- 1943 $4.9M #1 Casablanca (1943)
- 1942 $270.1M #1 Bambi (1942)
- 1941 $1.8M #1 Citizen Kane (1941)
- 1940 $404.9M #1 Gone with the Wind (1940)
1930s 10 years · $2.8M
- 1939 $1.1M #1 Wuthering Heights (1939)
- 1938 $47.4K #1 Port of Shadows (1938)
- 1937 $19.3K #1 Stage Door (1937)
- 1936 $536.4K #1 Modern Times (1936)
- 1935 $516K #1 Sylvia Scarlett (1935)
- 1934 $13.2K #1 L’Atalante (1934)
- 1933 $451.3K #1 Baby Face (1933)
- 1932 $47.1K #1 The Old Dark House (1932)
- 1931 $46.6K #1 M (1931)
- 1930 $5.1K #1 The Blue Angel (1930)
1920s 8 years · $10.4M
- 1929 $89.2K #1 Pandora’s Box (1929)
- 1928 $40.9K #1 The Air Circus (1928)
- 1927 $161.5K #1 Sunrise (1927)
- 1926 $720.7K #1 Flesh and the Devil (1926)
- 1925 $82.5K #1 The Gold Rush (1925)
- 1923 $12.9K #1 A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923)
- 1921 $9.2M #1 The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)
- 1920 $9.3K #1 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
1910s 1 year · $160
FAQ
Drama Box Office 1983: 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 77 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in 1983?
Terms of Endearment (1983) leads with $108.4M worldwide, $108.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Flashdance (1983) at $92.9M and Scarface (1983) at $66.4M.
How much did drama movies released in 1983 earn?
77 drama films released in 1983 report a worldwide gross, $1.1B in all, or $14.7M per film on average. 1982 releases took $1.3B.
How many drama movies released in 1983 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Terms of Endearment (1983) with $108.4M.
How is the 1983 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 1983. 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 1983 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.