#1 of 5 #1 drama movie of May 1983
1983 · Action, Sci-Fi
$42.3M worldwide · 62% of the chart's total
$42.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Drama box office · May 1983
Drama Box Office, May 1983: Top-Grossing Releases
Blue Thunder (1983) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in May 1983, with $42.3M worldwide, ahead of Breathless (1983) at $19.9M and Chained Heat (1983) at $6.1M. 5 drama films released in May 1983 report a worldwide gross, $68.7M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 46% on April 1983, whose releases took $128M. By language, English leads with $48.5M across 3 drama releases.
- May 1983 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $68.7M
- Blue Thunder (1983), the #1
- $42.3M
- vs April 1983
- −46%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of May 1983?
Blue Thunder (1983) leads with $42.3M, 62% of the total. The top 5 together took $68.7M, 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 May 1983, 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 1983.
- 1 May 13, 1983 US and Canada: $42.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.3M
- 2 May 13, 1983 US and Canada: $19.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.9M
- 3 May 27, 1983 US and Canada: $6.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.1M
- 4 May 17, 1983 US and Canada: $303K Rest of the world: $25.2K Worldwide: $328.2K
- 5 May 14, 1983 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.7K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1983?
Of the top 5, Blue Thunder (1983) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Nostalgia (1983) made 8% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $68.7M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 5 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Blue Thunder (1983) $42.3M $42.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Breathless (1983) $19.9M $19.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Chained Heat (1983) $6.1M $6.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Nostalgia (1983) $328.2K $303K US & Canada · 92% $25.2K elsewhere · 8%
- 5 Utu (1983) $1.7K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of May 1983 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 20 (May 8–14) took $62.2M, led by Blue Thunder (1983). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 1–7 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 8–14 Blue Thunder (1983) $62.2M Blue Thunder (1983)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 15–21 Nostalgia (1983) $328.2K Nostalgia (1983)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 22–28 Chained Heat (1983) $6.1M Chained Heat (1983)
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 29–Jun 4 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1983 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1982 earned the most: $135.9M from 7 films, led by Rocky III (1982). May 1983 took $68.7M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1974 3 films | 3 | $21.7M | – | 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 |
| May 1982 7 films · +48% | 7 | $135.9M | +48% | Rocky III (1982) $125.1M |
| May 1983 5 films · −49% | 5 | $68.7M | −49% | Blue Thunder (1983) $42.3M |
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1983, Month by Month
The months of 1983 with their totals: December leads with $167.6M, led by Scarface (1983).
- January $13.6M #1 The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
- February $98.4M #1 Gandhi (1983)
- March $99.3M #1 High Road to China (1983)
- April $128M #1 Flashdance (1983)
- May $68.7M #1 Blue Thunder (1983)
- June $6.8M #1 Fanny and Alexander (1983)
- July $86.6M #1 Staying Alive (1983)
- August $141.2M #1 Mr. Mom (1983)
- September $94.7M #1 The Big Chill (1983)
- October $103.5M #1 Never Cry Wolf (1983)
- November $122.5M #1 Terms of Endearment (1983)
- December $167.6M #1 Scarface (1983)
FAQ
Drama Box Office May 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 5 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in May 1983?
Blue Thunder (1983) leads with $42.3M worldwide, $42.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Breathless (1983) at $19.9M and Chained Heat (1983) at $6.1M.
How much did drama movies released in May 1983 earn?
5 drama films released in May 1983 report a worldwide gross, $68.7M in all, or $13.7M per film on average. April 1983 releases took $128M.
How many drama movies released in May 1983 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Blue Thunder (1983), earned $42.3M.
How is the May 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 May 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 May 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.