#1 of 5 #1 drama movie of May 1986
1986 · Action, Drama
$357.3M worldwide · 92% of the chart's total
$180.3M US & Canada · 50% $177M elsewhere · 50%
Drama box office · May 1986
Drama Box Office, May 1986: Top-Grossing Releases
Top Gun (1986) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in May 1986, with $357.3M worldwide, ahead of Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) at $18M and Blue City (1986) at $6.9M. 5 drama films released in May 1986 report a worldwide gross, $387.3M in all, 54% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 9.8 times the total of April 1986, whose releases took $39.7M. By language, English leads with $386.9M across 4 drama releases.
- May 1986 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $387.3M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs April 1986
- ×9.8
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of May 1986?
Top Gun (1986) leads with $357.3M, 92% of the total. The top 5 together took $387.3M, 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 1986, 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 1986.
- 1 May 16, 1986 US and Canada: $180.3M Rest of the world: $177M Worldwide: $357.3M
- 2 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)May 2, 1986 US and Canada: $18M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18M
May 2, 1986 · English · Drama, Comedy, Fantasy $18M worldwide - 3 May 2, 1986 US and Canada: $6.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.9M
- 4 May 2, 1986 US and Canada: $4.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7M
- 5 May 9, 1986 US and Canada: $223K Rest of the world: $95.8K Worldwide: $318.8K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1986?
Of the top 5, Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Top Gun (1986) made 50% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $210.1M (54%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Top Gun (1986) $357.3M $180.3M US & Canada · 50% $177M elsewhere · 50%
- 2 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) $18M $18M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Blue City (1986) $6.9M $6.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 No Retreat, No Surrender (1986) $4.7M $4.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 The Sacrifice (1986) $318.8K $223K US & Canada · 70% $95.8K elsewhere · 30%
By release week
Which Week of May 1986 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 20 (May 11–17) took $357.3M, led by Top Gun (1986). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 27–May 3 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) $29.6M Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 4–10 The Sacrifice (1986) $318.8K The Sacrifice (1986)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 11–17 Top Gun (1986) $357.3M Top Gun (1986)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 18–24 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 25–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1986 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1986 earned the most: $387.3M from 5 films, led by Top Gun (1986).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1977 4 films | 4 | $819.4K | – | 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 |
| May 1984 9 films · +45% | 9 | $99.6M | +45% | The Natural (1984) $48M |
| May 1985 5 films · −63% | 5 | $37M | −63% | Code of Silence (1985) $20.3M |
| May 1986 5 films · +946% | 5 | $387.3M | +946% | Top Gun (1986) $357.3M |
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1986, Month by Month
The months of 1986 with their totals: May leads with $387.3M, led by Top Gun (1986).
- January $44.9M #1 Youngblood (1986)
- February $107.4M #1 Pretty in Pink (1986)
- March $67.3M #1 Gung Ho (1986)
- April $39.7M #1 A Room with a View (1986)
- May $387.3M #1 Top Gun (1986)
- June $7M #1 Mona Lisa (1986)
- July $111.5M #1 About Last Night... (1986)
- August $101M #1 Stand by Me (1986)
- September $25.6M #1 Blue Velvet (1986)
- October $152.4M #1 The Color of Money (1986)
- November $171.1M #1 An American Tail (1986)
- December $194.9M #1 Platoon (1986)
FAQ
Drama Box Office May 1986: 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 1986?
Top Gun (1986) leads with $357.3M worldwide, $180.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) at $18M and Blue City (1986) at $6.9M.
How much did drama movies released in May 1986 earn?
5 drama films released in May 1986 report a worldwide gross, $387.3M in all, or $77.5M per film on average. April 1986 releases took $39.7M.
How many drama movies released in May 1986 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Top Gun (1986) with $357.3M.
How is the May 1986 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 1986. 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 1986 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.