#1 of 15 #1 drama movie of May 1991
1991 · Action, Drama
$152.4M worldwide · 62% of the chart's total
$77.9M US & Canada · 51% $74.5M elsewhere · 49%
Drama box office · May 1991
Drama Box Office, May 1991: Top-Grossing Releases
Backdraft (1991) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in May 1991, with $152.4M worldwide, ahead of Thelma & Louise (1991) at $45.5M and Drop Dead Fred (1991) at $13.9M. 15 drama films released in May 1991 report a worldwide gross, $245.6M in all, 70% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 117% on April 1991, whose releases took $113.4M. By language, English leads with $237.9M across 10 drama releases.
- May 1991 releases with a gross
- 15
- combined worldwide
- $245.6M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs April 1991
- +117%
#1 of 15 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of May 1991?
Backdraft (1991) leads with $152.4M, 62% of the total. The top 5 together took $232.2M, 95% of what all 15 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 1991, 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 1991.
- 1 May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $77.9M Rest of the world: $74.5M Worldwide: $152.4M
- 2 May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $45.4M Rest of the world: $113K Worldwide: $45.5M
- 3 May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $13.9M Rest of the world: $6K Worldwide: $13.9M
- 4 May 3, 1991 US and Canada: $11.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.3M
- 5 May 17, 1991 US and Canada: $9.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.2M
- 6
May 9, 1991 US and Canada: $5.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.6M - 7
May 22, 1991 US and Canada: $2.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.7M - 8
May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $1.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.6M - 9
May 16, 1991 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.2M - 10
May 3, 1991 US and Canada: $561K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $561K - 11
May 15, 1991 US and Canada: $524.7K Rest of the world: $227 Worldwide: $524.9K - 12
May 25, 1991 US and Canada: $516.4K Rest of the world: $1.1K Worldwide: $517.5K - 13
May 14, 1991 US and Canada: $403.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $403.1K - 14
May 13, 1991 US and Canada: $396.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $396.6K - 15
May 9, 1991 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.2K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1991?
Of the top 10, One Good Cop (1991) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Backdraft (1991) made 49% of its gross abroad. Across all 15 films, $171M (70%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Backdraft (1991) $152.4M $77.9M US & Canada · 51% $74.5M elsewhere · 49%
- 2 Thelma & Louise (1991) $45.5M $45.4M US & Canada · 100% $113K elsewhere · <1%
- 3 Drop Dead Fred (1991) $13.9M $13.9M US & Canada · 100% $6K elsewhere · <1%
- 4 One Good Cop (1991) $11.3M $11.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Stone Cold (1991) $9.2M $9.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Europa Europa (1991) $5.6M $5.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Straight Out of Brooklyn (1991) $2.7M $2.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Truly Madly Deeply (1991) $1.6M $1.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Toto the Hero (1991) $1.2M $1.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Rich Girl (1991) $561K $561K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many May 1991 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 15 films crossed $100M and took $152.4M between them, 62% of the total. 11 films, 73% of the list, earned under $10M.
62% 29% 9%
- $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, 7% of the list $152.4M · 62% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 3 films, 20% of the list $70.6M · 29% of the gross
- Under $10M 11 films, 73% of the list $22.6M · 9% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of May 1991 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 19–25) took $216.5M, led by Backdraft (1991). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 28–May 4 One Good Cop (1991) $11.8M One Good Cop (1991)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 5–11 Europa Europa (1991) $5.6M Europa Europa (1991)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 12–18 Stone Cold (1991) $11.7M Stone Cold (1991)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 19–25 Backdraft (1991) $216.5M Backdraft (1991)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 26–Jun 1 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1991 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). May 1991 took $245.6M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1982 7 films | 7 | $135.9M | – | 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 |
| May 1987 14 films · −95% | 14 | $20.9M | −95% | Gardens of Stone (1987) $5.3M |
| May 1988 17 films · +283% | 17 | $80.1M | +283% | Willow (1988) $57.3M |
| May 1989 10 films · −69% | 10 | $24.5M | −69% | Pink Cadillac (1989) $12.1M |
| May 1990 4 films · −64% | 4 | $8.8M | −64% | Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1990) $4.1M |
| May 1991 15 films · +2694% | 15 | $245.6M | +2694% | Backdraft (1991) $152.4M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in May 1991?
English-language drama films took $237.9M across 10 films, 97% of the total, ahead of German-language drama films ($5.6M) and French-language drama films ($1.6M).
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1991, Month by Month
The months of 1991 with their totals: June leads with $519.8M, led by Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991).
- January $314.3M #1 Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)
- February $64.5M #1 L.A. Story (1991)
- March $153.8M #1 New Jack City (1991)
- April $113.4M #1 Out for Justice (1991)
- May $245.6M #1 Backdraft (1991)
- June $519.8M #1 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
- July $129M #1 Boyz n the Hood (1991)
- August $109.6M #1 Doc Hollywood (1991)
- September $109.8M #1 The Fisher King (1991)
- October $104.1M #1 Curly Sue (1991)
- November $125.9M #1 My Girl (1991)
- December $380.9M #1 JFK (1991)
FAQ
Drama Box Office May 1991: 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 15 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in May 1991?
Backdraft (1991) leads with $152.4M worldwide, $77.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Thelma & Louise (1991) at $45.5M and Drop Dead Fred (1991) at $13.9M.
How much did drama movies released in May 1991 earn?
15 drama films released in May 1991 report a worldwide gross, $245.6M in all, or $16.4M per film on average. April 1991 releases took $113.4M.
How many drama movies released in May 1991 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Backdraft (1991) with $152.4M.
How is the May 1991 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 1991. 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 1991 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.