#1 of 3 #1 horror movie of May 1981
1981 · Mystery, Thriller
$21.7M worldwide · 88% of the chart's total
$21.7M US & Canada · 100% $199 elsewhere · <1%
Horror box office · May 1981
Horror Box Office, May 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) is the highest-grossing horror movie released in May 1981, with $21.7M worldwide, ahead of The Fan (1981) at $3.1M and The Burning (1981) at $315. 3 horror films released in May 1981 report a worldwide gross, $24.8M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada.
- May 1981 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $24.8M
- Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981), the #1
- $21.7M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Horror Hits of May 1981?
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) leads with $21.7M, 88% of the total. The top 3 together took $24.8M, almost all of what the 3 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Horror 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 1, 1981 US and Canada: $21.7M Rest of the world: $199 Worldwide: $21.7M
- 2 May 15, 1981 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.1M
- 3 May 8, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $315
By release week
Which Week of May 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 18 (Apr 26–May 2) took $21.7M, led by Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 26–May 2 Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) $21.7M Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 3–9 The Burning (1981) $315 The Burning (1981)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 10–16 The Fan (1981) $3.1M The Fan (1981)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 17–23 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- 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 1980 earned the most: $87.9M from 3 films, led by The Shining (1980). May 1981 took $24.8M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1972 1 film | 1 | $1.4K | – | Images (1972) $1.4K |
| May 1973 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1974 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1976 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1977 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1978 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1979 1 film | 1 | $159.8K | – | Dawn of the Dead (1979) $159.8K |
| May 1980 3 films · +54888% | 3 | $87.9M | +54888% | The Shining (1980) $48M |
| May 1981 3 films · −72% | 3 | $24.8M | −72% | Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) $21.7M |
Archive
Horror Box Office in 1981, Month by Month
The months of 1981 with their totals: August leads with $44.3M, led by An American Werewolf in London (1981).
- January $15.4M #1 Scanners (1981)
- February $6.8M #1 My Bloody Valentine (1981)
- March $28.4M #1 The Final Conflict (1981)
- April $20.4M #1 The Howling (1981)
- May $24.8M #1 Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
- June No grosses
- July $10.6M #1 Wolfen (1981)
- August $44.3M #1 An American Werewolf in London (1981)
- September No grosses
- October $30.6M #1 Halloween II (1981)
- November $5.2M #1 Venom (1981)
- December $23.4M #1 Ghost Story (1981)
FAQ
Horror 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 3 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing horror movie in May 1981?
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) leads with $21.7M worldwide, $21.7M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Fan (1981) at $3.1M and The Burning (1981) at $315.
How much did horror movies released in May 1981 earn?
3 horror films released in May 1981 report a worldwide gross, $24.8M in all, or $8.3M per film on average.
How many horror movies released in May 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981), earned $21.7M.
How is the May 1981 horror 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 horror 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.