#1 of 4 #1 horror movie of August 1981
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
1981 · Horror
$30.8M worldwide · 70% of the chart's total
$30.6M US & Canada · 99% $255.3K elsewhere · <1%
Horror box office · August 1981
Horror Box Office, August 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
An American Werewolf in London (1981) is the highest-grossing horror movie released in August 1981, with $30.8M worldwide, ahead of Deadly Blessing (1981) at $8.3M and Student Bodies (1981) at $5.2M. 4 horror films released in August 1981 report a worldwide gross, $44.3M in all, 99% of it from the US & Canada.
- August 1981 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $44.3M
- An American Werewolf in London (1981), the #1
- $30.8M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 99%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Horror Hits of August 1981?
An American Werewolf in London (1981) leads with $30.8M, 70% of the total. The top 4 together took $44.3M, almost all of what the 4 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Horror Release of August 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 August 1981.
- 1 Aug 21, 1981 US and Canada: $30.6M Rest of the world: $255.3K Worldwide: $30.8M
- 2 Aug 14, 1981 US and Canada: $8.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.3M
- 3 Aug 7, 1981 US and Canada: $5.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.2M
- 4 Aug 14, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $462
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in August 1981?
Of the top 4, Deadly Blessing (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while An American Werewolf in London (1981) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $44M (99%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 4 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 An American Werewolf in London (1981) $30.8M $30.6M US & Canada · 99% $255.3K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Deadly Blessing (1981) $8.3M $8.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Student Bodies (1981) $5.2M $5.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The House by the Cemetery (1981) $462 No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of August 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 34 (Aug 16–22) took $30.8M, led by An American Werewolf in London (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 31 Wk 31 Jul 26–Aug 1 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 32 Wk 32 Aug 2–8 Student Bodies (1981) $5.2M Student Bodies (1981)
- Week 33 Wk 33 Aug 9–15 Deadly Blessing (1981) $8.3M Deadly Blessing (1981)
- Week 34 Wk 34 Aug 16–22 An American Werewolf in London (1981) $30.8M An American Werewolf in London (1981)
- Week 35 Wk 35 Aug 23–29 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 36 Wk 36 Aug 30–Sep 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does August 1981 Compare With August in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, August 1981 earned the most: $44.3M from 4 films, led by An American Werewolf in London (1981).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1972 1 film | 1 | $135 | – | The Last House on the Left (1972) $135 |
| August 1973 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1974 1 film | 1 | $551.9K | – | The Wicker Man (1974) $551.9K |
| August 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1976 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1977 1 film | 1 | $47K | – | Suspiria (1977) $47K |
| August 1978 1 film · −99% | 1 | $321 | −99% | Piranha (1978) $321 |
| August 1979 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1980 1 film | 1 | $4.9M | – | He Knows You’re Alone (1980) $4.9M |
| August 1981 4 films · +808% | 4 | $44.3M | +808% | An American Werewolf in London (1981) $30.8M |
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 August 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 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing horror movie in August 1981?
An American Werewolf in London (1981) leads with $30.8M worldwide, $30.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Deadly Blessing (1981) at $8.3M and Student Bodies (1981) at $5.2M.
How much did horror movies released in August 1981 earn?
4 horror films released in August 1981 report a worldwide gross, $44.3M in all, or $11.1M per film on average.
How many horror movies released in August 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, An American Werewolf in London (1981), earned $30.8M.
How is the August 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 August 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 August 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.