#1 of 3 #1 musical movie of 1978
1978 · Romance, Musical
$396.3M worldwide · 91% of the chart's total
$190.1M US & Canada · 48% $206.2M elsewhere · 52%
Musical box office · 1978
Musical Box Office 1978: Highest-Grossing Musical Movies
Grease (1978) is the highest-grossing musical movie released in 1978, with $396.3M worldwide, ahead of The Wiz (1978) at $21M and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) at $20.4M. 3 musical films released in 1978 report a worldwide gross, $437.7M in all, 53% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion.
- 1978 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $437.7M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- earned in the US & Canada
- 53%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Musical Hits of 1978?
Grease (1978) leads with $396.3M, 91% of the total. The top 3 together took $437.7M, 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 Musical Release of 1978, 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 1978.
- 1 Jun 16, 1978 US and Canada: $190.1M Rest of the world: $206.2M Worldwide: $396.3M
- 2 Oct 24, 1978 US and Canada: $21M Rest of the world: $594 Worldwide: $21M
- 3 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)Jul 24, 1978 US and Canada: $20.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.4M
Jul 24, 1978 · English · Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy $20.4M worldwide
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1978?
Of the top 3, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Grease (1978) made 52% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $231.5M (53%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Grease (1978) $396.3M $190.1M US & Canada · 48% $206.2M elsewhere · 52%
- 2 The Wiz (1978) $21M $21M US & Canada · 100% $594 elsewhere · <1%
- 3 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) $20.4M $20.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release month
Which Month of 1978 Earned the Most?
June releases took the most, $396.3M from 1 film, led by Grease (1978). July was the quietest month ($20.4M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- June Jun Grease (1978) $396.3M Grease (1978)
- July Jul Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) $20.4M Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct The Wiz (1978) $21M The Wiz (1978)
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Last 10 years
How Does 1978 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1978 earned the most: $437.7M from 3 films, led by Grease (1978).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 2 films | 2 | $14.9M | – | Paint Your Wagon (1969) $14.5M |
| 1970 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1971 3 films | 3 | $11.1M | – | Fiddler on the Roof (1971) $10.4M |
| 1972 1 film · −99% | 1 | $83.3K | −99% | Cabaret (1972) $83.3K |
| 1973 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1974 1 film | 1 | $26.9M | – | That's Entertainment! (1974) $26.9M |
| 1975 2 films · +458% | 2 | $150.1M | +458% | The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) $115.8M |
| 1976 2 films · −95% | 2 | $7.8M | −95% | That's Entertainment, Part II (1976) $5M |
| 1977 2 films · +616% | 2 | $56M | +616% | Pete's Dragon (1977) $39.6M |
| 1978 3 films · +682% | 3 | $437.7M | +682% | Grease (1978) $396.3M |
Archive
Musical Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1929 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $4.8B, led by The Lion King (2019).
2020s 7 years · $5.7B
2010s 10 years · $12.9B
- 2019 $4.8B #1 The Lion King (2019)
- 2018 $1.6B #1 The Grinch (2018)
- 2017 $1.9B #1 Beauty and the Beast (2017)
- 2016 $2.6B #1 The Jungle Book (2016)
- 2015 $69.5M #1 Ricki and the Flash (2015)
- 2014 $528.5M #1 Into the Woods (2014)
- 2013 $60.6M #1 The Sapphires (2013)
- 2012 $534.8M #1 Les Miserables (2012)
- 2011 $82.6M #1 Footloose (2011)
- 2010 $688.7M #1 Tangled (2010)
2000s 10 years · $3.2B
- 2009 $402.2M #1 The Princess and the Frog (2009)
- 2008 $986.7M #1 Mamma Mia! (2008)
- 2007 $839.8M #1 Enchanted (2007)
- 2006 $217.5M #1 Dreamgirls (2006)
- 2005 $99.8M #1 The Producers (2005)
- 2004 $41.4M #1 De-Lovely (2004)
- 2003 $210.1M #1 The Jungle Book 2 (2003)
- 2002 $121.5M #1 8 Women (2002)
- 2001 $188.9M #1 Moulin Rouge! (2001)
- 2000 $68M #1 Dancer in the Dark (2000)
1990s 10 years · $3.1B
- 1999 $95.1M #1 South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)
- 1998 $359.5M #1 The Prince of Egypt (1998)
- 1997 $143.4M #1 Anastasia (1997)
- 1996 $548.6M #1 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
- 1995 $381.4M #1 Pocahontas (1995)
- 1994 $979.4M #1 The Lion King (1994)
- 1993 $143.5M #1 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- 1992 $2.8M #1 Newsies (1992)
- 1991 $451.3M #1 Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- 1990 $28.6M #1 Jetsons: The Movie (1990)
1980s 10 years · $844M
- 1989 $3.9M #1 Earth Girls Are Easy (1989)
- 1988 $88.7M #1 Oliver & Company (1988)
- 1987 $31.7M #1 Ishtar (1987)
- 1986 $194.9M #1 An American Tail (1986)
- 1985 $46.2M #1 The Care Bears Movie (1985)
- 1984 $151.1M #1 Purple Rain (1984)
- 1983 $15.6M #1 The Meaning of Life (1983)
- 1982 $209.6M #1 The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)
- 1981 $31.2M #1 The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
- 1980 $71M #1 Popeye (1980)
1970s 8 years · $809.3M
- 1979 $119.6M #1 The Muppet Movie (1979)
- 1978 $437.7M #1 Grease (1978)
- 1977 $56M #1 Pete's Dragon (1977)
- 1976 $7.8M #1 That's Entertainment, Part II (1976)
- 1975 $150.1M #1 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
- 1974 $26.9M #1 That's Entertainment! (1974)
- 1972 $83.3K #1 Cabaret (1972)
- 1971 $11.1M #1 Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
1960s 7 years · $631.5M
1950s 9 years · $266.2M
- 1959 $51.6M #1 Sleeping Beauty (1959)
- 1957 $2.2K #1 Funny Face (1957)
- 1956 $21.3M #1 The King and I (1956)
- 1955 $4.2K #1 Guys and Dolls (1955)
- 1954 $7.3M #1 A Star Is Born (1954)
- 1953 $87.4M #1 Peter Pan (1953)
- 1952 $2.1M #1 Singin' in the Rain (1952)
- 1951 $1.2K #1 Alice in Wonderland (1951)
- 1950 $96.4M #1 Cinderella (1950)
1940s 7 years · $159.5M
1930s 8 years · $210.9M
1920s 1 year · $270
FAQ
Musical Box Office 1978: 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 musical movie in 1978?
Grease (1978) leads with $396.3M worldwide, $190.1M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Wiz (1978) at $21M and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) at $20.4M.
How much did musical movies released in 1978 earn?
3 musical films released in 1978 report a worldwide gross, $437.7M in all, or $145.9M per film on average.
How many musical movies released in 1978 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Grease (1978) with $396.3M.
How is the 1978 musical 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 1978. 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 1978 musical 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.