#1 of 4 #1 mystery movie of October 1981
The Watcher in the Woods (1981)
1981 · Mystery, Thriller
$5M worldwide · 100% of the chart's total
$5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Mystery box office · October 1981
Mystery Box Office, October 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
The Watcher in the Woods (1981) is the highest-grossing mystery movie released in October 1981, with $5M worldwide, ahead of Le Pont du Nord (1981) at $17.1K and The Pit (1981) at $560. 4 mystery films released in October 1981 report a worldwide gross, $5M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada.
- October 1981 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $5M
- The Watcher in the Woods (1981), the #1
- $5M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Mystery Hits of October 1981?
The Watcher in the Woods (1981) leads with $5M, 100% of the total. The top 4 together took $5M, 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 Mystery Release of October 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 October 1981.
- 1 Oct 9, 1981 US and Canada: $5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5M
- 2 Oct 7, 1981 US and Canada: $17.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.1K
- 3 Oct 23, 1981 US and Canada: $560 Rest of the world: Worldwide: $560
- 4 Oct 1, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $297
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in October 1981?
Of the top 4, The Watcher in the Woods (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Pit (1981) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $5M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 4 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Watcher in the Woods (1981) $5M $5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Le Pont du Nord (1981) $17.1K $17.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Pit (1981) $560 $560 US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The Killing of Angel Street (1981) $297 No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of October 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 41 (Oct 4–10) took $5M, led by The Watcher in the Woods (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 27–Oct 3 The Killing of Angel Street (1981) $297 The Killing of Angel Street (1981)
- Week 41 Wk 41 Oct 4–10 The Watcher in the Woods (1981) $5M The Watcher in the Woods (1981)
- Week 42 Wk 42 Oct 11–17 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 43 Wk 43 Oct 18–24 The Pit (1981) $560 The Pit (1981)
- Week 44 Wk 44 Oct 25–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does October 1981 Compare With October in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, October 1974 earned the most: $30.9M from 1 film, led by The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). October 1981 took $5M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1972 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1973 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1974 1 film | 1 | $30.9M | – | The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) $30.9M |
| October 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1976 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1977 2 films | 2 | $39.3K | – | The Serpent’s Egg (1977) $39.2K |
| October 1978 1 film · +33143% | 1 | $13.1M | +33143% | The Big Fix (1978) $13.1M |
| October 1979 1 film · +64% | 1 | $21.4M | +64% | When a Stranger Calls (1979) $21.4M |
| October 1980 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1981 4 films | 4 | $5M | – | The Watcher in the Woods (1981) $5M |
Archive
Mystery Box Office in 1981, Month by Month
The months of 1981 with their totals: June leads with $31.2M, led by The Great Muppet Caper (1981).
- January $1.2M #1 Night School (1981)
- February $14.1M #1 Eyewitness (1981)
- March $1.8M #1 Cutter's Way (1981)
- April No grosses
- May $21.7M #1 Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
- June $31.2M #1 The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
- July $12M #1 Blow Out (1981)
- August $5.2M #1 Student Bodies (1981)
- September No grosses
- October $5M #1 The Watcher in the Woods (1981)
- November $306 #1 Road Games (1981)
- December $10.9M #1 Rollover (1981)
FAQ
Mystery Box Office October 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 mystery movie in October 1981?
The Watcher in the Woods (1981) leads with $5M worldwide, $5M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Le Pont du Nord (1981) at $17.1K and The Pit (1981) at $560.
How much did mystery movies released in October 1981 earn?
4 mystery films released in October 1981 report a worldwide gross, $5M in all, or $1.3M per film on average.
How many mystery movies released in October 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Watcher in the Woods (1981), earned $5M.
How is the October 1981 mystery 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 October 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 October 1981 mystery 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.