#1 of 5 #1 romance movie of December 1980
1980 · Comedy, Romance
$49.8M worldwide · 35% of the chart's total
$49.8M US & Canada · 100% $292 elsewhere · <1%
Romance box office · December 1980
Romance Box Office, December 1980: Top-Grossing Releases
Popeye (1980) is the highest-grossing romance movie released in December 1980, with $49.8M worldwide, ahead of Seems Like Old Times (1980) at $44M and The Jazz Singer (1980) at $27.1M. 5 romance films released in December 1980 report a worldwide gross, $141M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. By language, English leads with $120.9M across 3 romance releases.
- December 1980 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $141M
- Popeye (1980), the #1
- $49.8M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Romance Hits of December 1980?
Popeye (1980) leads with $49.8M, 35% of the total. The top 5 together took $141M, almost all of what the 5 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 Romance Release of December 1980, 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 December 1980.
- 1 Dec 12, 1980 US and Canada: $49.8M Rest of the world: $292 Worldwide: $49.8M
- 2 Dec 19, 1980 US and Canada: $44M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $44M
- 3 Dec 19, 1980 US and Canada: $27.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $27.1M
- 4 Dec 12, 1980 US and Canada: $20.1M Rest of the world: $7.9K Worldwide: $20.1M
- 5 Dec 20, 1980 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $6.5K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1980?
Of the top 5, Seems Like Old Times (1980) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Tess (1980) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $141M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 5 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Popeye (1980) $49.8M $49.8M US & Canada · 100% $292 elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Seems Like Old Times (1980) $44M $44M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Jazz Singer (1980) $27.1M $27.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Tess (1980) $20.1M $20.1M US & Canada · 100% $7.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Murattu Kaalai (1980) $6.5K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of December 1980 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 14–20) took $71.1M, led by Seems Like Old Times (1980). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 30–Dec 6 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 7–13 Popeye (1980) $69.9M Popeye (1980)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 14–20 Seems Like Old Times (1980) $71.1M Seems Like Old Times (1980)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 21–27 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 28–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1980 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1977 earned the most: $237.1M from 1 film, led by Saturday Night Fever (1977). December 1980 took $141M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1971 2 films | 2 | $6.8K | – | Harold and Maude (1971) $4.5K |
| December 1972 1 film · +234% | 1 | $22.8K | +234% | Avanti! (1972) $22.8K |
| December 1973 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1974 2 films | 2 | $18.6M | – | Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) $18.6M |
| December 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1976 2 films | 2 | $131.1M | – | A Star Is Born (1976) $80M |
| December 1977 1 film · +81% | 1 | $237.1M | +81% | Saturday Night Fever (1977) $237.1M |
| December 1978 1 film · −95% | 1 | $11M | −95% | Moment by Moment (1978) $11M |
| December 1979 4 films · +523% | 4 | $68.3M | +523% | The Electric Horseman (1979) $61.8M |
| December 1980 5 films · +106% | 5 | $141M | +106% | Popeye (1980) $49.8M |
Archive
Romance Box Office in 1980, Month by Month
The months of 1980 with their totals: December leads with $141M, led by Popeye (1980).
- January $2.1M #1 Just Tell Me What You Want (1980)
- February $30.4M #1 American Gigolo (1980)
- March $20.5M #1 Serial (1980)
- April No grosses
- May $38.5K #1 My American Uncle (1980)
- June $94.9M #1 Urban Cowboy (1980)
- July $76.7M #1 The Blue Lagoon (1980)
- August $42.5M #1 Xanadu (1980)
- September $10.4M #1 Stardust Memories (1980)
- October $17.6M #1 Somewhere in Time (1980)
- November $2.7M #1 The Idolmaker (1980)
- December $141M #1 Popeye (1980)
FAQ
Romance Box Office December 1980: 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 5 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing romance movie in December 1980?
Popeye (1980) leads with $49.8M worldwide, $49.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Seems Like Old Times (1980) at $44M and The Jazz Singer (1980) at $27.1M.
How much did romance movies released in December 1980 earn?
5 romance films released in December 1980 report a worldwide gross, $141M in all, or $28.2M per film on average.
How many romance movies released in December 1980 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Popeye (1980), earned $49.8M.
How is the December 1980 romance 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 December 1980. 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 December 1980 romance 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.