#1 of 7 #1 romance movie of May 1997
1997 · Action, Adventure
$263.9M worldwide · 76% of the chart's total
$63.8M US & Canada · 24% $200.1M elsewhere · 76%
Romance box office · May 1997
Romance Box Office, May 1997: Top-Grossing Releases
The Fifth Element (1997) is the highest-grossing romance movie released in May 1997, with $263.9M worldwide, ahead of Addicted to Love (1997) at $34.7M and Fathers' Day (1997) at $28.6M. 7 romance films released in May 1997 report a worldwide gross, $347.9M in all, 42% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 81% on April 1997, whose releases took $192.2M. By language, English leads with $284.6M across 5 romance releases.
- May 1997 releases with a gross
- 7
- combined worldwide
- $347.9M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs April 1997
- +81%
#1 of 7 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Romance Hits of May 1997?
The Fifth Element (1997) leads with $263.9M, 76% of the total. The top 5 together took $344.8M, 99% of what all 7 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 May 1997, 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 1997.
- 1 May 9, 1997 US and Canada: $63.8M Rest of the world: $200.1M Worldwide: $263.9M
- 2 May 23, 1997 US and Canada: $34.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.7M
- 3 May 9, 1997 US and Canada: $28.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $28.6M
- 4 May 30, 1997 US and Canada: $13.6M Rest of the world: $995.7K Worldwide: $14.6M
- 5 May 16, 1997 US and Canada: $3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3M
- 6
May 23, 1997 US and Canada: $2.6M Rest of the world: $21K Worldwide: $2.6M - 7
May 2, 1997 US and Canada: $548.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $548.6K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1997?
Of the top 7, Addicted to Love (1997) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Fifth Element (1997) made 76% of its gross abroad. Across all 7 films, $146.8M (42%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Fifth Element (1997) $263.9M $63.8M US & Canada · 24% $200.1M elsewhere · 76%
- 2 Addicted to Love (1997) $34.7M $34.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Fathers' Day (1997) $28.6M $28.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Trial and Error (1997) $14.6M $13.6M US & Canada · 93% $995.7K elsewhere · 7%
- 5 Love! Valour! Compassion! (1997) $3M $3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Brassed Off (1997) $2.6M $2.6M US & Canada · 99% $21K elsewhere · <1%
- 7 Commandments (1997) $548.6K $548.6K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of May 1997 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 19 (May 4–10) took $292.5M, led by The Fifth Element (1997). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 27–May 3 Commandments (1997) $548.6K Commandments (1997)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 4–10 The Fifth Element (1997) $292.5M The Fifth Element (1997)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 11–17 Love! Valour! Compassion! (1997) $3M Love! Valour! Compassion! (1997)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 18–24 Addicted to Love (1997) $37.3M Addicted to Love (1997)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 25–31 Trial and Error (1997) $14.6M Trial and Error (1997)
Earlier years
How Does May 1997 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1997 earned the most: $347.9M from 7 films, led by The Fifth Element (1997).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1988 5 films | 5 | $62.8M | – | Willow (1988) $57.3M |
| May 1989 10 films · −78% | 10 | $14M | −78% | Listen to Me (1989) $4.3M |
| May 1990 2 films · −71% | 2 | $4.1M | −71% | Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1990) $4.1M |
| May 1991 6 films · +1555% | 6 | $67.8M | +1555% | Soapdish (1991) $36.5M |
| May 1992 1 film · −100% | 1 | $143K | −100% | Simple Men (1992) $143K |
| May 1993 5 films · +105784% | 5 | $151.4M | +105784% | Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993) $63.5M |
| May 1994 4 films · −96% | 4 | $5.4M | −96% | To Live (1994) $2.3M |
| May 1995 7 films · +3012% | 7 | $167.9M | +3012% | French Kiss (1995) $102M |
| May 1996 4 films · −93% | 4 | $12M | −93% | Cold Comfort Farm (1996) $5.7M |
| May 1997 7 films · +2798% | 7 | $347.9M | +2798% | The Fifth Element (1997) $263.9M |
Archive
Romance Box Office in 1997, Month by Month
The months of 1997 with their totals: December leads with $2.6B, led by Titanic (1997).
- January $437.2K #1 Hurricane Streets (1997)
- February $61.6M #1 Fools Rush In (1997)
- March $13.6M #1 Love Jones (1997)
- April $192.2M #1 The Saint (1997)
- May $347.9M #1 The Fifth Element (1997)
- June $466.9M #1 My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
- July $214.4M #1 George of the Jungle (1997)
- August $236.7M #1 Conspiracy Theory (1997)
- September $9M #1 Mrs. Dalloway (1997)
- October $57.6M #1 An American Werewolf in Paris (1997)
- November $15.6M #1 The Wings of the Dove (1997)
- December $2.6B #1 Titanic (1997)
FAQ
Romance Box Office May 1997: 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 7 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing romance movie in May 1997?
The Fifth Element (1997) leads with $263.9M worldwide, $63.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Addicted to Love (1997) at $34.7M and Fathers' Day (1997) at $28.6M.
How much did romance movies released in May 1997 earn?
7 romance films released in May 1997 report a worldwide gross, $347.9M in all, or $49.7M per film on average. April 1997 releases took $192.2M.
How many romance movies released in May 1997 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by The Fifth Element (1997) with $263.9M.
How is the May 1997 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 May 1997. 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 1997 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.