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Sci-Fi box office · 1971

Sci-Fi Box Office 1971: Highest-Grossing Sci-Fi Movies

A Clockwork Orange (1971) is the highest-grossing sci-fi movie released in 1971, with $27M worldwide, ahead of Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) at $12.3M and THX 1138 (1971) at $2.4M. 4 sci-fi films released in 1971 report a worldwide gross, $42.1M in all, 99% of it from the US & Canada.

1971 releases with a gross
4
combined worldwide
$42.1M
A Clockwork Orange (1971), the #1
$27M
earned in the US & Canada
99%
A Clockwork Orange (1971) movie poster #1 of 4
#1 sci-fi movie of 1971

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

1971 · Sci-Fi, Drama

$27M worldwide · 64% of the chart's total

$26.6M US & Canada · 98% $416.6K elsewhere · 2%
Top 4

What Were the Biggest Sci-Fi Hits of 1971?

A Clockwork Orange (1971) leads with $27M, 64% of the total. The top 4 together took $42.1M, 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.

  1. A Clockwork Orange (1971) movie poster Number 1
    $27M A Clockwork Orange (1971)
    $26.6M US & Canada · 98% $416.6K elsewhere · 2%
  2. Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) movie poster Number 2
    $12.3M Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
    $12.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
  3. THX 1138 (1971) movie poster Number 3
    $2.4M THX 1138 (1971)
    $2.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
  4. Octaman (1971) movie poster Number 4
    $280.7K Octaman (1971)
    $280.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%

US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world

The chart

Every Sci-Fi Release of 1971, 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 1971.

  1. 1 A Clockwork Orange (1971) movie poster
    A Clockwork Orange (1971) Dec 20, 1971 · English · Sci-Fi, Drama, Thriller $27M worldwide
    Dec 20, 1971 US and Canada: $26.6M Rest of the world: $416.6K Worldwide: $27M
  2. 2 Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) movie poster
    Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) May 21, 1971 · English · Action, Sci-Fi $12.3M worldwide
    May 21, 1971 US and Canada: $12.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.3M
  3. 3 THX 1138 (1971) movie poster
    THX 1138 (1971) Mar 11, 1971 · English · Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery $2.4M worldwide
    Mar 11, 1971 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.4M
  4. 4 Octaman (1971) movie poster
    Octaman (1971) Nov 3, 1971 · English · Sci-Fi, Horror $280.7K worldwide
    Nov 3, 1971 US and Canada: $280.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $280.7K
US & Canada vs the world

Where Did the Money Come From in 1971?

Of the top 4, Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while A Clockwork Orange (1971) made 2% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $41.7M (99%) came from the US & Canada.

  1. 1 A Clockwork Orange (1971) $27M
    $26.6M US & Canada · 98% $416.6K elsewhere · 2%
  2. 2 Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) $12.3M
    $12.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
  3. 3 THX 1138 (1971) $2.4M
    $2.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
  4. 4 Octaman (1971) $280.7K
    $280.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release month

Which Month of 1971 Earned the Most?

December releases took the most, $27M from 1 film, led by A Clockwork Orange (1971). November was the quietest month ($280.7K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.

  1. January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
  2. February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
  3. March Mar THX 1138 (1971) $2.4M THX 1138 (1971)
  4. April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
  5. May May Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) $12.3M Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
  6. June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
  7. July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
  8. August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
  9. September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
  10. October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
  11. November Nov Octaman (1971) $280.7K Octaman (1971)
  12. December Dec A Clockwork Orange (1971) $27M A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Last 10 years

How Does 1971 Compare With Previous Years?

Of these 10 years, 1971 earned the most: $42.1M from 4 films, led by A Clockwork Orange (1971).

Year Films Worldwide Change Biggest film
1962 No films 0 – – –
1963 No films 0 – – –
1964 1 film 1 $492 – Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964) $492
1965 2 films · +36630% 2 $180.7K +36630% Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965) $114.1K
1966 4 films · −80% 4 $36.5K −80% The Face of Another (1966) $35.2K
1967 1 film · +557% 1 $240.1K +557% Night of the Big Heat (1967) $240.1K
1968 4 films · +13480% 4 $32.6M +13480% Planet of the Apes (1968) $32.6M
1969 1 film · −100% 1 $171 −100% Night of the Bloody Apes (1969) $171
1970 2 films · +11110946% 2 $19M +11110946% Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) $19M
1971 4 films · +122% 4 $42.1M +122% A Clockwork Orange (1971) $27M
Archive

Sci-Fi Box Office Year by Year

Every year from 1933 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2018 leads with $15.1B, led by Avengers: Infinity War (2018).

2020s 7 years · $37.1B
2010s 10 years · $87.8B
2000s 10 years · $31B
1990s 10 years · $12.5B
1980s 10 years · $5.4B
1970s 10 years · $2B
1960s 8 years · $33.1M
1950s 9 years · $696.6K
1940s 1 year · $14.8K
1930s 3 years · $39.9K
FAQ

Sci-Fi Box Office 1971: 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 sci-fi movie in 1971?

A Clockwork Orange (1971) leads with $27M worldwide, $26.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) at $12.3M and THX 1138 (1971) at $2.4M.

How much did sci-fi movies released in 1971 earn?

4 sci-fi films released in 1971 report a worldwide gross, $42.1M in all, or $10.5M per film on average.

How many sci-fi movies released in 1971 made $1 billion?

None. The biggest, A Clockwork Orange (1971), earned $27M.

How much of the 1971 Sci-Fi box office came from the US and Canada?

$41.7M of the $42.1M total, or 99%, was earned in the US & Canada (the domestic market); the rest came from other countries. 0 films of the 4 report no domestic figure.

How is the 1971 sci-fi 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 1971. 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 1971 sci-fi 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.