#1 of 3 #1 sci-fi movie of May 1983
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
1983 · Action, Adventure
$482.5M worldwide · 89% of the chart's total
$316.6M US & Canada · 66% $165.9M elsewhere · 34%
Sci-Fi box office · May 1983
Sci-Fi Box Office, May 1983: Top-Grossing Releases
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) is the highest-grossing sci-fi movie released in May 1983, with $482.5M worldwide, ahead of Blue Thunder (1983) at $42.3M and Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983) at $16.5M. 3 sci-fi films released in May 1983 report a worldwide gross, $541.3M in all, 69% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion.
- May 1983 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $541.3M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- earned in the US & Canada
- 69%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Sci-Fi Hits of May 1983?
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) leads with $482.5M, 89% of the total. The top 3 together took $541.3M, 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 $482.5M Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)$316.6M US & Canada · 66% $165.9M elsewhere · 34%
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Number 2 -
Number 3 $16.5M Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983)$16.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Sci-Fi Release of May 1983, 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 1983.
- 1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)May 25, 1983 US and Canada: $316.6M Rest of the world: $165.9M Worldwide: $482.5M
May 25, 1983 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $482.5M worldwide - 2 May 13, 1983 US and Canada: $42.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.3M
- 3 Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983)May 20, 1983 US and Canada: $16.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.5M May 20, 1983 · English · Adventure, Sci-Fi $16.5M worldwide
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1983?
Of the top 3, Blue Thunder (1983) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) made 34% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $375.4M (69%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M $316.6M US & Canada · 66% $165.9M elsewhere · 34%
- 2 Blue Thunder (1983) $42.3M $42.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983) $16.5M $16.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of May 1983 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 22 (May 22–28) took $482.5M, led by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 1–7 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 8–14 Blue Thunder (1983) $42.3M Blue Thunder (1983)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 15–21 Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983) $16.5M Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 22–28 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 29–Jun 4 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1983 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1977 earned the most: $775.4M from 1 film, led by Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). May 1983 took $541.3M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1974 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1976 1 film | 1 | $167.1K | – | The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) $167.1K |
| May 1977 1 film · +464010% | 1 | $775.4M | +464010% | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) $775.4M |
| May 1978 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1979 1 film | 1 | $456K | – | Stalker (1979) $456K |
| May 1980 2 films · +120520% | 2 | $550M | +120520% | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) $550M |
| May 1981 1 film · −97% | 1 | $17.4M | −97% | Outland (1981) $17.4M |
| May 1982 2 films · +38% | 2 | $24M | +38% | The Road Warrior (1982) $23.7M |
| May 1983 3 films · +2151% | 3 | $541.3M | +2151% | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M |
Archive
Sci-Fi Box Office in 1983, Month by Month
The months of 1983 with their totals: May leads with $541.3M, led by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983).
- January No grosses
- February $2.1M #1 Videodrome (1983)
- March No grosses
- April No grosses
- May $541.3M #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- June $199.6M #1 Superman III (1983)
- July No grosses
- August $16.3M #1 Strange Brew (1983)
- September $20M #1 Brainstorm (1983)
- October No grosses
- November $2M #1 Testament (1983)
- December No grosses
FAQ
Sci-Fi Box Office May 1983: 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 sci-fi movie in May 1983?
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) leads with $482.5M worldwide, $316.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Blue Thunder (1983) at $42.3M and Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983) at $16.5M.
How much did sci-fi movies released in May 1983 earn?
3 sci-fi films released in May 1983 report a worldwide gross, $541.3M in all, or $180.4M per film on average.
How many sci-fi movies released in May 1983 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) with $482.5M.
How is the May 1983 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 May 1983. 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 1983 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.