#1 of 3 #1 sci-fi movie of May 1997
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
1997 · Action, Adventure
$618.6M worldwide · 70% of the chart's total
$229.1M US & Canada · 37% $389.6M elsewhere · 63%
Sci-Fi box office · May 1997
Sci-Fi Box Office, May 1997: Top-Grossing Releases
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) is the highest-grossing sci-fi movie released in May 1997, with $618.6M worldwide, ahead of The Fifth Element (1997) at $263.9M and Nowhere (1997) at $198K. 3 sci-fi films released in May 1997 report a worldwide gross, $882.8M in all, 33% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion.
- May 1997 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $882.8M
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- earned in the US & Canada
- 33%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Sci-Fi Hits of May 1997?
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) leads with $618.6M, 70% of the total. The top 3 together took $882.8M, 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
-
Number 2 -
Number 3
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Sci-Fi 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 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)May 23, 1997 US and Canada: $229.1M Rest of the world: $389.6M Worldwide: $618.6M
May 23, 1997 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $618.6M worldwide - 2 May 9, 1997 US and Canada: $63.8M Rest of the world: $200.1M Worldwide: $263.9M
- 3 May 9, 1997 US and Canada: $194.2K Rest of the world: $3.8K Worldwide: $198K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1997?
Of the top 3, Nowhere (1997) earned the biggest share at home (98% in the US & Canada), while The Fifth Element (1997) made 76% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $293.1M (33%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) $618.6M $229.1M US & Canada · 37% $389.6M elsewhere · 63%
- 2 The Fifth Element (1997) $263.9M $63.8M US & Canada · 24% $200.1M elsewhere · 76%
- 3 Nowhere (1997) $198K $194.2K US & Canada · 98% $3.8K elsewhere · 2%
By release week
Which Week of May 1997 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 18–24) took $618.6M, led by The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 27–May 3 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 4–10 The Fifth Element (1997) $264.1M The Fifth Element (1997)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 11–17 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 18–24 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) $618.6M The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 25–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1997 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1997 earned the most: $882.8M from 3 films, led by The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1988 3 films | 3 | $84.6K | – | Hanussen (1988) $82.6K |
| May 1989 4 films · +4817% | 4 | $4.2M | +4817% | Earth Girls Are Easy (1989) $3.9M |
| May 1990 2 films · +5850% | 2 | $247.5M | +5850% | Back to the Future Part III (1990) $245.1M |
| May 1991 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1992 2 films | 2 | $165.2M | – | Alien 3 (1992) $159.8M |
| May 1993 3 films · −84% | 3 | $26.6M | −84% | Super Mario Bros. (1993) $20.9M |
| May 1994 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1995 1 film | 1 | $19.1M | – | Johnny Mnemonic (1995) $19.1M |
| May 1996 2 films · −6% | 2 | $17.9M | −6% | The Arrival (1996) $14.1M |
| May 1997 3 films · +4843% | 3 | $882.8M | +4843% | The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) $618.6M |
Archive
Sci-Fi Box Office in 1997, Month by Month
The months of 1997 with their totals: May leads with $882.8M, led by The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997).
- January No grosses
- February $27K #1 Level Five (1997)
- March $25.4M #1 Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth (1997)
- April $129.5M #1 The Saint (1997)
- May $882.8M #1 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
- June $483.9M #1 Face/Off (1997)
- July $783.1M #1 Men in Black (1997)
- August $54.2M #1 Event Horizon (1997)
- September No grosses
- October $28M #1 RocketMan (1997)
- November $341M #1 Alien: Resurrection (1997)
- December $18M #1 The Postman (1997)
FAQ
Sci-Fi 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 3 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing sci-fi movie in May 1997?
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) leads with $618.6M worldwide, $229.1M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Fifth Element (1997) at $263.9M and Nowhere (1997) at $198K.
How much did sci-fi movies released in May 1997 earn?
3 sci-fi films released in May 1997 report a worldwide gross, $882.8M in all, or $294.3M per film on average.
How many sci-fi movies released in May 1997 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) with $618.6M.
How is the May 1997 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 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 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.