#1 of 3 #1 sport movie of 1978
1978 · Sport, Fantasy
$81.6M worldwide · 92% of the chart's total
$81.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Sport box office · 1978
Sport Box Office 1978: Highest-Grossing Sport Movies
Heaven Can Wait (1978) is the highest-grossing sport movie released in 1978, with $81.6M worldwide, ahead of The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (1978) at $7.1M and Big Wednesday (1978) at $1.5K. 3 sport films released in 1978 report a worldwide gross, $88.7M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 5% on 1977, whose releases took $84.3M.
- 1978 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $88.7M
- Heaven Can Wait (1978), the #1
- $81.6M
- vs 1977
- +5%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Sport Hits of 1978?
Heaven Can Wait (1978) leads with $81.6M, 92% of the total. The top 3 together took $88.7M, 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 Sport Release of 1978, 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 1978.
- 1 Jun 28, 1978 US and Canada: $81.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $81.6M
- 2 The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (1978)Jun 30, 1978 US and Canada: $7.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.1M
Jun 30, 1978 · English · Sport, Comedy, Family $7.1M worldwide - 3 May 26, 1978 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.5K
By release month
Which Month of 1978 Earned the Most?
June releases took the most, $88.7M from 2 films, led by Heaven Can Wait (1978). May was the quietest month ($1.5K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May Big Wednesday (1978) $1.5K Big Wednesday (1978)
- June Jun Heaven Can Wait (1978) $88.7M Heaven Can Wait (1978)
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Last 10 years
How Does 1978 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1976 earned the most: $171.3M from 3 films, led by Rocky (1976). 1978 took $88.7M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 1 film | 1 | $51.3M | – | The Love Bug (1969) $51.3M |
| 1970 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1971 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1972 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1973 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1974 1 film | 1 | $43M | – | The Longest Yard (1974) $43M |
| 1975 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1976 3 films | 3 | $171.3M | – | Rocky (1976) $117.3M |
| 1977 3 films · −51% | 3 | $84.3M | −51% | Semi-Tough (1977) $37.2M |
| 1978 3 films · +5% | 3 | $88.7M | +5% | Heaven Can Wait (1978) $81.6M |
Archive
Sport Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1932 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2006 leads with $1.3B, led by Cars (2006).
2020s 7 years · $2.2B
2010s 10 years · $3.8B
- 2019 $424.9M #1 Ford v Ferrari (2019)
- 2018 $287.2M #1 Creed II (2018)
- 2017 $461.2M #1 Cars 3 (2017)
- 2016 $542.4M #1 Dangal (2016)
- 2015 $535.9M #1 Creed (2015)
- 2014 $281.1M #1 Unbroken (2014)
- 2013 $545M #1 Turbo (2013)
- 2012 $48.2M #1 Playing for Keeps (2012)
- 2011 $66.2M #1 Soul Surfer (2011)
- 2010 $564.4M #1 The Karate Kid (2010)
2000s 10 years · $5.8B
- 2009 $500.9M #1 The Blind Side (2009)
- 2008 $381.1M #1 Speed Racer (2008)
- 2007 $590.3M #1 Surf's Up (2007)
- 2006 $1.3B #1 Cars (2006)
- 2005 $1.1B #1 The Longest Yard (2005)
- 2004 $652.4M #1 Million Dollar Baby (2004)
- 2003 $287.9M #1 Seabiscuit (2003)
- 2002 $380.3M #1 Snow Dogs (2002)
- 2001 $222.4M #1 Ali (2001)
- 2000 $425.8M #1 Remember the Titans (2000)
1990s 10 years · $2B
- 1999 $292.6M #1 Any Given Sunday (1999)
- 1998 $215.4M #1 The Waterboy (1998)
- 1997 $17.1M #1 The Boxer (1997)
- 1996 $429M #1 Jerry Maguire (1996)
- 1995 $58.4M #1 Higher Learning (1995)
- 1994 $114.3M #1 Angels in the Outfield (1994)
- 1993 $246M #1 Cool Runnings (1993)
- 1992 $269.7M #1 A League of Their Own (1992)
- 1991 $50.5M #1 Necessary Roughness (1991)
- 1990 $277.9M #1 Days of Thunder (1990)
1980s 10 years · $1.5B
- 1989 $218.4M #1 Field of Dreams (1989)
- 1988 $97.7M #1 Bull Durham (1988)
- 1987 $19.9M #1 Over the Top (1987)
- 1986 $339.1M #1 The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
- 1985 $342.5M #1 Rocky IV (1985)
- 1984 $171.1M #1 The Karate Kid (1984)
- 1983 $30.5M #1 All the Right Moves (1983)
- 1982 $85.2M #1 Chariots of Fire (1982)
- 1981 $83M #1 The Cannonball Run (1981)
- 1980 $63.3M #1 Caddyshack (1980)
1970s 5 years · $591.6M
- 1979 $204.2M #1 Rocky II (1979)
- 1978 $88.7M #1 Heaven Can Wait (1978)
- 1977 $84.3M #1 Semi-Tough (1977)
- 1976 $171.3M #1 Rocky (1976)
- 1974 $43M #1 The Longest Yard (1974)
1960s 3 years · $51.3M
1950s 1 year · $11.9K
1930s 1 year · $208
FAQ
Sport Box Office 1978: 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 sport movie in 1978?
Heaven Can Wait (1978) leads with $81.6M worldwide, $81.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Bad News Bears Go to Japan (1978) at $7.1M and Big Wednesday (1978) at $1.5K.
How much did sport movies released in 1978 earn?
3 sport films released in 1978 report a worldwide gross, $88.7M in all, or $29.6M per film on average. 1977 releases took $84.3M.
How many sport movies released in 1978 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Heaven Can Wait (1978), earned $81.6M.
How is the 1978 sport 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 1978. 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 1978 sport 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.