#1 of 3 #1 thriller movie of May 1981
1981 · Mystery, Thriller
$21.7M worldwide · 52% of the chart's total
$21.7M US & Canada · 100% $199 elsewhere · <1%
Thriller box office · May 1981
Thriller Box Office, May 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) is the highest-grossing thriller movie released in May 1981, with $21.7M worldwide, ahead of Outland (1981) at $17.4M and The Fan (1981) at $3.1M. 3 thriller films released in May 1981 report a worldwide gross, $42.2M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 89% on April 1981, whose releases took $22.4M.
- May 1981 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $42.2M
- Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981), the #1
- $21.7M
- vs April 1981
- +89%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Thriller Hits of May 1981?
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) leads with $21.7M, 52% of the total. The top 3 together took $42.2M, 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 Thriller Release of May 1981, 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 1981.
- 1 May 1, 1981 US and Canada: $21.7M Rest of the world: $199 Worldwide: $21.7M
- 2 May 22, 1981 US and Canada: $17.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.4M
- 3 May 15, 1981 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.1M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1981?
Of the top 3, Outland (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $42.2M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) $21.7M $21.7M US & Canada · 100% $199 elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Outland (1981) $17.4M $17.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Fan (1981) $3.1M $3.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of May 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 18 (Apr 26–May 2) took $21.7M, led by Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 26–May 2 Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) $21.7M Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 3–9 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 10–16 The Fan (1981) $3.1M The Fan (1981)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 17–23 Outland (1981) $17.4M Outland (1981)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 24–30 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 31–Jun 6 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1981 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1980 earned the most: $48M from 1 film, led by The Shining (1980). May 1981 took $42.2M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1972 1 film | 1 | $1.4K | – | Images (1972) $1.4K |
| May 1973 2 films · −52% | 2 | $679 | −52% | Coffy (1973) $469 |
| May 1974 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1975 3 films | 3 | $26.7M | – | The Eiger Sanction (1975) $14.2M |
| May 1976 1 film · −99% | 1 | $219.1K | −99% | Mr. Klein (1976) $219.1K |
| May 1977 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1978 1 film | 1 | $8.4K | – | Despair (1978) $8.4K |
| May 1979 3 films · +33901% | 3 | $2.9M | +33901% | Last Embrace (1979) $1.5M |
| May 1980 1 film · +1578% | 1 | $48M | +1578% | The Shining (1980) $48M |
| May 1981 3 films · −12% | 3 | $42.2M | −12% | Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) $21.7M |
Archive
Thriller Box Office in 1981, Month by Month
The months of 1981 with their totals: December leads with $117.4M, led by Absence of Malice (1981).
- January $15.4M #1 Scanners (1981)
- February $15.2M #1 Eyewitness (1981)
- March $25.8M #1 The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
- April $22.4M #1 Nighthawks (1981)
- May $42.2M #1 Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
- June $54.8M #1 For Your Eyes Only (1981)
- July $40.2M #1 Eye of the Needle (1981)
- August $24.1M #1 Body Heat (1981)
- September $39K #1 The Girl with the Red Hair (1981)
- October $30.6M #1 Halloween II (1981)
- November $8.9M #1 Venom (1981)
- December $117.4M #1 Absence of Malice (1981)
FAQ
Thriller Box Office May 1981: 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 thriller movie in May 1981?
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) leads with $21.7M worldwide, $21.7M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Outland (1981) at $17.4M and The Fan (1981) at $3.1M.
How much did thriller movies released in May 1981 earn?
3 thriller films released in May 1981 report a worldwide gross, $42.2M in all, or $14.1M per film on average. April 1981 releases took $22.4M.
How many thriller movies released in May 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981), earned $21.7M.
How is the May 1981 thriller 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 1981. 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 1981 thriller 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.