#1 of 7 #1 thriller movie of May 1991
1991 · Action, Drama
$152.4M worldwide · 62% of the chart's total
$77.9M US & Canada · 51% $74.5M elsewhere · 49%
Thriller box office · May 1991
Thriller Box Office, May 1991: Top-Grossing Releases
Backdraft (1991) is the highest-grossing thriller movie released in May 1991, with $152.4M worldwide, ahead of Thelma & Louise (1991) at $45.5M and F/X2 (1991) at $21.1M. 7 thriller films released in May 1991 report a worldwide gross, $244.4M in all, 69% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 138% on April 1991, whose releases took $102.7M. By language, English leads with $244.4M across 7 thriller releases.
- May 1991 releases with a gross
- 7
- combined worldwide
- $244.4M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs April 1991
- +138%
#1 of 7 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Thriller Hits of May 1991?
Backdraft (1991) leads with $152.4M, 62% of the total. The top 5 together took $239.4M, 98% of what all 7 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 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Thriller Release of May 1991, 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 1991.
- 1 May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $77.9M Rest of the world: $74.5M Worldwide: $152.4M
- 2 May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $45.4M Rest of the world: $113K Worldwide: $45.5M
- 3 May 10, 1991 US and Canada: $21.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.1M
- 4 May 3, 1991 US and Canada: $11.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.3M
- 5 May 17, 1991 US and Canada: $9.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.2M
- 6
May 1, 1991 US and Canada: $4.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7M - 7
May 13, 1991 US and Canada: $396.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $396.6K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1991?
Of the top 7, F/X2 (1991) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Backdraft (1991) made 49% of its gross abroad. Across all 7 films, $169.8M (69%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Backdraft (1991) $152.4M $77.9M US & Canada · 51% $74.5M elsewhere · 49%
- 2 Thelma & Louise (1991) $45.5M $45.4M US & Canada · 100% $113K elsewhere · <1%
- 3 F/X2 (1991) $21.1M $21.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 One Good Cop (1991) $11.3M $11.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Stone Cold (1991) $9.2M $9.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 The Hitman (1991) $4.7M $4.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 The Adjuster (1991) $396.6K $396.6K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of May 1991 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 19–25) took $197.8M, led by Backdraft (1991). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 28–May 4 One Good Cop (1991) $15.9M One Good Cop (1991)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 5–11 F/X2 (1991) $21.1M F/X2 (1991)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 12–18 Stone Cold (1991) $9.5M Stone Cold (1991)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 19–25 Backdraft (1991) $197.8M Backdraft (1991)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 26–Jun 1 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1991 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1983 earned the most: $550.8M from 4 films, led by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). May 1991 took $244.4M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1982 6 films | 6 | $67.2M | – | The Road Warrior (1982) $23.7M |
| May 1983 4 films · +720% | 4 | $550.8M | +720% | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M |
| May 1984 3 films · −97% | 3 | $17.1M | −97% | Firestarter (1984) $17.1M |
| May 1985 6 films · +2180% | 6 | $389.7M | +2180% | Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) $300.4M |
| May 1986 2 films · −87% | 2 | $51.4M | −87% | Cobra (1986) $49M |
| May 1987 2 films · +489% | 2 | $303M | +489% | Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $300M |
| May 1988 7 films · −27% | 7 | $221.8M | −27% | Rambo III (1988) $189M |
| May 1989 2 films · −86% | 2 | $30.2M | −86% | Road House (1989) $30.1M |
| May 1990 1 film · −46% | 1 | $16.3M | −46% | Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990) $16.3M |
| May 1991 7 films · +1397% | 7 | $244.4M | +1397% | Backdraft (1991) $152.4M |
Archive
Thriller Box Office in 1991, Month by Month
The months of 1991 with their totals: July leads with $622.8M, led by Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).
- January $195.2M #1 Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)
- February $277.2M #1 The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
- March $52.9M #1 New Jack City (1991)
- April $102.7M #1 Out for Justice (1991)
- May $244.4M #1 Backdraft (1991)
- June No grosses
- July $622.8M #1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- August $87.8M #1 Dead Again (1991)
- September $31.9M #1 Deceived (1991)
- October $39.4M #1 Ricochet (1991)
- November $230.6M #1 Cape Fear (1991)
- December $362.6M #1 JFK (1991)
FAQ
Thriller Box Office May 1991: 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 7 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing thriller movie in May 1991?
Backdraft (1991) leads with $152.4M worldwide, $77.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Thelma & Louise (1991) at $45.5M and F/X2 (1991) at $21.1M.
How much did thriller movies released in May 1991 earn?
7 thriller films released in May 1991 report a worldwide gross, $244.4M in all, or $34.9M per film on average. April 1991 releases took $102.7M.
How many thriller movies released in May 1991 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Backdraft (1991) with $152.4M.
How is the May 1991 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 1991. 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 1991 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.