#1 of 4 #1 war movie of 1978
1978 · Drama, War
$49.1M worldwide · 55% of the chart's total
$49M US & Canada · 100% $101K elsewhere · <1%
War box office · 1978
War Box Office 1978: Highest-Grossing War Movies
The Deer Hunter (1978) is the highest-grossing war movie released in 1978, with $49.1M worldwide, ahead of Coming Home (1978) at $32.7M and Force 10 from Navarone (1978) at $7.2M. 4 war films released in 1978 report a worldwide gross, $89M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 72% on 1977, whose releases took $51.8M.
- 1978 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $89M
- The Deer Hunter (1978), the #1
- $49.1M
- vs 1977
- +72%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest War Hits of 1978?
The Deer Hunter (1978) leads with $49.1M, 55% of the total. The top 4 together took $89M, almost all of what the 4 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every War 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 Dec 8, 1978 US and Canada: $49M Rest of the world: $101K Worldwide: $49.1M
- 2 Feb 15, 1978 US and Canada: $32.7M Rest of the world: $141 Worldwide: $32.7M
- 3 Dec 8, 1978 US and Canada: $7.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.2M
- 4 Jan 13, 1978 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $568
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1978?
Of the top 4, Force 10 from Navarone (1978) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Deer Hunter (1978) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $88.9M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 4 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Deer Hunter (1978) $49.1M $49M US & Canada · 100% $101K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Coming Home (1978) $32.7M $32.7M US & Canada · 100% $141 elsewhere · <1%
- 3 Force 10 from Navarone (1978) $7.2M $7.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The Duellists (1978) $568 No US & Canada figure reported
By release month
Which Month of 1978 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $56.3M from 2 films, led by The Deer Hunter (1978). January was the quietest month ($568). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan The Duellists (1978) $568 The Duellists (1978)
- February Feb Coming Home (1978) $32.7M Coming Home (1978)
- March Mar No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- 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 The Deer Hunter (1978) $56.3M The Deer Hunter (1978)
Last 10 years
How Does 1978 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1970 earned the most: $103.6M from 4 films, led by Patton (1970). 1978 took $89M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 2 films | 2 | $8M | – | Where Eagles Dare (1969) $7.1M |
| 1970 4 films · +1189% | 4 | $103.6M | +1189% | Patton (1970) $61.7M |
| 1971 2 films · −100% | 2 | $9.4K | −100% | Liberation: The Last Assault (1971) $6.7K |
| 1972 3 films · +121% | 3 | $20.8K | +121% | Chinese Glory (1972) $17.4K |
| 1973 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1974 2 films | 2 | $32K | – | Hearts and Minds (1974) $28.8K |
| 1975 4 films · +63760% | 4 | $20.4M | +63760% | Love and Death (1975) $20.1M |
| 1976 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1977 3 films | 3 | $51.8M | – | A Bridge Too Far (1977) $50.8M |
| 1978 4 films · +72% | 4 | $89M | +72% | The Deer Hunter (1978) $49.1M |
Archive
War Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1921 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2017 leads with $3.3B, led by Wolf Warrior 2 (2017).
2020s 7 years · $3.5B
- 2026 so far $119.7M #1 Young Washington (2026)
- 2025 $872.4M #1 Dead to Rights (2025)
- 2024 $75.6M #1 The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)
- 2023 $793.9M #1 The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)
- 2022 $161.4M #1 Hansan: Rising Dragon (2022)
- 2021 $1B #1 The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021)
- 2020 $479M #1 The Eight Hundred (2020)
2010s 10 years · $11.4B
- 2019 $1B #1 1917 (2019)
- 2018 $755.1M #1 Operation Red Sea (2018)
- 2017 $3.3B #1 Wolf Warrior 2 (2017)
- 2016 $1.6B #1 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
- 2015 $920.3M #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015)
- 2014 $1.9B #1 American Sniper (2014)
- 2013 $412.3M #1 Lone Survivor (2013)
- 2012 $760.8M #1 Battleship (2012)
- 2011 $313.2M #1 War Horse (2011)
- 2010 $309.1M #1 Dear John (2010)
2000s 10 years · $6.8B
- 2009 $651.8M #1 Inglourious Basterds (2009)
- 2008 $1B #1 Australia (2008)
- 2007 $945M #1 300 (2007)
- 2006 $358.6M #1 Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
- 2005 $446.9M #1 Jarhead (2005)
- 2004 $680.7M #1 Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
- 2003 $889.6M #1 The Last Samurai (2003)
- 2002 $463.2M #1 The Pianist (2002)
- 2001 $893.6M #1 Pearl Harbor (2001)
- 2000 $433.4M #1 The Patriot (2000)
1990s 10 years · $2.9B
- 1999 $451.1M #1 The General's Daughter (1999)
- 1998 $713.1M #1 Saving Private Ryan (1998)
- 1997 $139.5M #1 Seven Years in Tibet (1997)
- 1996 $345M #1 The English Patient (1996)
- 1995 $469.1M #1 Braveheart (1995)
- 1994 $20M #1 The War (1994)
- 1993 $494.5M #1 Schindler's List (1993)
- 1992 $122.6M #1 The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
- 1991 $48.4M #1 For the Boys (1991)
- 1990 $54.6M #1 Memphis Belle (1990)
1980s 10 years · $1.4B
- 1989 $199.1M #1 Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
- 1988 $151.6M #1 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988)
- 1987 $92.3M #1 Full Metal Jacket (1987)
- 1986 $226.5M #1 Platoon (1986)
- 1985 $351.1M #1 Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- 1984 $80.6M #1 Missing in Action (1984)
- 1983 $81.7M #1 Uncommon Valor (1983)
- 1982 $49.8M #1 Some Kind of Hero (1982)
- 1981 $131M #1 Stripes (1981)
- 1980 $81.3M #1 Private Benjamin (1980)
1970s 8 years · $492.9M
- 1979 $228.1M #1 Apocalypse Now (1979)
- 1978 $89M #1 The Deer Hunter (1978)
- 1977 $51.8M #1 A Bridge Too Far (1977)
- 1975 $20.4M #1 Love and Death (1975)
- 1974 $32K #1 Hearts and Minds (1974)
- 1972 $20.8K #1 Chinese Glory (1972)
- 1971 $9.4K #1 Liberation: The Last Assault (1971)
- 1970 $103.6M #1 Patton (1970)
1960s 9 years · $173.6M
- 1969 $8M #1 Where Eagles Dare (1969)
- 1968 $3.6M #1 Hell in the Pacific (1968)
- 1967 $8.1K #1 Far from Vietnam (1967)
- 1966 $1M #1 The Battle of Algiers (1966)
- 1965 $112.7M #1 Doctor Zhivago (1965)
- 1963 $230.6K #1 The Great Escape (1963)
- 1962 $46M #1 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- 1961 $32.8K #1 The Guns of Navarone (1961)
- 1960 $1.9M #1 Spartacus (1960)
1950s 8 years · $125.1M
- 1959 $74.4M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- 1958 $561.3K #1 South Pacific (1958)
- 1957 $27.3M #1 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- 1956 $75.5K #1 The Burmese Harp (1956)
- 1955 $789.5K #1 The Dam Busters (1955)
- 1954 $21.8M #1 The Caine Mutiny (1954)
- 1953 $36.4K #1 From Here to Eternity (1953)
- 1952 $101.2K #1 The African Queen (1952)
1940s 7 years · $446.1M
1930s 5 years · $119.7K
FAQ
War 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 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing war movie in 1978?
The Deer Hunter (1978) leads with $49.1M worldwide, $49M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Coming Home (1978) at $32.7M and Force 10 from Navarone (1978) at $7.2M.
How much did war movies released in 1978 earn?
4 war films released in 1978 report a worldwide gross, $89M in all, or $22.2M per film on average. 1977 releases took $51.8M.
How many war movies released in 1978 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Deer Hunter (1978), earned $49.1M.
How is the 1978 war 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 war 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.