How much of the 1981 Western box office came from the US and Canada?

$30.5M of the $30.5M total, or 100%, was earned in the US & Canada (the domestic market); the rest came from other countries. 0 films of the 3 report no domestic figure.

Western box office · 1981

Western Box Office 1981: Highest-Grossing Western Movies

Outland (1981) is the highest-grossing western movie released in 1981, with $17.4M worldwide, ahead of The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) at $12.6M and Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1981) at $534.8K. 3 western films released in 1981 report a worldwide gross, $30.5M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 66% on 1980, whose releases took $90.5M.

1981 releases with a gross: 3
combined worldwide: $30.5M
Outland (1981), the #1: $17.4M
vs 1980: −66%

#1 of 3

#1 western movie of 1981

Outland (1981)

1981 · Action, Sci-Fi

$17.4M worldwide · 57% of the chart's total

$17.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%

Top 3

What Were the Biggest Western Hits of 1981?

Outland (1981) leads with $17.4M, 57% of the total. The top 3 together took $30.5M, 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

$17.4M Outland (1981)
$17.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Number 2

$12.6M The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981)
$12.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Number 3

$534.8K Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1981)
$534.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%

US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world

The chart

Every Western Release of 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 1981.

1
Outland (1981) May 22, 1981 · English · Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller $17.4M worldwide

May 22, 1981 US and Canada: $17.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.4M
2
The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) Aug 6, 1981 · English · Adventure, Action, Western $12.6M worldwide

Aug 6, 1981 US and Canada: $12.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.6M
3
Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1981) Apr 24, 1981 · English · Western $534.8K worldwide

Apr 24, 1981 US and Canada: $534.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $534.8K

US & Canada vs the world

Where Did the Money Come From in 1981?

Of the top 3, Outland (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1981) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $30.5M (100%) came from the US & Canada.

1 Outland (1981) $17.4M
$17.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
2 The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) $12.6M
$12.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
3 Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1981) $534.8K
$534.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%

By release month

Which Month of 1981 Earned the Most?

May releases took the most, $17.4M from 1 film, led by Outland (1981). April was the quietest month ($534.8K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.

Last 10 years

How Does 1981 Compare With Previous Years?

Of these 10 years, 1974 earned the most: $119.6M from 2 films, led by Blazing Saddles (1974). 1981 took $30.5M.

Year	Films	Worldwide	Change	Biggest film
1972 3 films	3	$6.3M	–	Joe Kidd (1972) $6.3M
1973 3 films · +148%	3	$15.7M	+148%	High Plains Drifter (1973) $15.7M
1974 2 films · +661%	2	$119.6M	+661%	Blazing Saddles (1974) $119.6M
1975 1 film · −69%	1	$36.9M	−69%	The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975) $36.9M
1976 3 films · +8%	3	$39.9M	+8%	The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) $31.8M
1977 No films	0	–	–	–
1978 2 films	2	$17M	–	Comes a Horseman (1978) $9.6M
1979 4 films · +471%	4	$97.2M	+471%	The Electric Horseman (1979) $61.8M
1980 4 films · −7%	4	$90.5M	−7%	Urban Cowboy (1980) $46.9M
1981 3 films · −66%	3	$30.5M	−66%	Outland (1981) $17.4M

Western Box Office Year by Year

Every year from 1923 to 2025 with its total and its biggest film. 1990 leads with $735.6M, led by Dances with Wolves (1990).

2020s 6 years · $813.9M

2010s 10 years · $2.6B

2000s 10 years · $1.6B

1990s 9 years · $2.2B

1980s 10 years · $327.3M

1970s 9 years · $370.7M

1960s 10 years · $159.1M

1950s 9 years · $33.1M

1940s 3 years · $29.8M

1930s 1 year · $3.4K

1939 $3.4K #1 Jesse James (1939)

1920s 2 years · $389

FAQ

Western Box Office 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 western movie in 1981?

Outland (1981) leads with $17.4M worldwide, $17.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) at $12.6M and Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1981) at $534.8K.

How much did western movies released in 1981 earn?

3 western films released in 1981 report a worldwide gross, $30.5M in all, or $10.2M per film on average. 1980 releases took $90.5M.

How many western movies released in 1981 made $1 billion?

None. The biggest, Outland (1981), earned $17.4M.

How is the 1981 western 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 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 1981 western 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.