#1 of 3 #1 English-language movie of May 1971
Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
1971 · Action, Sci-Fi
$12.3M worldwide · 98% of the chart's total
$12.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
English box office · May 1971
English Box Office, May 1971: Top-Grossing Releases
Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in May 1971, with $12.3M worldwide, ahead of Wake in Fright (1971) at $269.3K and Daughters of Darkness (1971) at $1.1K. 3 English-language films released in May 1971 report a worldwide gross, $12.6M in all, 98% of it from the US & Canada.
- May 1971 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $12.6M
- Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), the #1
- $12.3M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 98%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest English Hits of May 1971?
Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) leads with $12.3M, 98% of the total. The top 3 together took $12.6M, 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 English Release of May 1971, 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 1971.
- 1 May 21, 1971 US and Canada: $12.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.3M
- 2 May 12, 1971 US and Canada: $50.4K Rest of the world: $218.9K Worldwide: $269.3K
- 3 May 28, 1971 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1K
By release week
Which Week of May 1971 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 16–22) took $12.3M, led by Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 25–May 1 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 2–8 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 9–15 Wake in Fright (1971) $269.3K Wake in Fright (1971)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 16–22 Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) $12.3M Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 23–29 Daughters of Darkness (1971) $1.1K Daughters of Darkness (1971)
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 30–Jun 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1971 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1968 earned the most: $44.9M from 4 films, led by The Odd Couple (1968). May 1971 took $12.6M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1962 1 film | 1 | $2.2K | – | Escape from Zahrain (1962) $2.2K |
| May 1963 1 film · +724576% | 1 | $16.1M | +724576% | Dr. No (1963) $16.1M |
| May 1964 1 film · +54% | 1 | $24.8M | +54% | From Russia with Love (1964) $24.8M |
| May 1965 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1966 1 film | 1 | $170 | – | Modesty Blaise (1966) $170 |
| May 1967 4 films · +3671298% | 4 | $6.2M | +3671298% | The War Wagon (1967) $6M |
| May 1968 4 films · +620% | 4 | $44.9M | +620% | The Odd Couple (1968) $44.5M |
| May 1969 1 film · ±0% | 1 | $44.8M | ±0% | Midnight Cowboy (1969) $44.8M |
| May 1970 2 films · −28% | 2 | $32.3M | −28% | Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) $19M |
| May 1971 3 films · −61% | 3 | $12.6M | −61% | Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) $12.3M |
Archive
English Box Office in 1971, Month by Month
The months of 1971 with their totals: October leads with $80.9M, led by The French Connection (1971).
- January $1.6K #1 The Music Lovers (1971)
- February No grosses
- March $3.6M #1 THX 1138 (1971)
- April $136.2K #1 Bananas (1971)
- May $12.6M #1 Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)
- June $794.2K #1 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
- July $478.2K #1 The Red Tent (1971)
- August $3.6K #1 Johnny Got His Gun (1971)
- September No grosses
- October $80.9M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- November $21.3M #1 Play Misty for Me (1971)
- December $63M #1 Dirty Harry (1971)
FAQ
English Box Office May 1971: 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 English-language movie in May 1971?
Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) leads with $12.3M worldwide, $12.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Wake in Fright (1971) at $269.3K and Daughters of Darkness (1971) at $1.1K.
How much did English-language movies released in May 1971 earn?
3 English-language films released in May 1971 report a worldwide gross, $12.6M in all, or $4.2M per film on average.
How many English-language movies released in May 1971 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), earned $12.3M.
How is the May 1971 English 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 1971. 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, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.
How often is the May 1971 English 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.