How much of the 1972 English box office came from the US and Canada?

$254.9M of the $369.2M total, or 69%, was earned in the US & Canada (the domestic market); the rest came from other countries. 17 films of the 23 report no domestic figure.

English box office · 1972

English Box Office 1972: Highest-Grossing English Movies

Q: What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in 1972?

The Godfather (1972) leads with $250.3M worldwide, $136.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Poseidon Adventure (1972) at $84.6M and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972) at $18.1M.

Q: How many English-language movies released in 1972 made $1 billion?

None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by The Godfather (1972) with $250.3M.

Q: How is the 1972 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 1972. 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.

Q: How often is the 1972 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.

The Godfather (1972) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in 1972, with $250.3M worldwide, ahead of The Poseidon Adventure (1972) at $84.6M and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972) at $18.1M. 23 English-language films released in 1972 report a worldwide gross, $369.2M in all, 69% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 102% on 1971, whose releases took $182.9M. By genre, Drama leads with $335.1M across 8 English releases.

1972 releases with a gross: 23
combined worldwide: $369.2M
film crossed $100M: 1
vs 1971: +102%

#1 of 23

#1 English-language movie of 1972

The Godfather (1972)

1972 · Drama, Thriller

$250.3M worldwide · 68% of the chart's total

$136.4M US & Canada · 54% $114M elsewhere · 46%

Top 5

What Were the Biggest English Hits of 1972?

The Godfather (1972) leads with $250.3M, 68% of the total. The top 5 together took $368.4M, almost all of what the 23 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.

Number 1

$250.3M The Godfather (1972)
$136.4M US & Canada · 54% $114M elsewhere · 46%
Number 2

$84.6M The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
$84.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Number 3

$18.1M Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972)
$18M US & Canada · 100% $73.8K elsewhere · <1%
Number 4

$9M Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
$9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Number 5

$6.3M Joe Kidd (1972)
$6.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%

US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world

The chart

Every English Release of 1972, 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 1972.

1
The Godfather (1972) Mar 24, 1972 · Drama, Thriller $250.3M worldwide

Mar 24, 1972 US and Canada: $136.4M Rest of the world: $114M Worldwide: $250.3M
2
The Poseidon Adventure (1972) Dec 13, 1972 · Action, Adventure $84.6M worldwide

Dec 13, 1972 US and Canada: $84.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $84.6M
3
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972) Aug 6, 1972 · Comedy $18.1M worldwide

Aug 6, 1972 US and Canada: $18M Rest of the world: $73.8K Worldwide: $18.1M
4
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) Jun 30, 1972 · Action, Sci-Fi $9M worldwide

Jun 30, 1972 US and Canada: $9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9M
5
Joe Kidd (1972) Jul 19, 1972 · Western $6.3M worldwide

Jul 19, 1972 US and Canada: $6.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.3M
6
Elvis on Tour (1972) Nov 1, 1972 · Documentary, Music $587.8K worldwide

Nov 1, 1972 US and Canada: $587.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $587.8K
7
The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1972) Dec 20, 1972 · Drama $84.8K worldwide

Dec 20, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $84.8K
8
Cabaret (1972) Feb 13, 1972 · Drama, Romance $83.3K worldwide

Feb 13, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $83.3K
9
Morning of the Earth (1972) Feb 25, 1972 · Adventure, Documentary $34.7K worldwide

Feb 25, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $34.7K
10
Avanti! (1972) Dec 17, 1972 · Romance, Comedy $22.8K worldwide

Dec 17, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.8K
11
Play It Again, Sam (1972) May 5, 1972 · Comedy, Romance $15.4K worldwide

May 5, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $15.4K
12
Boxcar Bertha (1972) Jun 14, 1972 · Drama, Romance $6.4K worldwide

Jun 14, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $6.4K
13
Pink Flamingos (1972) Mar 17, 1972 · Comedy, Crime $5.4K worldwide

Mar 17, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.4K
14
Ningla A-Na (1972) Jan 26, 1972 · Documentary $5.2K worldwide

Jan 26, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.2K
15
Frenzy (1972) Jun 21, 1972 · Thriller $4.9K worldwide

Jun 21, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4.9K
16
Winter Soldier (1972) Jan 27, 1972 · Documentary $2.8K worldwide

Jan 27, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.8K
17
Buck and the Preacher (1972) Mar 17, 1972 · Action, Adventure $2.8K worldwide

Mar 17, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.8K
18
Images (1972) May 9, 1972 · Thriller, Horror $1.4K worldwide

May 9, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.4K
19
Silent Running (1972) Mar 10, 1972 · Sci-Fi, Drama $1.1K worldwide

Mar 10, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1K
20
Five Summer Stories (1972) Mar 24, 1972 · Documentary $692 worldwide

Mar 24, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $692
21
Scarecrow (1972) Jan 10, 1972 · Romance, Fantasy $295 worldwide

Jan 10, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $295
22
The Hot Rock (1972) Jan 26, 1972 · Action, Comedy $250 worldwide

Jan 26, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $250
23
The Last House on the Left (1972) Aug 30, 1972 · Thriller, Horror $135 worldwide

Aug 30, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $135

US & Canada vs the world

Where Did the Money Come From in 1972?

Of the top 10, The Poseidon Adventure (1972) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Godfather (1972) made 46% of its gross abroad. Across all 23 films, $254.9M (69%) came from the US & Canada. 4 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.

1 The Godfather (1972) $250.3M
$136.4M US & Canada · 54% $114M elsewhere · 46%
2 The Poseidon Adventure (1972) $84.6M
$84.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
3 Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972) $18.1M
$18M US & Canada · 100% $73.8K elsewhere · <1%
4 Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) $9M
$9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
5 Joe Kidd (1972) $6.3M
$6.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
6 Elvis on Tour (1972) $587.8K
$587.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
7 The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1972) $84.8K
No US & Canada figure reported
8 Cabaret (1972) $83.3K
No US & Canada figure reported
9 Morning of the Earth (1972) $34.7K
No US & Canada figure reported
10 Avanti! (1972) $22.8K
No US & Canada figure reported

Gross bands

How Many 1972 Releases Crossed $100 Million?

1 of 23 films crossed $100M and took $250.3M between them, 68% of the total. 20 films, 87% of the list, earned under $10M.

68% 28%

$1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
$500M to $1B 0 films, 0% of the list No films
$100M to $500M 1 film, 4% of the list $250.3M · 68% of the gross
$10M to $100M 2 films, 9% of the list $102.7M · 28% of the gross
Under $10M 20 films, 87% of the list $16.2M · 4% of the gross

By release month

Which Month of 1972 Earned the Most?

March releases took the most, $250.4M from 5 films, led by The Godfather (1972). January was the quietest month ($8.5K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.

Last 10 years

How Does 1972 Compare With Previous Years?

Of these 10 years, 1972 earned the most: $369.2M from 23 films, led by The Godfather (1972).

Year	Films	Worldwide	Change	Biggest film
1963 16 films	16	$75.1M	–	It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) $46.3M
1964 22 films · +221%	22	$241M	+221%	Mary Poppins (1964) $103.1M
1965 15 films · −6%	15	$227.4M	−6%	Doctor Zhivago (1965) $112.1M
1966 19 films · −88%	19	$28.1M	−88%	Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) $28M
1967 22 films · +1120%	22	$342.7M	+1120%	The Jungle Book (1967) $205.8M
1968 27 films · −57%	27	$147.2M	−57%	Funny Girl (1968) $52.2M
1969 23 films · +66%	23	$244.6M	+66%	Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) $102.3M
1970 26 films · +42%	26	$346.9M	+42%	The Aristocats (1970) $191M
1971 36 films · −47%	36	$182.9M	−47%	The French Connection (1971) $51.7M
1972 23 films · +102%	23	$369.2M	+102%	The Godfather (1972) $250.3M

By genre

Which English Genres Earned the Most in 1972?

Drama took $335.1M across 8 films, 91% of the total, ahead of Thriller ($334.9M) and Crime ($250.4M). A film counts once for each of its genres.

1972 English Box Office by Genre

Drama $335.1M
8 films · #1 The Godfather (1972)
Thriller $334.9M
5 films · #1 The Godfather (1972)
Crime $250.4M
4 films · #1 The Godfather (1972)
Action $93.6M
4 films · #1 The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
Adventure $84.6M
3 films · #1 The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
Comedy $18.1M
6 films · #1 Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972)
Sci-Fi $9M
2 films · #1 Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
Western $6.3M
2 films · #1 Joe Kidd (1972)
Music $671.2K
2 films · #1 Elvis on Tour (1972)
Documentary $631.2K
5 films · #1 Elvis on Tour (1972)

English Box Office Year by Year

Every year from 1919 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $28.7B, led by Avengers: Endgame (2019).

2020s 7 years · $105.1B

2010s 10 years · $261B

2000s 10 years · $170.2B

1990s 10 years · $84.5B

1980s 10 years · $33.4B

1970s 10 years · $9.6B

1960s 10 years · $1.4B

1950s 10 years · $770.2M

1940s 10 years · $662.1M

1930s 10 years · $217.4M

1920s 4 years · $718.5K

1910s 1 year · $160

1919 $160 #1 The Sentimental Bloke (1919)

FAQ

English Box Office 1972: 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 23 films as the chart.

What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in 1972?

The Godfather (1972) leads with $250.3M worldwide, $136.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Poseidon Adventure (1972) at $84.6M and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972) at $18.1M.

How much did English-language movies released in 1972 earn?

23 English-language films released in 1972 report a worldwide gross, $369.2M in all, or $16.1M per film on average. 1971 releases took $182.9M.

How many English-language movies released in 1972 made $1 billion?

None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by The Godfather (1972) with $250.3M.

How is the 1972 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 1972. 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 1972 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.