#1 of 6 #1 English-language movie of December 1974
1974 · Action, Drama
$116M worldwide · 40% of the chart's total
$116M US & Canada · 100% $2K elsewhere · <1%
English box office · December 1974
English Box Office, December 1974: Top-Grossing Releases
The Towering Inferno (1974) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in December 1974, with $116M worldwide, ahead of Young Frankenstein (1974) at $86.3M and The Godfather: Part II (1974) at $48M. 6 English-language films released in December 1974 report a worldwide gross, $289.8M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. By genre, Thriller leads with $185M across 4 English releases.
- December 1974 releases with a gross
- 6
- combined worldwide
- $289.8M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 6 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of December 1974?
The Towering Inferno (1974) leads with $116M, 40% of the total. The top 5 together took $289.8M, almost all of what the 6 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 English Release of December 1974, 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 December 1974.
- 1 Dec 17, 1974 US and Canada: $116M Rest of the world: $2K Worldwide: $116M
- 2 Dec 15, 1974 US and Canada: $86.3M Rest of the world: $4.2K Worldwide: $86.3M
- 3 Dec 12, 1974 US and Canada: $47.8M Rest of the world: $149.1K Worldwide: $48M
- 4 Dec 20, 1974 US and Canada: $21M Rest of the world: $986 Worldwide: $21M
- 5 Dec 9, 1974 US and Canada: $18.6M Rest of the world: $211 Worldwide: $18.6M
- 6
Dec 20, 1974 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4.3K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1974?
Of the top 6, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Godfather: Part II (1974) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 6 films, $289.7M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 6 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Towering Inferno (1974) $116M $116M US & Canada · 100% $2K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Young Frankenstein (1974) $86.3M $86.3M US & Canada · 100% $4.2K elsewhere · <1%
- 3 The Godfather: Part II (1974) $48M $47.8M US & Canada · 100% $149.1K elsewhere · <1%
- 4 The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) $21M $21M US & Canada · 100% $986 elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) $18.6M $18.6M US & Canada · 100% $211 elsewhere · <1%
- 6 Black Christmas (1974) $4.3K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of December 1974 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 15–21) took $223.3M, led by The Towering Inferno (1974). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Dec 1–7 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 8–14 The Godfather: Part II (1974) $66.6M The Godfather: Part II (1974)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 15–21 The Towering Inferno (1974) $223.3M The Towering Inferno (1974)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 22–28 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 29–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1974 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1973 earned the most: $728.3M from 8 films, led by The Exorcist (1973). December 1974 took $289.8M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1965 5 films | 5 | $176M | – | Doctor Zhivago (1965) $112.1M |
| December 1966 3 films · −100% | 3 | $39.5K | −100% | Blow-Up (1966) $38.6K |
| December 1967 5 films · +329666% | 5 | $130.3M | +329666% | The Graduate (1967) $105M |
| December 1968 4 films · −91% | 4 | $11.7M | −91% | Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) $7.5M |
| December 1969 4 films · +99% | 4 | $23.3M | +99% | On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) $22.8M |
| December 1970 7 films · +855% | 7 | $222.6M | +855% | The Aristocats (1970) $191M |
| December 1971 5 films · −72% | 5 | $63M | −72% | Dirty Harry (1971) $36M |
| December 1972 3 films · +34% | 3 | $84.7M | +34% | The Poseidon Adventure (1972) $84.6M |
| December 1973 8 films · +760% | 8 | $728.3M | +760% | The Exorcist (1973) $430.9M |
| December 1974 6 films · −60% | 6 | $289.8M | −60% | The Towering Inferno (1974) $116M |
Archive
English Box Office in 1974, Month by Month
The months of 1974 with their totals: December leads with $289.8M, led by The Towering Inferno (1974).
- January $5.1K #1 Stone (1974)
- February $119.6M #1 Blazing Saddles (1974)
- March $20.6M #1 The Great Gatsby (1974)
- April $12.4M #1 The Sugarland Express (1974)
- May $21.8M #1 Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)
- June $94.9M #1 Herbie Rides Again (1974)
- July $22M #1 Death Wish (1974)
- August $43M #1 The Longest Yard (1974)
- September $653 #1 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
- October $70.6M #1 Benji (1974)
- November $42.8K #1 A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
- December $289.8M #1 The Towering Inferno (1974)
FAQ
English Box Office December 1974: 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 6 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in December 1974?
The Towering Inferno (1974) leads with $116M worldwide, $116M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Young Frankenstein (1974) at $86.3M and The Godfather: Part II (1974) at $48M.
How much did English-language movies released in December 1974 earn?
6 English-language films released in December 1974 report a worldwide gross, $289.8M in all, or $48.3M per film on average.
How many English-language movies released in December 1974 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by The Towering Inferno (1974) with $116M.
How is the December 1974 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 December 1974. 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 December 1974 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.