#1 of 79 #1 English-language movie of 1979
1979 · Action, Adventure
$210.3M worldwide · 11% of the chart's total
$70.3M US & Canada · 33% $140M elsewhere · 67%
English box office · 1979
English Box Office 1979: Highest-Grossing English Movies
Moonraker (1979) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in 1979, with $210.3M worldwide, ahead of Alien (1979) at $109.1M and Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) at $106.3M. 79 English-language films released in 1979 report a worldwide gross, $2B in all, 88% of it from the US & Canada. 4 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 31% on 1978, whose releases took $1.5B. By genre, Drama leads with $889.5M across 44 English releases.
- 1979 releases with a gross
- 79
- combined worldwide
- $2B
- films crossed $100M
- 4
- vs 1978
- +31%
#1 of 79 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of 1979?
Moonraker (1979) leads with $210.3M, 11% of the total. The top 5 together took $623.2M, 32% of what all 79 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 1979, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 79. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1979.
- 1 Jun 29, 1979 US and Canada: $70.3M Rest of the world: $140M Worldwide: $210.3M
- 2 Jun 22, 1979 US and Canada: $84.2M Rest of the world: $24.9M Worldwide: $109.1M
- 3 Dec 19, 1979 US and Canada: $106.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $106.3M
- 4 Aug 15, 1979 US and Canada: $96M Rest of the world: $9.1M Worldwide: $105.1M
- 5 Dec 14, 1979 US and Canada: $31.8M Rest of the world: $60.7M Worldwide: $92.5M
- 6
Jul 27, 1979 US and Canada: $86.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $86.4M - 7
Jun 15, 1979 US and Canada: $85.2M Rest of the world: $5.7K Worldwide: $85.2M - 8
Dec 7, 1979 US and Canada: $82.6M Rest of the world: $72.1K Worldwide: $82.7M - 9
Dec 14, 1979 US and Canada: $73.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $73.7M - 10
Jun 22, 1979 US and Canada: $66.5M Rest of the world: $1.3K Worldwide: $66.5M - 11
Dec 21, 1979 US and Canada: $61.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $61.8M - 12
Mar 16, 1979 US and Canada: $51.7M Rest of the world: $118 Worldwide: $51.7M - 13
Apr 27, 1979 US and Canada: $43.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $43.9M - 14
Jun 29, 1979 US and Canada: $43M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $43M - 15
Jun 22, 1979 US and Canada: $43M Rest of the world: $5.4K Worldwide: $43M - 16
Jun 22, 1979 US and Canada: $42.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.8M - 17
Mar 14, 1979 US and Canada: $39.9M Rest of the world: $247.3K Worldwide: $40.2M - 18
Dec 20, 1979 US and Canada: $37.8M Rest of the world: $1.1K Worldwide: $37.8M - 19
Dec 21, 1979 US and Canada: $35.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.8M - 20
Oct 19, 1979 US and Canada: $33.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $33.3M - 21
Apr 4, 1979 US and Canada: $30.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $30.4M - 22
Dec 19, 1979 US and Canada: $30.2M Rest of the world: $1.9K Worldwide: $30.2M - 23
Dec 25, 1979 US and Canada: $26.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.9M - 24
Aug 3, 1979 US and Canada: $26.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.1M - 25
Feb 9, 1979 US and Canada: $22.5M Rest of the world: $5.2K Worldwide: $22.5M - 26
Mar 2, 1979 US and Canada: $22.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.2M - 27
Sep 20, 1979 US and Canada: $21.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.7M - 28
Oct 26, 1979 US and Canada: $21.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.4M - 29
Jun 27, 1979 US and Canada: $20.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.9M - 30
Aug 17, 1979 US and Canada: $20.2M Rest of the world: $626.6K Worldwide: $20.8M - 31
Jul 20, 1979 US and Canada: $20.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.2M - 32
Aug 17, 1979 US and Canada: $19.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.6M - 33
Jun 15, 1979 US and Canada: $18.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.4M - 34
Jul 20, 1979 US and Canada: $16.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.4M - 35
Mar 14, 1979 US and Canada: $15.3M Rest of the world: $29.6K Worldwide: $15.3M - 36
Aug 3, 1979 US and Canada: $15M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15M - 37
Dec 21, 1979 US and Canada: $13.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.3M - 38
Feb 2, 1979 US and Canada: $13M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13M - 39
Aug 17, 1979 US and Canada: $13M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13M - 40
Jun 1, 1979 US and Canada: $12M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12M - 41
Sep 19, 1979 US and Canada: $9.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.9M - 42
Jul 13, 1979 US and Canada: $9.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.3M - 43
Oct 19, 1979 US and Canada: $8.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.4M - 44
Nov 6, 1979 US and Canada: $8.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.3M - 45
Jun 29, 1979 US and Canada: $8.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.2M - 46
Aug 17, 1979 US and Canada: $7.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.7M - 47
Aug 10, 1979 US and Canada: $6.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.2M - 48
Oct 30, 1979 US and Canada: $6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6M - 49
Jun 15, 1979 US and Canada: $5.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.1M - 50
Jun 8, 1979 US and Canada: $4.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.9M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1979?
Of the top 10, Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Moonraker (1979) made 67% of its gross abroad. Across all 79 films, $1.7B (88%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Moonraker (1979) $210.3M $70.3M US & Canada · 33% $140M elsewhere · 67%
- 2 Alien (1979) $109.1M $84.2M US & Canada · 77% $24.9M elsewhere · 23%
- 3 Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) $106.3M $106.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Apocalypse Now (1979) $105.1M $96M US & Canada · 91% $9.1M elsewhere · 9%
- 5 1941 (1979) $92.5M $31.8M US & Canada · 34% $60.7M elsewhere · 66%
- 6 The Amityville Horror (1979) $86.4M $86.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Rocky II (1979) $85.2M $85.2M US & Canada · 100% $5.7K elsewhere · <1%
- 8 Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) $82.7M $82.6M US & Canada · 100% $72.1K elsewhere · <1%
- 9 The Jerk (1979) $73.7M $73.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 The Muppet Movie (1979) $66.5M $66.5M US & Canada · 100% $1.3K elsewhere · <1%
Gross bands
How Many 1979 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
4 of 79 films crossed $100M and took $530.8M between them, 27% of the total. 39 films, 49% of the list, earned under $10M.
27% 67%
- $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 4 films, 5% of the list $530.8M · 27% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 36 films, 46% of the list $1.3B · 67% of the gross
- Under $10M 39 films, 49% of the list $105.3M · 5% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1979 Earned the Most?
June releases took the most, $671.1M from 14 films, led by Moonraker (1979). May was the quietest month ($5.2M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb The Warriors (1979) $35.5M The Warriors (1979)
- March Mar The China Syndrome (1979) $133.6M The China Syndrome (1979)
- April Apr Love at First Bite (1979) $74.4M Love at First Bite (1979)
- May May Zulu Dawn (1979) $5.2M Zulu Dawn (1979)
- June Jun Moonraker (1979) $671.1M Moonraker (1979)
- July Jul The Amityville Horror (1979) $133.2M The Amityville Horror (1979)
- August Aug Apocalypse Now (1979) $218.4M Apocalypse Now (1979)
- September Sep Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) $39.2M Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979)
- October Oct ...and justice for all. (1979) $75.1M ...and justice for all. (1979)
- November Nov The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979) $8.3M The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979)
- December Dec Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) $561.8M Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
Last 10 years
How Does 1979 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1977 earned the most: $2.1B from 53 films, led by Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). 1979 took $2B.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 26 films | 26 | $346.9M | – | 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 |
| 1973 36 films · +152% | 36 | $928.9M | +152% | The Exorcist (1973) $430.9M |
| 1974 38 films · −25% | 38 | $694.9M | −25% | Blazing Saddles (1974) $119.6M |
| 1975 31 films · +37% | 31 | $955.1M | +37% | Jaws (1975) $477.9M |
| 1976 33 films · −35% | 33 | $624.6M | −35% | A Star Is Born (1976) $80M |
| 1977 53 films · +235% | 53 | $2.1B | +235% | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) $775.4M |
| 1978 67 films · −29% | 67 | $1.5B | −29% | Grease (1978) $396.3M |
| 1979 79 films · +31% | 79 | $2B | +31% | Moonraker (1979) $210.3M |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in 1979?
Drama took $889.5M across 44 films, 45% of the total, ahead of Comedy ($692.9M) and Action ($524.3M). A film counts once for each of its genres.
1979 English Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $889.5M44 films · #1 Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) -
Comedy $692.9M32 films · #1 1941 (1979) -
Action $524.3M15 films · #1 Moonraker (1979) -
Sci-Fi $499.6M10 films · #1 Moonraker (1979) -
Thriller $446.5M17 films · #1 Moonraker (1979) -
Adventure $407.2M9 films · #1 Moonraker (1979) -
Horror $268.2M9 films · #1 Alien (1979) -
War $222.5M7 films · #1 Apocalypse Now (1979) -
Romance $196.8M14 films · #1 The Electric Horseman (1979) -
Sport $166.4M5 films · #1 Rocky II (1979)
Archive
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
- 2019 $28.7B #1 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- 2018 $28.3B #1 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- 2017 $27.9B #1 Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
- 2016 $27.3B #1 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- 2015 $27.1B #1 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
- 2014 $24.6B #1 Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014)
- 2013 $26B #1 Frozen (2013)
- 2012 $26B #1 The Avengers (2012)
- 2011 $24.2B #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
- 2010 $21B #1 Toy Story 3 (2010)
2000s 10 years · $170.2B
- 2009 $23B #1 Avatar (2009)
- 2008 $20B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $20.4B #1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
- 2006 $17.7B #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
- 2005 $16.6B #1 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- 2004 $15.9B #1 Shrek 2 (2004)
- 2003 $17.1B #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- 2002 $13.9B #1 Spider-Man (2002)
- 2001 $13.4B #1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
- 2000 $12.2B #1 Mission: Impossible II (2000)
1990s 10 years · $84.5B
- 1999 $12.9B #1 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- 1998 $10B #1 Armageddon (1998)
- 1997 $11.8B #1 Titanic (1997)
- 1996 $9.2B #1 Independence Day (1996)
- 1995 $8.9B #1 Toy Story (1995)
- 1994 $7.3B #1 The Lion King (1994)
- 1993 $6.3B #1 Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- 1992 $5.5B #1 The Bodyguard (1992)
- 1991 $5.9B #1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- 1990 $6.5B #1 Ghost (1990)
1980s 10 years · $33.4B
- 1989 $6B #1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- 1988 $4.3B #1 Rain Man (1988)
- 1987 $3.7B #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- 1986 $3.3B #1 Top Gun (1986)
- 1985 $3.5B #1 Back to the Future (1985)
- 1984 $3.4B #1 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- 1983 $2.6B #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- 1982 $2.2B #1 Tootsie (1982)
- 1981 $2.1B #1 Superman II (1981)
- 1980 $2.3B #1 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
1970s 10 years · $9.6B
- 1979 $2B #1 Moonraker (1979)
- 1978 $1.5B #1 Grease (1978)
- 1977 $2.1B #1 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- 1976 $624.6M #1 A Star Is Born (1976)
- 1975 $955.1M #1 Jaws (1975)
- 1974 $694.9M #1 Blazing Saddles (1974)
- 1973 $928.9M #1 The Exorcist (1973)
- 1972 $369.2M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- 1971 $182.9M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $346.9M #1 The Aristocats (1970)
1960s 10 years · $1.4B
- 1969 $244.6M #1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- 1968 $147.2M #1 Funny Girl (1968)
- 1967 $342.7M #1 The Jungle Book (1967)
- 1966 $28.1M #1 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
- 1965 $227.4M #1 Doctor Zhivago (1965)
- 1964 $241M #1 Mary Poppins (1964)
- 1963 $75.1M #1 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
- 1962 $49.6M #1 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- 1961 $952.7K #1 Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
- 1960 $42.4M #1 Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
1950s 10 years · $770.2M
- 1959 $126.4M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- 1958 $5.1M #1 Touch of Evil (1958)
- 1957 $31.3M #1 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- 1956 $149.5M #1 The Ten Commandments (1956)
- 1955 $95.8M #1 Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- 1954 $70.6M #1 Rear Window (1954)
- 1953 $150.9M #1 Peter Pan (1953)
- 1952 $38.6M #1 The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
- 1951 $4.4M #1 Ace in the Hole (1951)
- 1950 $97.5M #1 Cinderella (1950)
1940s 10 years · $662.1M
- 1949 $1.7M #1 The Third Man (1949)
- 1948 $707.7K #1 The Fallen Idol (1948)
- 1947 $1.4M #1 The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)
- 1946 $96.2M #1 Song of the South (1946)
- 1945 $22M #1 The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945)
- 1944 $117.4K #1 Henry V (1944)
- 1943 $6M #1 Casablanca (1943)
- 1942 $2M #1 Reunion in France (1942)
- 1941 $4.2M #1 Charley’s Aunt (1941)
- 1940 $527.8M #1 Gone with the Wind (1940)
1930s 10 years · $217.4M
- 1939 $26.3M #1 The Wizard of Oz (1939)
- 1938 $185.2M #1 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938)
- 1937 $27.1K #1 Stage Door (1937)
- 1936 $4.6M #1 After the Thin Man (1936)
- 1935 $602.9K #1 Sylvia Scarlett (1935)
- 1934 $37.5K #1 It Happened One Night (1934)
- 1933 $588.1K #1 Baby Face (1933)
- 1932 $40K #1 The Old Dark House (1932)
- 1931 $299 #1 Transgression (1931)
- 1930 $1.2K #1 Madam Satan (1930)
1920s 4 years · $718.5K
1910s 1 year · $160
FAQ
English Box Office 1979: 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 79 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in 1979?
Moonraker (1979) leads with $210.3M worldwide, $70.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Alien (1979) at $109.1M and Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) at $106.3M.
How much did English-language movies released in 1979 earn?
79 English-language films released in 1979 report a worldwide gross, $2B in all, or $24.8M per film on average. 1978 releases took $1.5B.
How many English-language movies released in 1979 made $1 billion?
None. 4 films crossed $100 million, led by Moonraker (1979) with $210.3M.
How is the 1979 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 1979. 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 1979 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.