#1 of 6 #1 English-language movie of May 1979
1979 · Drama, Adventure
$1.9M worldwide · 36% of the chart's total
No US & Canada figure reported
English box office · May 1979
English Box Office, May 1979: Top-Grossing Releases
Zulu Dawn (1979) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in May 1979, with $1.9M worldwide, ahead of Last Embrace (1979) at $1.5M and Winter Kills (1979) at $1.2M. 6 English-language films released in May 1979 report a worldwide gross, $5.2M in all, 61% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 93% on April 1979, whose releases took $74.4M. By genre, Drama leads with $3M across 3 English releases.
- May 1979 releases with a gross
- 6
- combined worldwide
- $5.2M
- Zulu Dawn (1979), the #1
- $1.9M
- vs April 1979
- −93%
#1 of 6 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of May 1979?
Zulu Dawn (1979) leads with $1.9M, 36% of the total. The top 5 together took $5.2M, 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 May 1979, 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 1979.
- 1 May 14, 1979 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.9M
- 2 May 4, 1979 US and Canada: $1.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.5M
- 3 May 11, 1979 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: $462 Worldwide: $1.2M
- 4 May 1, 1979 US and Canada: $444.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $444.3K
- 5 May 24, 1979 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $159.8K
- 6
May 14, 1979 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.8K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1979?
Of the top 6, Last Embrace (1979) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Winter Kills (1979) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 6 films, $3.1M (61%) came from the US & Canada. 3 films of the top 6 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Zulu Dawn (1979) $1.9M No US & Canada figure reported
- 2 Last Embrace (1979) $1.5M $1.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Winter Kills (1979) $1.2M $1.2M US & Canada · 100% $462 elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Fast Charlie… the Moonbeam Rider (1979) $444.3K $444.3K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Dawn of the Dead (1979) $159.8K No US & Canada figure reported
- 6 Quadrophenia (1979) $2.8K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of May 1979 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 18 (Apr 29–May 5) took $2M, led by Last Embrace (1979). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 29–May 5 Last Embrace (1979) $2M Last Embrace (1979)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 6–12 Winter Kills (1979) $1.2M Winter Kills (1979)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 13–19 Zulu Dawn (1979) $1.9M Zulu Dawn (1979)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 20–26 Dawn of the Dead (1979) $159.8K Dawn of the Dead (1979)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 27–Jun 2 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1979 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1977 earned the most: $903M from 6 films, led by Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). May 1979 took $5.2M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1970 2 films | 2 | $32.3M | – | 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 |
| May 1972 2 films · −100% | 2 | $16.8K | −100% | Play It Again, Sam (1972) $15.4K |
| May 1973 4 films · −45% | 4 | $9.2K | −45% | Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) $8.5K |
| May 1974 3 films · +237186% | 3 | $21.8M | +237186% | Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) $21.7M |
| May 1975 5 films · +214% | 5 | $68.5M | +214% | The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) $41.8M |
| May 1976 3 films · −92% | 3 | $5.2M | −92% | That's Entertainment, Part II (1976) $5M |
| May 1977 6 films · +17382% | 6 | $903M | +17382% | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) $775.4M |
| May 1978 7 films · −97% | 7 | $31.1M | −97% | The Greek Tycoon (1978) $14.7M |
| May 1979 6 films · −83% | 6 | $5.2M | −83% | Zulu Dawn (1979) $1.9M |
Archive
English Box Office in 1979, Month by Month
The months of 1979 with their totals: June leads with $671.1M, led by Moonraker (1979).
- January No grosses
- February $35.5M #1 The Warriors (1979)
- March $133.6M #1 The China Syndrome (1979)
- April $74.4M #1 Love at First Bite (1979)
- May $5.2M #1 Zulu Dawn (1979)
- June $671.1M #1 Moonraker (1979)
- July $133.2M #1 The Amityville Horror (1979)
- August $218.4M #1 Apocalypse Now (1979)
- September $39.2M #1 Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979)
- October $75.1M #1 ...and justice for all. (1979)
- November $8.3M #1 The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979)
- December $561.8M #1 Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
FAQ
English Box Office May 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 6 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in May 1979?
Zulu Dawn (1979) leads with $1.9M worldwide. Next come Last Embrace (1979) at $1.5M and Winter Kills (1979) at $1.2M.
How much did English-language movies released in May 1979 earn?
6 English-language films released in May 1979 report a worldwide gross, $5.2M in all, or $863.5K per film on average. April 1979 releases took $74.4M.
How many English-language movies released in May 1979 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Zulu Dawn (1979), earned $1.9M.
How is the May 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 May 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 May 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.