#1 of 9 #1 English-language movie of October 1980
1980 · Biography, Drama
$26M worldwide · 40% of the chart's total
$26M US & Canada · 100% $23.5K elsewhere · <1%
English box office · October 1980
English Box Office, October 1980: Top-Grossing Releases
The Elephant Man (1980) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in October 1980, with $26M worldwide, ahead of Oh, God! Book II (1980) at $14.5M and Somewhere in Time (1980) at $9.7M. 9 English-language films released in October 1980 report a worldwide gross, $64.7M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 39% on September 1980, whose releases took $46.5M. By genre, Drama leads with $41.1M across 6 English releases.
- October 1980 releases with a gross
- 9
- combined worldwide
- $64.7M
- The Elephant Man (1980), the #1
- $26M
- vs September 1980
- +39%
#1 of 9 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of October 1980?
The Elephant Man (1980) leads with $26M, 40% of the total. The top 5 together took $61.1M, 94% of what all 9 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 October 1980, 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 October 1980.
- 1 Oct 10, 1980 US and Canada: $26M Rest of the world: $23.5K Worldwide: $26M
- 2 Oct 3, 1980 US and Canada: $14.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.5M
- 3 Oct 3, 1980 US and Canada: $9.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.7M
- 4 Oct 24, 1980 US and Canada: $6.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.3M
- 5 Oct 3, 1980 US and Canada: $4.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.5M
- 6
Oct 24, 1980 US and Canada: $2.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.8M - 7
Oct 3, 1980 US and Canada: $843.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $843.2K - 8
Oct 1, 1980 US and Canada: $2.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.5K - 9
Oct 15, 1980 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $948
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in October 1980?
Of the top 9, Oh, God! Book II (1980) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Elephant Man (1980) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 9 films, $64.7M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 9 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Elephant Man (1980) $26M $26M US & Canada · 100% $23.5K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Oh, God! Book II (1980) $14.5M $14.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Somewhere in Time (1980) $9.7M $9.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Motel Hell (1980) $6.3M $6.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Coast to Coast (1980) $4.5M $4.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Loving Couples (1980) $2.8M $2.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 One Trick Pony (1980) $843.2K $843.2K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Breaking Glass (1980) $2.5K $2.5K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Breaker Morant (1980) $948 No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of October 1980 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 40 (Sep 28–Oct 4) took $29.6M, led by Oh, God! Book II (1980). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 28–Oct 4 Oh, God! Book II (1980) $29.6M Oh, God! Book II (1980)
- Week 41 Wk 41 Oct 5–11 The Elephant Man (1980) $26M The Elephant Man (1980)
- Week 42 Wk 42 Oct 12–18 Breaker Morant (1980) $948 Breaker Morant (1980)
- Week 43 Wk 43 Oct 19–25 Motel Hell (1980) $9.1M Motel Hell (1980)
- Week 44 Wk 44 Oct 26–Nov 1 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does October 1980 Compare With October in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, October 1978 earned the most: $112.3M from 5 films, led by Halloween (1978). October 1980 took $64.7M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1971 3 films | 3 | $80.9M | – | The French Connection (1971) $51.7M |
| October 1972 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1973 1 film | 1 | $54.4K | – | Badlands (1973) $54.4K |
| October 1974 5 films · +129714% | 5 | $70.6M | +129714% | Benji (1974) $39.6M |
| October 1975 1 film · −100% | 1 | $293.1K | −100% | The Giant Spider Invasion (1975) $293.1K |
| October 1976 2 films · +7310% | 2 | $21.7M | +7310% | Marathon Man (1976) $21.7M |
| October 1977 6 films · +291% | 6 | $85M | +291% | Oh, God! (1977) $41.7M |
| October 1978 5 films · +32% | 5 | $112.3M | +32% | Halloween (1978) $47.2M |
| October 1979 7 films · −33% | 7 | $75.1M | −33% | ...and justice for all. (1979) $33.3M |
| October 1980 9 films · −14% | 9 | $64.7M | −14% | The Elephant Man (1980) $26M |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in October 1980?
Drama took $41.1M across 6 films, 63% of the total, ahead of Comedy ($28.1M) and Biography ($26M). A film counts once for each of its genres.
October 1980 English Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $41.1M6 films · #1 The Elephant Man (1980) -
Comedy $28.1M4 films · #1 Oh, God! Book II (1980) -
Biography $26M1 film · #1 The Elephant Man (1980) -
Fantasy $24.2M2 films · #1 Oh, God! Book II (1980) -
Romance $17M3 films · #1 Somewhere in Time (1980) -
Horror $6.3M1 film · #1 Motel Hell (1980) -
Thriller $6.3M1 film · #1 Motel Hell (1980) -
Music $2.5K1 film · #1 Breaking Glass (1980) -
History $9481 film · #1 Breaker Morant (1980) -
War $9481 film · #1 Breaker Morant (1980)
Archive
English Box Office in 1980, Month by Month
The months of 1980 with their totals: May leads with $700M, led by Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980).
- January $4.3M #1 Windows (1980)
- February $97.3M #1 American Gigolo (1980)
- March $131.8M #1 Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
- April $20.4M #1 The Last Married Couple in America (1980)
- May $700M #1 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- June $283.7M #1 The Blues Brothers (1980)
- July $329.7M #1 Airplane! (1980)
- August $131.4M #1 Smokey and the Bandit II (1980)
- September $46.5M #1 My Bodyguard (1980)
- October $64.7M #1 The Elephant Man (1980)
- November $29.7M #1 Raging Bull (1980)
- December $467.4M #1 9 to 5 (1980)
FAQ
English Box Office October 1980: 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 9 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in October 1980?
The Elephant Man (1980) leads with $26M worldwide, $26M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Oh, God! Book II (1980) at $14.5M and Somewhere in Time (1980) at $9.7M.
How much did English-language movies released in October 1980 earn?
9 English-language films released in October 1980 report a worldwide gross, $64.7M in all, or $7.2M per film on average. September 1980 releases took $46.5M.
How many English-language movies released in October 1980 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Elephant Man (1980), earned $26M.
How is the October 1980 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 October 1980. 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 October 1980 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.