#1 of 13 #1 English-language movie of December 1981
1981 · Drama
$119.3M worldwide · 31% of the chart's total
$119.3M US & Canada · 100% $378 elsewhere · <1%
English box office · December 1981
English Box Office, December 1981: Top-Grossing Releases
On Golden Pond (1981) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in December 1981, with $119.3M worldwide, ahead of Absence of Malice (1981) at $40.7M and Reds (1981) at $40.4M. 13 English-language films released in December 1981 report a worldwide gross, $379.6M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 5.7 times the total of November 1981, whose releases took $66.2M. By genre, Drama leads with $314.5M across 9 English releases.
- December 1981 releases with a gross
- 13
- combined worldwide
- $379.6M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs November 1981
- ×5.7
#1 of 13 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of December 1981?
On Golden Pond (1981) leads with $119.3M, 31% of the total. The top 5 together took $271.9M, 72% of what all 13 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 1981, 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 1981.
- 1 Dec 4, 1981 US and Canada: $119.3M Rest of the world: $378 Worldwide: $119.3M
- 2 Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $40.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $40.7M
- 3 Dec 25, 1981 US and Canada: $40.4M Rest of the world: $129 Worldwide: $40.4M
- 4 Dec 25, 1981 US and Canada: $35.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.9M
- 5 Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $35.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.6M
- 6
Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $29.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $29.9M - 7
Dec 25, 1981 US and Canada: $26.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.2M - 8
Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $23.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.4M - 9
Dec 11, 1981 US and Canada: $10.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.9M - 10
Dec 2, 1981 US and Canada: $8.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.2M - 11
Dec 11, 1981 US and Canada: $6.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.9M - 12
Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $2.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.2M - 13
Dec 10, 1981 US and Canada: $237K Rest of the world: $286 Worldwide: $237.3K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1981?
Of the top 10, Absence of Malice (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Reds (1981) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 13 films, $379.6M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 On Golden Pond (1981) $119.3M $119.3M US & Canada · 100% $378 elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Absence of Malice (1981) $40.7M $40.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Reds (1981) $40.4M $40.4M US & Canada · 100% $129 elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Taps (1981) $35.9M $35.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Sharky's Machine (1981) $35.6M $35.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Neighbors (1981) $29.9M $29.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Modern Problems (1981) $26.2M $26.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Ghost Story (1981) $23.4M $23.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Rollover (1981) $10.9M $10.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981) $8.2M $8.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many December 1981 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 13 films crossed $100M and took $119.3M between them, 31% of the total. 4 films, 31% of the list, earned under $10M.
31% 64%
- $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, 8% of the list $119.3M · 31% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 8 films, 62% of the list $242.9M · 64% of the gross
- Under $10M 4 films, 31% of the list $17.5M · 5% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of December 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 13–19) took $131.8M, led by Absence of Malice (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 On Golden Pond (1981) $127.5M On Golden Pond (1981)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 Rollover (1981) $18M Rollover (1981)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 Absence of Malice (1981) $131.8M Absence of Malice (1981)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 Reds (1981) $102.4M Reds (1981)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 27–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1981 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 1981 took $379.6M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1972 3 films | 3 | $84.7M | – | 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 |
| December 1975 5 films · −74% | 5 | $75.2M | −74% | Dog Day Afternoon (1975) $50M |
| December 1976 6 films · +251% | 6 | $263.8M | +251% | A Star Is Born (1976) $80M |
| December 1977 5 films · +12% | 5 | $295M | +12% | Saturday Night Fever (1977) $237.1M |
| December 1978 8 films · −33% | 8 | $197.7M | −33% | Every Which Way But Loose (1978) $85.2M |
| December 1979 12 films · +184% | 12 | $561.8M | +184% | Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) $106.3M |
| December 1980 10 films · −17% | 10 | $467.4M | −17% | 9 to 5 (1980) $103.3M |
| December 1981 13 films · −19% | 13 | $379.6M | −19% | On Golden Pond (1981) $119.3M |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in December 1981?
Drama took $314.5M across 9 films, 83% of the total, ahead of Thriller ($117.4M) and Romance ($94.1M). A film counts once for each of its genres.
December 1981 English Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $314.5M9 films · #1 On Golden Pond (1981) -
Thriller $117.4M5 films · #1 Absence of Malice (1981) -
Romance $94.1M4 films · #1 Absence of Malice (1981) -
Comedy $58.5M4 films · #1 Neighbors (1981) -
Action $42.5M2 films · #1 Sharky's Machine (1981) -
Crime $42.5M2 films · #1 Sharky's Machine (1981) -
Biography $40.4M1 film · #1 Reds (1981) -
History $40.4M1 film · #1 Reds (1981) -
Fantasy $26.2M1 film · #1 Modern Problems (1981) -
Sci-Fi $26.2M1 film · #1 Modern Problems (1981)
Archive
English Box Office in 1981, Month by Month
The months of 1981 with their totals: June leads with $572.7M, led by Superman II (1981).
- January $35.7M #1 The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981)
- February $50M #1 Fort Apache the Bronx (1981)
- March $89.6M #1 The Final Conflict (1981)
- April $137.4M #1 Excalibur (1981)
- May $130.9M #1 The Four Seasons (1981)
- June $572.7M #1 Superman II (1981)
- July $340.9M #1 Arthur (1981)
- August $119.4M #1 An American Werewolf in London (1981)
- September $75M #1 Only When I Laugh (1981)
- October $81.3M #1 The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)
- November $66.2M #1 Time Bandits (1981)
- December $379.6M #1 On Golden Pond (1981)
FAQ
English Box Office December 1981: 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 13 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in December 1981?
On Golden Pond (1981) leads with $119.3M worldwide, $119.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Absence of Malice (1981) at $40.7M and Reds (1981) at $40.4M.
How much did English-language movies released in December 1981 earn?
13 English-language films released in December 1981 report a worldwide gross, $379.6M in all, or $29.2M per film on average. November 1981 releases took $66.2M.
How many English-language movies released in December 1981 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by On Golden Pond (1981) with $119.3M.
How is the December 1981 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 1981. 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 1981 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.