#1 of 9 #1 English-language movie of May 1986
1986 · Action, Drama
$357.3M worldwide · 83% of the chart's total
$180.3M US & Canada · 50% $177M elsewhere · 50%
English box office · May 1986
English Box Office, May 1986: Top-Grossing Releases
Top Gun (1986) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in May 1986, with $357.3M worldwide, ahead of Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) at $41M and Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) at $18M. 9 English-language films released in May 1986 report a worldwide gross, $432.3M in all, 59% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 3.9 times the total of April 1986, whose releases took $111.7M. By genre, Drama leads with $386.9M across 4 English releases.
- May 1986 releases with a gross
- 9
- combined worldwide
- $432.3M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs April 1986
- ×3.9
#1 of 9 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of May 1986?
Top Gun (1986) leads with $357.3M, 83% of the total. The top 5 together took $427.9M, 99% 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 May 1986, 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 1986.
- 1 May 16, 1986 US and Canada: $180.3M Rest of the world: $177M Worldwide: $357.3M
- 2 May 23, 1986 US and Canada: $41M Rest of the world: $1.4K Worldwide: $41M
- 3 May 2, 1986 US and Canada: $18M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18M
- 4 May 2, 1986 US and Canada: $6.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.9M
- 5 May 2, 1986 US and Canada: $4.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7M
- 6
May 9, 1986 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.4M - 7
May 30, 1986 US and Canada: $1.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.9M - 8
May 14, 1986 US and Canada: $17.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.8K - 9
May 30, 1986 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.9K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1986?
Of the top 9, Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Top Gun (1986) made 50% of its gross abroad. Across all 9 films, $255.3M (59%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 9 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Top Gun (1986) $357.3M $180.3M US & Canada · 50% $177M elsewhere · 50%
- 2 Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) $41M $41M US & Canada · 100% $1.4K elsewhere · <1%
- 3 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) $18M $18M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Blue City (1986) $6.9M $6.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 No Retreat, No Surrender (1986) $4.7M $4.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Dangerously Close (1986) $2.4M $2.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Jake Speed (1986) $1.9M $1.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Spookies (1986) $17.8K $17.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Demons (1986) $2.9K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of May 1986 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 20 (May 11–17) took $357.3M, led by Top Gun (1986). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 27–May 3 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) $29.6M Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 4–10 Dangerously Close (1986) $2.4M Dangerously Close (1986)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 11–17 Top Gun (1986) $357.3M Top Gun (1986)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 18–24 Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) $41M Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 25–31 Jake Speed (1986) $1.9M Jake Speed (1986)
Earlier years
How Does May 1986 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 1986 took $432.3M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1977 6 films | 6 | $903M | – | 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 |
| May 1980 11 films · +13411% | 11 | $700M | +13411% | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) $550M |
| May 1981 9 films · −81% | 9 | $130.9M | −81% | The Four Seasons (1981) $50.4M |
| May 1982 13 films · +104% | 13 | $266.6M | +104% | Rocky III (1982) $125.1M |
| May 1983 6 films · +109% | 6 | $557.8M | +109% | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M |
| May 1984 12 films · −21% | 12 | $438.6M | −21% | Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) $333.1M |
| May 1985 18 films · +20% | 18 | $526.2M | +20% | Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) $300.4M |
| May 1986 9 films · −18% | 9 | $432.3M | −18% | Top Gun (1986) $357.3M |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in May 1986?
Drama took $386.9M across 4 films, 90% of the total, ahead of Action ($373.2M) and Romance ($357.3M). A film counts once for each of its genres.
May 1986 English Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $386.9M4 films · #1 Top Gun (1986) -
Action $373.2M5 films · #1 Top Gun (1986) -
Romance $357.3M1 film · #1 Top Gun (1986) -
Horror $41M3 films · #1 Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) -
Comedy $24.6M3 films · #1 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) -
Fantasy $18M1 film · #1 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) -
Crime $15.9M4 films · #1 Blue City (1986) -
Thriller $2.4M1 film · #1 Dangerously Close (1986) -
Adventure $1.9M1 film · #1 Jake Speed (1986)
Archive
English Box Office in 1986, Month by Month
The months of 1986 with their totals: June leads with $441.6M, led by The Karate Kid Part II (1986).
- January $143.1M #1 Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)
- February $181.4M #1 Pretty in Pink (1986)
- March $187.6M #1 The Money Pit (1986)
- April $111.7M #1 A Room with a View (1986)
- May $432.3M #1 Top Gun (1986)
- June $441.6M #1 The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
- July $321.6M #1 Aliens (1986)
- August $232.7M #1 The Fly (1986)
- September $354.6M #1 Crocodile Dundee (1986)
- October $242.4M #1 The Color of Money (1986)
- November $279.8M #1 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
- December $386.3M #1 Platoon (1986)
FAQ
English Box Office May 1986: 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 May 1986?
Top Gun (1986) leads with $357.3M worldwide, $180.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) at $41M and Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) at $18M.
How much did English-language movies released in May 1986 earn?
9 English-language films released in May 1986 report a worldwide gross, $432.3M in all, or $48M per film on average. April 1986 releases took $111.7M.
How many English-language movies released in May 1986 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Top Gun (1986) with $357.3M.
How is the May 1986 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 1986. 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 1986 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.