#1 of 7 #1 English-language movie of May 1990
Back to the Future Part III (1990)
1990 · Adventure, Sci-Fi
$245.1M worldwide · 56% of the chart's total
$88.3M US & Canada · 36% $156.8M elsewhere · 64%
English box office · May 1990
English Box Office, May 1990: Top-Grossing Releases
Back to the Future Part III (1990) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in May 1990, with $245.1M worldwide, ahead of Bird on a Wire (1990) at $138.7M and Cadillac Man (1990) at $27.6M. 7 English-language films released in May 1990 report a worldwide gross, $435.9M in all, 48% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 3.4 times the total of April 1990, whose releases took $128.9M. By genre, Comedy leads with $431.7M across 5 English releases.
- May 1990 releases with a gross
- 7
- combined worldwide
- $435.9M
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- vs April 1990
- ×3.4
#1 of 7 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of May 1990?
Back to the Future Part III (1990) leads with $245.1M, 56% of the total. The top 5 together took $431.7M, 99% of what all 7 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 1990, 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 1990.
- 1 May 25, 1990 US and Canada: $88.3M Rest of the world: $156.8M Worldwide: $245.1M
- 2 May 18, 1990 US and Canada: $71M Rest of the world: $67.7M Worldwide: $138.7M
- 3 May 18, 1990 US and Canada: $27.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $27.6M
- 4 May 4, 1990 US and Canada: $16.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.3M
- 5 May 4, 1990 US and Canada: $4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4M
- 6
May 11, 1990 US and Canada: $2.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.5M - 7
May 4, 1990 US and Canada: $1.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.7M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1990?
Of the top 7, Cadillac Man (1990) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Back to the Future Part III (1990) made 64% of its gross abroad. Across all 7 films, $211.4M (48%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Back to the Future Part III (1990) $245.1M $88.3M US & Canada · 36% $156.8M elsewhere · 64%
- 2 Bird on a Wire (1990) $138.7M $71M US & Canada · 51% $67.7M elsewhere · 49%
- 3 Cadillac Man (1990) $27.6M $27.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990) $16.3M $16.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Short Time (1990) $4M $4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Class of 1999 (1990) $2.5M $2.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Last Exit to Brooklyn (1990) $1.7M $1.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of May 1990 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 20–26) took $245.1M, led by Back to the Future Part III (1990). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 29–May 5 Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990) $22.1M Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 6–12 Class of 1999 (1990) $2.5M Class of 1999 (1990)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 13–19 Bird on a Wire (1990) $166.3M Bird on a Wire (1990)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 20–26 Back to the Future Part III (1990) $245.1M Back to the Future Part III (1990)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 27–Jun 2 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1990 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1989 earned the most: $592M from 24 films, led by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). May 1990 took $435.9M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1981 9 films | 9 | $130.9M | – | 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 |
| May 1987 19 films · −10% | 19 | $389.2M | −10% | Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $300M |
| May 1988 21 films · +35% | 21 | $526.2M | +35% | Crocodile Dundee II (1988) $239.6M |
| May 1989 24 films · +12% | 24 | $592M | +12% | Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) $474.2M |
| May 1990 7 films · −26% | 7 | $435.9M | −26% | Back to the Future Part III (1990) $245.1M |
Archive
English Box Office in 1990, Month by Month
The months of 1990 with their totals: November leads with $1.3B, led by Home Alone (1990).
- January $54.5M #1 Internal Affairs (1990)
- February $127.9M #1 Hard to Kill (1990)
- March $1B #1 Pretty Woman (1990)
- April $128.9M #1 Ernest Goes to Jail (1990)
- May $435.9M #1 Back to the Future Part III (1990)
- June $870.4M #1 Total Recall (1990)
- July $1.2B #1 Ghost (1990)
- August $341.2M #1 Flatliners (1990)
- September $192.1M #1 Goodfellas (1990)
- October $230.5M #1 Marked for Death (1990)
- November $1.3B #1 Home Alone (1990)
- December $614.9M #1 Kindergarten Cop (1990)
FAQ
English Box Office May 1990: 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 7 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in May 1990?
Back to the Future Part III (1990) leads with $245.1M worldwide, $88.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Bird on a Wire (1990) at $138.7M and Cadillac Man (1990) at $27.6M.
How much did English-language movies released in May 1990 earn?
7 English-language films released in May 1990 report a worldwide gross, $435.9M in all, or $62.3M per film on average. April 1990 releases took $128.9M.
How many English-language movies released in May 1990 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by Back to the Future Part III (1990) with $245.1M.
How is the May 1990 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 1990. 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 1990 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.