#1 of 37 #1 English-language movie of May 2012
2012 · Action, Adventure
$1.5B worldwide · 47% of the chart's total
$623.4M US & Canada · 41% $897.2M elsewhere · 59%
English box office · May 2012
English Box Office, May 2012: Top-Grossing Releases
The Avengers (2012) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in May 2012, with $1.5B worldwide, ahead of Men in Black III (2012) at $654.2M and Battleship (2012) at $303M. 37 English-language films released in May 2012 report a worldwide gross, $3.3B in all, 36% of it from the US & Canada. 1 film crossed $1 billion and 6 crossed $100 million. That is 3.7 times the total of April 2012, whose releases took $888.5M. By genre, Sci-Fi leads with $2.5B across 5 English releases.
- May 2012 releases with a gross
- 37
- combined worldwide
- $3.3B
- films crossed $100M
- 6
- vs April 2012
- ×3.7
#1 of 37 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of May 2012?
The Avengers (2012) leads with $1.5B, 47% of the total. The top 5 together took $2.9B, 89% of what all 37 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 2012, 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 2012.
- 1 May 4, 2012 US and Canada: $623.4M Rest of the world: $897.2M Worldwide: $1.5B
- 2 May 25, 2012 US and Canada: $179M Rest of the world: $475.2M Worldwide: $654.2M
- 3 May 18, 2012 US and Canada: $65.4M Rest of the world: $237.6M Worldwide: $303M
- 4 May 11, 2012 US and Canada: $79.7M Rest of the world: $165.8M Worldwide: $245.5M
- 5 May 16, 2012 US and Canada: $59.7M Rest of the world: $119.7M Worldwide: $179.4M
- 6
May 4, 2012 US and Canada: $46.4M Rest of the world: $104.1M Worldwide: $150.5M - 7
May 18, 2012 US and Canada: $41.2M Rest of the world: $43.2M Worldwide: $84.4M - 8
May 25, 2012 US and Canada: $45.5M Rest of the world: $22.8M Worldwide: $68.3M - 9
May 25, 2012 US and Canada: $18.1M Rest of the world: $20.3M Worldwide: $38.4M - 10
May 4, 2012 US and Canada: $15.4K Rest of the world: $6.8M Worldwide: $6.8M - 11
May 11, 2012 US and Canada: $2.6M Rest of the world: $2.1M Worldwide: $4.7M - 12
May 4, 2012 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: $716.8K Worldwide: $1.7M - 13
May 16, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.2M - 14
May 11, 2012 US and Canada: $92.5K Rest of the world: $849.6K Worldwide: $942K - 15
May 18, 2012 US and Canada: $809.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $809.6K - 16
May 9, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $701.4K - 17
May 19, 2012 US and Canada: $8.1K Rest of the world: $665K Worldwide: $673.1K - 18
May 18, 2012 US and Canada: $18.5K Rest of the world: $619.8K Worldwide: $638.3K - 19
May 11, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $594.4K - 20
May 31, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $500.2K - 21
May 11, 2012 US and Canada: $122.6K Rest of the world: $271.3K Worldwide: $393.9K - 22
May 11, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $285.1K - 23
May 1, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $151.1K - 24
May 11, 2012 US and Canada: $105.7K Rest of the world: $21.8K Worldwide: $127.5K - 25
May 18, 2012 US and Canada: $112.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $112.7K - 26
May 11, 2012 US and Canada: $15.9K Rest of the world: $30.5K Worldwide: $46.4K - 27
May 16, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $43.8K - 28
May 4, 2012 US and Canada: $42.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.4K - 29
May 4, 2012 US and Canada: $607 Rest of the world: $41K Worldwide: $41.6K - 30
May 18, 2012 US and Canada: $36.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $36.3K - 31
May 18, 2012 US and Canada: $2.5K Rest of the world: $12.7K Worldwide: $15.2K - 32
May 18, 2012 US and Canada: $14.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.3K - 33
May 11, 2012 US and Canada: $8.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.6K - 34
May 18, 2012 US and Canada: $5.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.9K - 35
May 2, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.2K - 36
May 3, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $963 - 37
May 4, 2012 US and Canada: $525 Rest of the world: Worldwide: $525
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 2012?
Of the top 10, Moonrise Kingdom (2012) earned the biggest share at home (67% in the US & Canada), while A Little Bit of Heaven (2012) made 100% of its gross abroad. Across all 37 films, $1.2B (36%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Avengers (2012) $1.5B $623.4M US & Canada · 41% $897.2M elsewhere · 59%
- 2 Men in Black III (2012) $654.2M $179M US & Canada · 27% $475.2M elsewhere · 73%
- 3 Battleship (2012) $303M $65.4M US & Canada · 22% $237.6M elsewhere · 78%
- 4 Dark Shadows (2012) $245.5M $79.7M US & Canada · 32% $165.8M elsewhere · 68%
- 5 The Dictator (2012) $179.4M $59.7M US & Canada · 33% $119.7M elsewhere · 67%
- 6 The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) $150.5M $46.4M US & Canada · 31% $104.1M elsewhere · 69%
- 7 What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012) $84.4M $41.2M US & Canada · 49% $43.2M elsewhere · 51%
- 8 Moonrise Kingdom (2012) $68.3M $45.5M US & Canada · 67% $22.8M elsewhere · 33%
- 9 Chernobyl Diaries (2012) $38.4M $18.1M US & Canada · 47% $20.3M elsewhere · 53%
- 10 A Little Bit of Heaven (2012) $6.8M $15.4K US & Canada · <1% $6.8M elsewhere · 100%
Gross bands
How Many May 2012 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
6 of 37 films crossed $100M and took $3.1B between them, 94% of the total. 28 films, 76% of the list, earned under $10M.
47% 20% 27%
- $1B or more 1 film, 3% of the list $1.5B · 47% of the gross
- $500M to $1B 1 film, 3% of the list $654.2M · 20% of the gross
- $100M to $500M 4 films, 11% of the list $878.4M · 27% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 3 films, 8% of the list $191.1M · 6% of the gross
- Under $10M 28 films, 76% of the list $20.6M · <1% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of May 2012 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 18 (Apr 29–May 5) took $1.7B, led by The Avengers (2012). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 29–May 5 The Avengers (2012) $1.7B The Avengers (2012)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 6–12 Dark Shadows (2012) $253.3M Dark Shadows (2012)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 13–19 Battleship (2012) $570.3M Battleship (2012)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 20–26 Men in Black III (2012) $760.9M Men in Black III (2012)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 27–Jun 2 Good Vibrations (2012) $500.2K Good Vibrations (2012)
Earlier years
How Does May 2012 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 2011 earned the most: $3.5B from 40 films, led by Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011). May 2012 took $3.3B.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2003 34 films | 34 | $2.7B | – | Finding Nemo (2003) $941.6M |
| May 2004 35 films · −9% | 35 | $2.4B | −9% | Shrek 2 (2004) $932.5M |
| May 2005 37 films · −10% | 37 | $2.2B | −10% | Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) $905.6M |
| May 2006 33 films · +8% | 33 | $2.4B | +8% | The Da Vinci Code (2006) $760M |
| May 2007 44 films · +22% | 44 | $2.9B | +22% | Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) $961.7M |
| May 2008 43 films · −18% | 43 | $2.4B | −18% | Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) $786.6M |
| May 2009 39 films · +29% | 39 | $3B | +29% | Up (2009) $735.1M |
| May 2010 46 films · −26% | 46 | $2.2B | −26% | Shrek Forever After (2010) $752.6M |
| May 2011 40 films · +56% | 40 | $3.5B | +56% | Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) $1B |
| May 2012 37 films · −7% | 37 | $3.3B | −7% | The Avengers (2012) $1.5B |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in May 2012?
Sci-Fi took $2.5B across 5 films, 76% of the total, ahead of Action ($2.5B) and Thriller ($2.1B). A film counts once for each of its genres.
May 2012 English Box Office by Genre
-
Sci-Fi $2.5B5 films · #1 The Avengers (2012) -
Action $2.5B3 films · #1 The Avengers (2012) -
Thriller $2.1B10 films · #1 The Avengers (2012) -
Adventure $1.8B2 films · #1 The Avengers (2012) -
Comedy $1.4B15 films · #1 Men in Black III (2012) -
Drama $565.4M15 films · #1 Dark Shadows (2012) -
War $303M1 film · #1 Battleship (2012) -
Horror $286.3M6 films · #1 Dark Shadows (2012) -
Fantasy $246.1M2 films · #1 Dark Shadows (2012) -
Mystery $245.7M3 films · #1 Dark Shadows (2012)
Archive
English Box Office in 2012, Month by Month
The months of 2012 with their totals: November leads with $4.1B, led by Skyfall (2012).
- January $566.6M #1 Underworld: Awakening (2012)
- February $1.5B #1 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012)
- March $2.1B #1 The Hunger Games (2012)
- April $888.5M #1 American Reunion (2012)
- May $3.3B #1 The Avengers (2012)
- June $3.3B #1 Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012)
- July $3.2B #1 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
- August $1.5B #1 The Expendables 2 (2012)
- September $1.5B #1 Hotel Transylvania (2012)
- October $1.4B #1 Taken 2 (2012)
- November $4.1B #1 Skyfall (2012)
- December $2.7B #1 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
FAQ
English Box Office May 2012: 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 37 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in May 2012?
The Avengers (2012) leads with $1.5B worldwide, $623.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Men in Black III (2012) at $654.2M and Battleship (2012) at $303M.
How much did English-language movies released in May 2012 earn?
37 English-language films released in May 2012 report a worldwide gross, $3.3B in all, or $88.2M per film on average. April 2012 releases took $888.5M.
How many English-language movies released in May 2012 made $1 billion?
1 film crossed $1 billion worldwide: The Avengers (2012). 6 crossed $100 million.
How is the May 2012 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 2012. 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 2012 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.