#1 of 22 #1 movie of 1948
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
1948 · Adventure, Drama
$5M worldwide · 80% of the chart's total
$5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Box office · 1948
1948 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing Movies of 1948
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) is the highest-grossing movie released in 1948, with $5M worldwide, ahead of Bicycle Thieves (1948) at $459K and The Fallen Idol (1948) at $373.2K. 22 films released in 1948 report a worldwide gross, $6.2M in all, 94% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 48% on 1947, whose releases took $12.1M. By genre, Drama leads with $6.2M across 16 releases.
- 1948 releases with a gross
- 22
- combined worldwide
- $6.2M
- The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), the #1
- $5M
- vs 1947
- −48%
#1 of 22 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of 1948?
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) leads with $5M, 80% of the total. The top 5 together took $6.1M, 98% of what all 22 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 Release of 1948, 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 1948.
- 1 Jan 24, 1948 US and Canada: $5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5M
- 2 Jul 21, 1948 US and Canada: $371.1K Rest of the world: $87.9K Worldwide: $459K
- 3 Aug 31, 1948 US and Canada: $341.1K Rest of the world: $32.1K Worldwide: $373.2K
- 4 Jul 22, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $184.3K
- 5 Jan 8, 1948 US and Canada: $49.5K Rest of the world: $23K Worldwide: $72.5K
- 6
Apr 27, 1948 US and Canada: $46.8K Rest of the world: $215 Worldwide: $47K - 7
Jun 12, 1948 US and Canada: $14.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.8K - 8
Jul 24, 1948 US and Canada: $14.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.8K - 9
Sep 17, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $14.5K - 10
Jul 9, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $12.2K - 11
Mar 27, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $11.9K - 12
Sep 25, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $11.6K - 13
Sep 22, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4.5K - 14
Sep 1, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2K - 15
Sep 2, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.7K - 16
Jun 30, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.6K - 17
Apr 28, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $953 - 18
Jul 16, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $889 - 19
Aug 20, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $157 - 20
Sep 29, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $126 - 21
Jan 16, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $122 - 22
Feb 16, 1948 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $44
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1948?
Of the top 10, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Brighton Rock (1948) made 32% of its gross abroad. Across all 22 films, $5.9M (94%) came from the US & Canada. 3 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) $5M $5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Bicycle Thieves (1948) $459K $371.1K US & Canada · 81% $87.9K elsewhere · 19%
- 3 The Fallen Idol (1948) $373.2K $341.1K US & Canada · 91% $32.1K elsewhere · 9%
- 4 The Red Shoes (1948) $184.3K No US & Canada figure reported
- 5 Brighton Rock (1948) $72.5K $49.5K US & Canada · 68% $23K elsewhere · 32%
- 6 Drunken Angel (1948) $47K $46.8K US & Canada · 100% $215 elsewhere · <1%
- 7 Bugs Bunny Rides Again (1948) $14.8K $14.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Haredevil Hare (1948) $14.8K $14.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Red River (1948) $14.5K No US & Canada figure reported
- 10 Germany, Year Zero (1948) $12.2K No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many 1948 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 22 films reached $100M. 22 films, 100% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $6.2M total.
100%
- $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 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $10M to $100M 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- Under $10M 22 films, 100% of the list $6.2M · 100% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1948 Earned the Most?
January releases took the most, $5.1M from 3 films, led by The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948). February was the quietest month ($44). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) $5.1M The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
- February Feb The Bishop's Wife (1948) $44 The Bishop's Wife (1948)
- March Mar Fort Apache (1948) $11.9K Fort Apache (1948)
- April Apr Drunken Angel (1948) $48K Drunken Angel (1948)
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- June Jun Bugs Bunny Rides Again (1948) $16.4K Bugs Bunny Rides Again (1948)
- July Jul Bicycle Thieves (1948) $671.1K Bicycle Thieves (1948)
- August Aug The Fallen Idol (1948) $373.3K The Fallen Idol (1948)
- September Sep Red River (1948) $34.3K Red River (1948)
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Last 10 years
How Does 1948 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1940 earned the most: $525.9M from 15 films, led by Gone with the Wind (1940). 1948 took $6.2M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 14 films | 14 | $26.7M | – | The Wizard of Oz (1939) $25.6M |
| 1940 15 films · +1866% | 15 | $525.9M | +1866% | Gone with the Wind (1940) $402.4M |
| 1941 11 films · −100% | 11 | $1.9M | −100% | Citizen Kane (1941) $1.7M |
| 1942 14 films · +13995% | 14 | $268.3M | +13995% | Bambi (1942) $267.4M |
| 1943 8 films · −98% | 8 | $6.2M | −98% | Casablanca (1943) $4.7M |
| 1944 15 films · −98% | 15 | $132K | −98% | Henry V (1944) $62.6K |
| 1945 16 films · +16649% | 16 | $22.1M | +16649% | The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945) $21.3M |
| 1946 23 films · +317% | 23 | $92.2M | +317% | Song of the South (1946) $37.5M |
| 1947 20 films · −87% | 20 | $12.1M | −87% | It's a Wonderful Life (1947) $10.6M |
| 1948 22 films · −48% | 22 | $6.2M | −48% | The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) $5M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in 1948?
Drama took $6.2M across 16 films, 99% of the total, ahead of Western ($5.1M) and Adventure ($5M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $707.7K across 17 films, 11% of the total, ahead of Italian-language films ($460.6K) and Japanese-language films ($47K).
1948 Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $6.2M16 films · #1 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) -
Western $5.1M4 films · #1 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) -
Adventure $5M1 film · #1 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) -
Thriller $464.6K6 films · #1 The Fallen Idol (1948) -
Romance $191.5K6 films · #1 The Red Shoes (1948) -
Crime $132.1K5 films · #1 Brighton Rock (1948) -
Comedy $29.7K4 films · #1 Bugs Bunny Rides Again (1948) -
Animation $29.5K2 films · #1 Bugs Bunny Rides Again (1948) -
Sci-Fi $14.8K1 film · #1 Haredevil Hare (1948) -
Mystery $13.6K2 films · #1 Rope (1948)
Archive
Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1918 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $37.1B, led by Avengers: Endgame (2019).
2020s 7 years · $134B
2010s 10 years · $325.6B
- 2019 $37.1B #1 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- 2018 $37.1B #1 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- 2017 $36.6B #1 Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
- 2016 $34.2B #1 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- 2015 $34B #1 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
- 2014 $30.1B #1 Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014)
- 2013 $31.3B #1 Frozen (2013)
- 2012 $30.6B #1 The Avengers (2012)
- 2011 $28.1B #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
- 2010 $26.5B #1 Toy Story 3 (2010)
2000s 10 years · $201.4B
- 2009 $27.2B #1 Avatar (2009)
- 2008 $23.9B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $24.1B #1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
- 2006 $21.2B #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
- 2005 $20.2B #1 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- 2004 $19.7B #1 Shrek 2 (2004)
- 2003 $19.2B #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- 2002 $15.8B #1 Spider-Man (2002)
- 2001 $16B #1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
- 2000 $14B #1 Mission: Impossible II (2000)
1990s 10 years · $91.9B
- 1999 $13.7B #1 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- 1998 $11.3B #1 Armageddon (1998)
- 1997 $12.7B #1 Titanic (1997)
- 1996 $9.9B #1 Independence Day (1996)
- 1995 $9.5B #1 Toy Story (1995)
- 1994 $8.5B #1 The Lion King (1994)
- 1993 $7.1B #1 Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- 1992 $6.3B #1 The Bodyguard (1992)
- 1991 $6.2B #1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- 1990 $6.7B #1 Ghost (1990)
1980s 10 years · $36B
- 1989 $6.1B #1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- 1988 $4.9B #1 Rain Man (1988)
- 1987 $4B #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- 1986 $3.7B #1 Top Gun (1986)
- 1985 $3.7B #1 Back to the Future (1985)
- 1984 $3.6B #1 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- 1983 $2.8B #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- 1982 $2.5B #1 Tootsie (1982)
- 1981 $2.1B #1 Superman II (1981)
- 1980 $2.5B #1 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
1970s 10 years · $11.1B
- 1979 $2.2B #1 Moonraker (1979)
- 1978 $2B #1 Grease (1978)
- 1977 $2.2B #1 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- 1976 $784.1M #1 Rocky (1976)
- 1975 $1.1B #1 Jaws (1975)
- 1974 $803.9M #1 Blazing Saddles (1974)
- 1973 $989.4M #1 The Exorcist (1973)
- 1972 $371.4M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- 1971 $206M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $450M #1 The Aristocats (1970)
1960s 10 years · $1.8B
- 1969 $247.4M #1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- 1968 $144M #1 Funny Girl (1968)
- 1967 $441.4M #1 The Jungle Book (1967)
- 1966 $29.9M #1 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
- 1965 $387.9M #1 The Sound of Music (1965)
- 1964 $240.7M #1 Mary Poppins (1964)
- 1963 $138.3M #1 Cleopatra (1963)
- 1962 $52M #1 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- 1961 $12.9M #1 The Taste of Violence (1961)
- 1960 $94.9M #1 Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
1950s 10 years · $801.3M
- 1959 $127.1M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- 1958 $13.9M #1 Vertigo (1958)
- 1957 $32.7M #1 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- 1956 $162.1M #1 The Ten Commandments (1956)
- 1955 $96.9M #1 Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- 1954 $74.4M #1 Rear Window (1954)
- 1953 $153.5M #1 Peter Pan (1953)
- 1952 $38.8M #1 The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
- 1951 $4.8M #1 Ace in the Hole (1951)
- 1950 $97.2M #1 Cinderella (1950)
1940s 10 years · $936.9M
- 1949 $1.8M #1 The Third Man (1949)
- 1948 $6.2M #1 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
- 1947 $12.1M #1 It's a Wonderful Life (1947)
- 1946 $92.2M #1 Song of the South (1946)
- 1945 $22.1M #1 The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945)
- 1944 $132K #1 Henry V (1944)
- 1943 $6.2M #1 Casablanca (1943)
- 1942 $268.3M #1 Bambi (1942)
- 1941 $1.9M #1 Citizen Kane (1941)
- 1940 $525.9M #1 Gone with the Wind (1940)
1930s 10 years · $214M
- 1939 $26.7M #1 The Wizard of Oz (1939)
- 1938 $185.2M #1 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938)
- 1937 $32.8K #1 Stage Door (1937)
- 1936 $1.5M #1 Born to Dance (1936)
- 1935 $105.9K #1 The 39 Steps (1935)
- 1934 $47.3K #1 It Happened One Night (1934)
- 1933 $164.8K #1 Duck Soup (1933)
- 1932 $51.1K #1 The Old Dark House (1932)
- 1931 $135.8K #1 Drácula (1931)
- 1930 $6.1K #1 The Blue Angel (1930)
1920s 9 years · $10M
- 1929 $89.2K #1 Pandora’s Box (1929)
- 1928 $41.6K #1 The Air Circus (1928)
- 1927 $245K #1 Sunrise (1927)
- 1926 $67.1K #1 Battleship Potemkin (1926)
- 1925 $87.5K #1 The Gold Rush (1925)
- 1924 $198.9K #1 The Epic of Everest (1924)
- 1923 $13.2K #1 A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923)
- 1921 $9.2M #1 The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)
- 1920 $9.3K #1 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
1910s 2 years · $9.8K
FAQ
Box Office 1948: 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 22 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in 1948?
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) leads with $5M worldwide, $5M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Bicycle Thieves (1948) at $459K and The Fallen Idol (1948) at $373.2K.
How much did movies released in 1948 earn?
22 films released in 1948 report a worldwide gross, $6.2M in all, or $283.7K per film on average. 1947 releases took $12.1M.
How many movies released in 1948 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948), earned $5M.
How is the 1948 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 1948. 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.
How often is the 1948 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.