#1 of 4 #1 movie of May 1972
1972 · Comedy, Romance
$15.4K worldwide · 46% of the chart's total
No US & Canada figure reported
Box office · May 1972
May 1972 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing May Releases
Play It Again, Sam (1972) is the highest-grossing movie released in May 1972, with $15.4K worldwide, ahead of We Won’t Grow Old Together (1972) at $14.1K and To Be Twenty in the Aures (1972) at $2.4K. 4 films released in May 1972 report a worldwide gross, $33.4K in all, 42% of it from the US & Canada.
- May 1972 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $33.4K
- Play It Again, Sam (1972), the #1
- $15.4K
- earned in the US & Canada
- 42%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Hits of May 1972?
Play It Again, Sam (1972) leads with $15.4K, 46% of the total. The top 4 together took $33.4K, almost all of what the 4 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Release of May 1972, 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 1972.
- 1 May 5, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $15.4K
- 2 May 3, 1972 US and Canada: $14.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.1K
- 3 May 1, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.4K
- 4 May 9, 1972 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.4K
By release week
Which Week of May 1972 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 19 (Apr 30–May 6) took $31.9K, led by Play It Again, Sam (1972). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 19 Wk 19 Apr 30–May 6 Play It Again, Sam (1972) $31.9K Play It Again, Sam (1972)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 7–13 Images (1972) $1.4K Images (1972)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 14–20 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 21–27 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 28–Jun 3 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1972 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1968 earned the most: $44.9M from 5 films, led by The Odd Couple (1968). May 1972 took $33.4K.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1963 2 films | 2 | $16.2M | – | Dr. No (1963) $16.1M |
| May 1964 2 films · +53% | 2 | $24.8M | +53% | From Russia with Love (1964) $24.8M |
| May 1965 2 films · −100% | 2 | $82.2K | −100% | Alphaville (1965) $66.7K |
| May 1966 4 films · +110% | 4 | $172.7K | +110% | A Man and a Woman (1966) $136.5K |
| May 1967 5 films · +5926% | 5 | $10.4M | +5926% | The War Wagon (1967) $6M |
| May 1968 5 films · +332% | 5 | $44.9M | +332% | The Odd Couple (1968) $44.5M |
| May 1969 5 films · ±0% | 5 | $44.9M | ±0% | Midnight Cowboy (1969) $44.8M |
| May 1970 2 films · −28% | 2 | $32.3M | −28% | Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) $19M |
| May 1971 4 films · −61% | 4 | $12.7M | −61% | Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) $12.3M |
| May 1972 4 films · −100% | 4 | $33.4K | −100% | Play It Again, Sam (1972) $15.4K |
Archive
Box Office in 1972, Month by Month
The months of 1972 with their totals: March leads with $251.4M, led by The Godfather (1972).
- January $71K #1 Dushman (1972)
- February $349.1K #1 Solaris (1972)
- March $251.4M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- April No grosses
- May $33.4K #1 Play It Again, Sam (1972)
- June $9.1M #1 Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
- July $6.7M #1 Joe Kidd (1972)
- August $18.1M #1 Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972)
- September $107K #1 The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
- October $20.6K #1 Slap the Monster on Page One (1972)
- November $605.2K #1 Elvis on Tour (1972)
- December $85M #1 The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
FAQ
Box Office May 1972: 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 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in May 1972?
Play It Again, Sam (1972) leads with $15.4K worldwide. Next come We Won’t Grow Old Together (1972) at $14.1K and To Be Twenty in the Aures (1972) at $2.4K.
How much did movies released in May 1972 earn?
4 films released in May 1972 report a worldwide gross, $33.4K in all, or $8.3K per film on average.
How many movies released in May 1972 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Play It Again, Sam (1972), earned $15.4K.
How is the May 1972 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 1972. 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 May 1972 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.