#1 of 53 #1 movie of 1973
1973 · Drama, Thriller
$430.9M worldwide · 44% of the chart's total
$233M US & Canada · 54% $197.9M elsewhere · 46%
Box office · 1973
1973 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing Movies of 1973
The Exorcist (1973) is the highest-grossing movie released in 1973, with $430.9M worldwide, ahead of The Sting (1973) at $156M and American Graffiti (1973) at $115M. 53 films released in 1973 report a worldwide gross, $989.4M in all, 80% of it from the US & Canada. 3 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 166% on 1972, whose releases took $371.4M. By genre, Drama leads with $869.6M across 34 releases.
- 1973 releases with a gross
- 53
- combined worldwide
- $989.4M
- films crossed $100M
- 3
- vs 1972
- +166%
#1 of 53 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of 1973?
The Exorcist (1973) leads with $430.9M, 44% of the total. The top 5 together took $800.1M, 81% of what all 53 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 1973, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 53. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1973.
- 1 Dec 26, 1973 US and Canada: $233M Rest of the world: $197.9M Worldwide: $430.9M
- 2 Dec 25, 1973 US and Canada: $156M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $156M
- 3 Aug 11, 1973 US and Canada: $115M Rest of the world: $6.7K Worldwide: $115M
- 4 Dec 16, 1973 US and Canada: $53.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $53.3M
- 5 Oct 19, 1973 US and Canada: $45M Rest of the world: $493 Worldwide: $45M
- 6
Dec 25, 1973 US and Canada: $39.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $39.8M - 7
Jan 27, 1973 US and Canada: $36.1M Rest of the world: $39.1K Worldwide: $36.2M - 8
Jun 27, 1973 US and Canada: $35.4M Rest of the world: $6.3K Worldwide: $35.4M - 9
Dec 5, 1973 US and Canada: $29.8M Rest of the world: $57.9K Worldwide: $29.9M - 10
Dec 17, 1973 US and Canada: $18.3M Rest of the world: $139 Worldwide: $18.3M - 11
Aug 22, 1973 US and Canada: $15.7M Rest of the world: $6.5K Worldwide: $15.7M - 12
Jun 15, 1973 US and Canada: $8.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.8M - 13
Jul 30, 1973 US and Canada: $2.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.3M - 14
Aug 24, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.4M - 15
Mar 26, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $318.3K - 16
Dec 18, 1973 US and Canada: $125.5K Rest of the world: $70.3K Worldwide: $195.8K - 17
Sep 18, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $190.7K - 18
Nov 29, 1973 US and Canada: $61K Rest of the world: $56.2K Worldwide: $117.2K - 19
Dec 9, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $116.1K - 20
Aug 19, 1973 US and Canada: $25.3K Rest of the world: $90.5K Worldwide: $115.8K - 21
Aug 15, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $102K - 22
Dec 1, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $70.3K - 23
Oct 14, 1973 US and Canada: $32.6K Rest of the world: $29K Worldwide: $61.7K - 24
Oct 15, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $54.4K - 25
Oct 5, 1973 US and Canada: $40.6K Rest of the world: $6.8K Worldwide: $47.3K - 26
Mar 7, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $24.2K - 27
Apr 20, 1973 US and Canada: $21.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.2K - 28
Nov 18, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $17.8K - 29
Feb 4, 1973 US and Canada: $16K Rest of the world: $155 Worldwide: $16.2K - 30
Feb 8, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $15.3K - 31
Dec 30, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $15.1K - 32
Oct 12, 1973 US and Canada: $8.1K Rest of the world: $1.8K Worldwide: $10K - 33
May 23, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.5K - 34
Dec 6, 1973 US and Canada: $4.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.3K - 35
Jun 22, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.7K - 36
Aug 1, 1973 US and Canada: $3.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.2K - 37
Dec 1, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.7K - 38
Feb 23, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $965 - 39
Nov 21, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $614 - 40
May 9, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $591 - 41
Jun 14, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $535 - 42
1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $535 - 43
May 15, 1973 US and Canada: $509 Rest of the world: Worldwide: $509 - 44
Oct 12, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $483 - 45
May 1, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $469 - 46
Jun 27, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $378 - 47
Mar 25, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $332 - 48
Apr 11, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $295 - 49
Mar 24, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $259 - 50
May 9, 1973 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $210
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1973?
Of the top 10, The Sting (1973) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Exorcist (1973) made 46% of its gross abroad. Across all 53 films, $788.9M (80%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Exorcist (1973) $430.9M $233M US & Canada · 54% $197.9M elsewhere · 46%
- 2 The Sting (1973) $156M $156M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 American Graffiti (1973) $115M $115M US & Canada · 100% $6.7K elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Papillon (1973) $53.3M $53.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 The Way We Were (1973) $45M $45M US & Canada · 100% $493 elsewhere · <1%
- 6 Magnum Force (1973) $39.8M $39.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Last Tango in Paris (1973) $36.2M $36.1M US & Canada · 100% $39.1K elsewhere · <1%
- 8 Live and Let Die (1973) $35.4M $35.4M US & Canada · 100% $6.3K elsewhere · <1%
- 9 Serpico (1973) $29.9M $29.8M US & Canada · 100% $57.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 10 Sleeper (1973) $18.3M $18.3M US & Canada · 100% $139 elsewhere · <1%
Gross bands
How Many 1973 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
3 of 53 films crossed $100M and took $701.9M between them, 71% of the total. 42 films, 79% of the list, earned under $10M.
71% 28%
- $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 3 films, 6% of the list $701.9M · 71% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 8 films, 15% of the list $273.5M · 28% of the gross
- Under $10M 42 films, 79% of the list $14M · 1% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1973 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $728.5M from 12 films, led by The Exorcist (1973). May was the quietest month ($10.3K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Last Tango in Paris (1973) $36.2M Last Tango in Paris (1973)
- February Feb Wattstax (1973) $32.4K Wattstax (1973)
- March Mar Sisters (1973) $343.2K Sisters (1973)
- April Apr Ganja & Hess (1973) $21.5K Ganja & Hess (1973)
- May May Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) $10.3K Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973)
- June Jun Live and Let Die (1973) $44.2M Live and Let Die (1973)
- July Jul The Day of the Jackal (1973) $2.3M The Day of the Jackal (1973)
- August Aug American Graffiti (1973) $132.3M American Graffiti (1973)
- September Sep The Spirit of the Beehive (1973) $190.9K The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
- October Oct The Way We Were (1973) $45.2M The Way We Were (1973)
- November Nov The Holy Mountain (1973) $135.6K The Holy Mountain (1973)
- December Dec The Exorcist (1973) $728.5M The Exorcist (1973)
Last 10 years
How Does 1973 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1973 earned the most: $989.4M from 53 films, led by The Exorcist (1973).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 36 films | 36 | $240.7M | – | Mary Poppins (1964) $103.1M |
| 1965 30 films · +61% | 30 | $387.9M | +61% | The Sound of Music (1965) $159.5M |
| 1966 41 films · −92% | 41 | $29.9M | −92% | Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) $28M |
| 1967 36 films · +1375% | 36 | $441.4M | +1375% | The Jungle Book (1967) $205.8M |
| 1968 40 films · −67% | 40 | $144M | −67% | Funny Girl (1968) $52.2M |
| 1969 44 films · +72% | 44 | $247.4M | +72% | Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) $102.3M |
| 1970 41 films · +82% | 41 | $450M | +82% | The Aristocats (1970) $191M |
| 1971 48 films · −54% | 48 | $206M | −54% | The French Connection (1971) $51.7M |
| 1972 50 films · +80% | 50 | $371.4M | +80% | The Godfather (1972) $250.3M |
| 1973 53 films · +166% | 53 | $989.4M | +166% | The Exorcist (1973) $430.9M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in 1973?
Drama took $869.6M across 34 films, 88% of the total, ahead of Thriller ($509M) and Horror ($431.3M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $906.4M across 35 films, 92% of the total, ahead of Finnish-language films ($1.4M) and Italian-language films ($197.3K).
1973 Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $869.6M34 films · #1 The Exorcist (1973) -
Thriller $509M15 films · #1 The Exorcist (1973) -
Horror $431.3M4 films · #1 The Exorcist (1973) -
Comedy $290.9M12 films · #1 The Sting (1973) -
Crime $281.5M16 films · #1 The Sting (1973) -
Action $84.1M10 films · #1 Magnum Force (1973) -
Biography $83.1M3 films · #1 Papillon (1973) -
Romance $81.3M6 films · #1 The Way We Were (1973) -
Mystery $55.8M6 films · #1 Magnum Force (1973) -
Adventure $35.5M3 films · #1 Live and Let Die (1973)
1973 Box Office by Language
-
English $906.4M35 films · #1 The Exorcist (1973) -
Finnish $1.4M1 film · #1 Uuno Turhapuro (1973) -
Italian $197.3K3 films · #1 Amarcord (1973) -
Spanish $190.7K1 film · #1 The Spirit of the Beehive (1973) -
French $50.6K3 films · #1 The Mother and the Whore (1973) -
Russian $15.1K1 film · #1 Cipollino (1973) -
German $10K1 film · #1 The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1973) -
Chinese $4.3K1 film · #1 The Fate of Lee Khan (1973) -
Bulgarian $3.7K1 film · #1 Indian Summer (1973) -
Japanese $6372 films · #1 Belladonna of Sadness (1973)
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 · $134.1B
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 1973: 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 53 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in 1973?
The Exorcist (1973) leads with $430.9M worldwide, $233M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Sting (1973) at $156M and American Graffiti (1973) at $115M.
How much did movies released in 1973 earn?
53 films released in 1973 report a worldwide gross, $989.4M in all, or $18.7M per film on average. 1972 releases took $371.4M.
How many movies released in 1973 made $1 billion?
None. 3 films crossed $100 million, led by The Exorcist (1973) with $430.9M.
How is the 1973 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 1973. 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 1973 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.