#1 of 5 #1 movie of November 1978
1978 · Fantasy, Adventure
$30.5M worldwide · 88% of the chart's total
$30.5M US & Canada · 100% $5.8K elsewhere · <1%
Box office · November 1978
November 1978 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing November Releases
The Lord of the Rings (1978) is the highest-grossing movie released in November 1978, with $30.5M worldwide, ahead of Caravans (1978) at $3.9M and Watership Down (1978) at $21.9K. 5 films released in November 1978 report a worldwide gross, $34.4M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 74% on October 1978, whose releases took $133.4M. By genre, Adventure leads with $34.4M across 3 releases.
- November 1978 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $34.4M
- The Lord of the Rings (1978), the #1
- $30.5M
- vs October 1978
- −74%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of November 1978?
The Lord of the Rings (1978) leads with $30.5M, 88% of the total. The top 5 together took $34.4M, almost all of what the 5 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 November 1978, 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 November 1978.
- 1 Nov 15, 1978 US and Canada: $30.5M Rest of the world: $5.8K Worldwide: $30.5M
- 2 Nov 2, 1978 US and Canada: $3.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.9M
- 3 Nov 1, 1978 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $21.9K
- 4 Nov 17, 1978 US and Canada: $9.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.5K
- 5 Nov 8, 1978 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.7K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in November 1978?
Of the top 5, Caravans (1978) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Lord of the Rings (1978) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $34.4M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 2 films of the top 5 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Lord of the Rings (1978) $30.5M $30.5M US & Canada · 100% $5.8K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Caravans (1978) $3.9M $3.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Watership Down (1978) $21.9K No US & Canada figure reported
- 4 Northern Lights (1978) $9.5K $9.5K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Mountain Pass (1978) $1.7K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of November 1978 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 46 (Nov 12–18) took $30.5M, led by The Lord of the Rings (1978). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 44 Wk 44 Oct 29–Nov 4 Caravans (1978) $4M Caravans (1978)
- Week 45 Wk 45 Nov 5–11 Mountain Pass (1978) $1.7K Mountain Pass (1978)
- Week 46 Wk 46 Nov 12–18 The Lord of the Rings (1978) $30.5M The Lord of the Rings (1978)
- Week 47 Wk 47 Nov 19–25 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 48 Wk 48 Nov 26–Dec 2 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does November 1978 Compare With November in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, November 1977 earned the most: $443.2M from 10 films, led by Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). November 1978 took $34.4M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 1969 4 films | 4 | $110.5K | – | Kes (1969) $86.2K |
| November 1970 1 film · −69% | 1 | $34.3K | −69% | Elvis: That’s the Way It Is (1970) $34.3K |
| November 1971 6 films · +61993% | 6 | $21.3M | +61993% | Play Misty for Me (1971) $10.6M |
| November 1972 2 films · −97% | 2 | $605.2K | −97% | Elvis on Tour (1972) $587.8K |
| November 1973 3 films · −78% | 3 | $135.6K | −78% | The Holy Mountain (1973) $117.2K |
| November 1974 7 films · +79131% | 7 | $107.4M | +79131% | Earthquake (1974) $79.7M |
| November 1975 2 films · +2% | 2 | $109.1M | +2% | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) $109.1M |
| November 1976 6 films · −46% | 6 | $59.4M | −46% | Carrie (1976) $33.9M |
| November 1977 10 films · +646% | 10 | $443.2M | +646% | Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) $306.9M |
| November 1978 5 films · −92% | 5 | $34.4M | −92% | The Lord of the Rings (1978) $30.5M |
Archive
Box Office in 1978, Month by Month
The months of 1978 with their totals: June leads with $737.7M, led by Grease (1978).
- January $495.4K #1 Uncle Joe Shannon (1978)
- February $68.3M #1 Coming Home (1978)
- March $69.5M #1 House Calls (1978)
- April $48.5M #1 F.I.S.T. (1978)
- May $76M #1 The End (1978)
- June $737.7M #1 Grease (1978)
- July $200M #1 Hooper (1978)
- August $30.4M #1 Eyes of Laura Mars (1978)
- September $73.2M #1 Up in Smoke (1978)
- October $133.4M #1 Halloween (1978)
- November $34.4M #1 The Lord of the Rings (1978)
- December $498.1M #1 Superman (1978)
FAQ
Box Office November 1978: 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 5 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in November 1978?
The Lord of the Rings (1978) leads with $30.5M worldwide, $30.5M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Caravans (1978) at $3.9M and Watership Down (1978) at $21.9K.
How much did movies released in November 1978 earn?
5 films released in November 1978 report a worldwide gross, $34.4M in all, or $6.9M per film on average. October 1978 releases took $133.4M.
How many movies released in November 1978 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Lord of the Rings (1978), earned $30.5M.
How is the November 1978 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 November 1978. 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 November 1978 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.