#1 of 8 #1 movie of September 1978
1978 · Comedy, Music
$44.4M worldwide · 61% of the chart's total
$44.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Box office · September 1978
September 1978 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing September Releases
Up in Smoke (1978) is the highest-grossing movie released in September 1978, with $44.4M worldwide, ahead of Death on the Nile (1978) at $14.6M and Paradise Alley (1978) at $7.2M. 8 films released in September 1978 report a worldwide gross, $73.2M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 140% on August 1978, whose releases took $30.4M. By genre, Comedy leads with $44.4M across 2 releases.
- September 1978 releases with a gross
- 8
- combined worldwide
- $73.2M
- Up in Smoke (1978), the #1
- $44.4M
- vs August 1978
- +140%
#1 of 8 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of September 1978?
Up in Smoke (1978) leads with $44.4M, 61% of the total. The top 5 together took $73.1M, almost all of what the 8 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 September 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 September 1978.
- 1 Sep 15, 1978 US and Canada: $44.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $44.4M
- 2 Sep 29, 1978 US and Canada: $14.6M Rest of the world: $9.2K Worldwide: $14.6M
- 3 Sep 22, 1978 US and Canada: $7.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.2M
- 4 Sep 13, 1978 US and Canada: $3.4M Rest of the world: $47.4K Worldwide: $3.5M
- 5 Sep 13, 1978 US and Canada: $3.4M Rest of the world: $46.2K Worldwide: $3.5M
- 6
Sep 20, 1978 US and Canada: $69.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $69.3K - 7
Sep 28, 1978 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $17.2K - 8
Sep 28, 1978 US and Canada: $4.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.8K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in September 1978?
Of the top 8, Up in Smoke (1978) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Days of Heaven (1978) made 1% of its gross abroad. Across all 8 films, $73.1M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 8 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Up in Smoke (1978) $44.4M $44.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Death on the Nile (1978) $14.6M $14.6M US & Canada · 100% $9.2K elsewhere · <1%
- 3 Paradise Alley (1978) $7.2M $7.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Days of Heaven (1978) $3.5M $3.4M US & Canada · 99% $47.4K elsewhere · 1%
- 5 Days of Heaven (1978) $3.5M $3.4M US & Canada · 99% $46.2K elsewhere · 1%
- 6 Langrishe, Go Down (1978) $69.3K $69.3K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Loggerheads (1978) $17.2K No US & Canada figure reported
- 8 Bloodbrothers (1978) $4.8K $4.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of September 1978 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 37 (Sep 10–16) took $51.4M, led by Up in Smoke (1978). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 35 Wk 35 Aug 27–Sep 2 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 36 Wk 36 Sep 3–9 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 37 Wk 37 Sep 10–16 Up in Smoke (1978) $51.4M Up in Smoke (1978)
- Week 38 Wk 38 Sep 17–23 Paradise Alley (1978) $7.3M Paradise Alley (1978)
- Week 39 Wk 39 Sep 24–30 Death on the Nile (1978) $14.6M Death on the Nile (1978)
Earlier years
How Does September 1978 Compare With September in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, September 1975 earned the most: $143.4M from 5 films, led by The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). September 1978 took $73.2M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1969 7 films | 7 | $2.4M | – | Satyricon (1969) $1.1M |
| September 1970 2 films · −97% | 2 | $65.7K | −97% | The Wild Child (1970) $65.6K |
| September 1971 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| September 1972 3 films | 3 | $107K | – | The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) $103.2K |
| September 1973 2 films · +78% | 2 | $190.9K | +78% | The Spirit of the Beehive (1973) $190.7K |
| September 1974 5 films · −96% | 5 | $7.6K | −96% | Dunderklumpen! (1974) $5.9K |
| September 1975 5 films · +1897935% | 5 | $143.4M | +1897935% | The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) $115.8M |
| September 1976 2 films · −98% | 2 | $2.8M | −98% | Bugsy Malone (1976) $2.8M |
| September 1977 6 films · +263% | 6 | $10.3M | +263% | Bobby Deerfield (1977) $9.3M |
| September 1978 8 films · +609% | 8 | $73.2M | +609% | Up in Smoke (1978) $44.4M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in September 1978?
Comedy took $44.4M across 2 films, 61% of the total, ahead of Music ($44.4M) and Drama ($28.8M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $73.2M across 7 films, 100% of the total, ahead of Italian-language films ($17.2K).
September 1978 Box Office by Genre
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 September 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 8 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in September 1978?
Up in Smoke (1978) leads with $44.4M worldwide, $44.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Death on the Nile (1978) at $14.6M and Paradise Alley (1978) at $7.2M.
How much did movies released in September 1978 earn?
8 films released in September 1978 report a worldwide gross, $73.2M in all, or $9.1M per film on average. August 1978 releases took $30.4M.
How many movies released in September 1978 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Up in Smoke (1978), earned $44.4M.
How is the September 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 September 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 September 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.