#1 of 14 #1 movie of December 1980
1980 · Comedy
$103.3M worldwide · 21% of the chart's total
$103.3M US & Canada · 100% $13K elsewhere · <1%
Box office · December 1980
December 1980 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing December Releases
9 to 5 (1980) is the highest-grossing movie released in December 1980, with $103.3M worldwide, ahead of Stir Crazy (1980) at $101.3M and Any Which Way You Can (1980) at $70.7M. 14 films released in December 1980 report a worldwide gross, $494.4M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 16.7 times the total of November 1980, whose releases took $29.7M. By genre, Comedy leads with $391.3M across 7 releases.
- December 1980 releases with a gross
- 14
- combined worldwide
- $494.4M
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- vs November 1980
- ×16.7
#1 of 14 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of December 1980?
9 to 5 (1980) leads with $103.3M, 21% of the total. The top 5 together took $369.1M, 75% of what all 14 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 December 1980, 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 December 1980.
- 1 Dec 19, 1980 US and Canada: $103.3M Rest of the world: $13K Worldwide: $103.3M
- 2 Dec 12, 1980 US and Canada: $101.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $101.3M
- 3 Dec 17, 1980 US and Canada: $70.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $70.7M
- 4 Dec 12, 1980 US and Canada: $49.8M Rest of the world: $292 Worldwide: $49.8M
- 5 Dec 19, 1980 US and Canada: $44M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $44M
- 6
Dec 5, 1980 US and Canada: $27.1M Rest of the world: $78.6K Worldwide: $27.2M - 7
Dec 19, 1980 US and Canada: $27.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $27.1M - 8
Dec 12, 1980 US and Canada: $20.1M Rest of the world: $7.9K Worldwide: $20.1M - 9
Dec 25, 1980 US and Canada: $19.9M Rest of the world: $6 Worldwide: $19.9M - 10
Dec 25, 1980 US and Canada: $15.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.2M - 11
Dec 19, 1980 US and Canada: $8.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.9M - 12
Dec 10, 1980 US and Canada: $7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7M - 13
Dec 20, 1980 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $6.5K - 14
Dec 25, 1980 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $808
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1980?
Of the top 10, Stir Crazy (1980) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Flash Gordon (1980) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 14 films, $494.3M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 9 to 5 (1980) $103.3M $103.3M US & Canada · 100% $13K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Stir Crazy (1980) $101.3M $101.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Any Which Way You Can (1980) $70.7M $70.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Popeye (1980) $49.8M $49.8M US & Canada · 100% $292 elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Seems Like Old Times (1980) $44M $44M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Flash Gordon (1980) $27.2M $27.1M US & Canada · 100% $78.6K elsewhere · <1%
- 7 The Jazz Singer (1980) $27.1M $27.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Tess (1980) $20.1M $20.1M US & Canada · 100% $7.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 9 Altered States (1980) $19.9M $19.9M US & Canada · 100% $6 elsewhere · <1%
- 10 First Family (1980) $15.2M $15.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many December 1980 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
2 of 14 films crossed $100M and took $204.6M between them, 41% of the total. 4 films, 29% of the list, earned under $10M.
41% 55%
- $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 2 films, 14% of the list $204.6M · 41% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 8 films, 57% of the list $274M · 55% of the gross
- Under $10M 4 films, 29% of the list $15.9M · 3% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of December 1980 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 14–20) took $254M, led by 9 to 5 (1980). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 30–Dec 6 Flash Gordon (1980) $27.2M Flash Gordon (1980)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 7–13 Stir Crazy (1980) $178.2M Stir Crazy (1980)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 14–20 9 to 5 (1980) $254M 9 to 5 (1980)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 21–27 Altered States (1980) $35.1M Altered States (1980)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 28–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1980 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1973 earned the most: $728.5M from 12 films, led by The Exorcist (1973). December 1980 took $494.4M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1971 6 films | 6 | $73.6M | – | Dirty Harry (1971) $36M |
| December 1972 8 films · +15% | 8 | $85M | +15% | The Poseidon Adventure (1972) $84.6M |
| December 1973 12 films · +757% | 12 | $728.5M | +757% | The Exorcist (1973) $430.9M |
| December 1974 10 films · −60% | 10 | $290.6M | −60% | The Towering Inferno (1974) $116M |
| December 1975 7 films · −70% | 7 | $86.5M | −70% | Dog Day Afternoon (1975) $50M |
| December 1976 7 films · +341% | 7 | $381M | +341% | Rocky (1976) $117.3M |
| December 1977 6 films · −23% | 6 | $295M | −23% | Saturday Night Fever (1977) $237.1M |
| December 1978 9 films · +69% | 9 | $498.1M | +69% | Superman (1978) $300.5M |
| December 1979 13 films · +14% | 13 | $567.4M | +14% | Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) $106.3M |
| December 1980 14 films · −13% | 14 | $494.4M | −13% | 9 to 5 (1980) $103.3M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in December 1980?
Comedy took $391.3M across 7 films, 79% of the total, ahead of Romance ($141M) and Crime ($110.2M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $467.4M across 10 films, 95% of the total, ahead of French-language films ($7M) and Tamil-language films ($6.5K).
December 1980 Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $391.3M7 films · #1 9 to 5 (1980) -
Romance $141M5 films · #1 Popeye (1980) -
Crime $110.2M2 films · #1 Stir Crazy (1980) -
Action $97.9M3 films · #1 Any Which Way You Can (1980) -
Thriller $55.9M3 films · #1 Flash Gordon (1980) -
Family $49.8M1 film · #1 Popeye (1980) -
Musical $49.8M1 film · #1 Popeye (1980) -
Drama $47.2M3 films · #1 The Jazz Singer (1980) -
Sci-Fi $47M2 films · #1 Flash Gordon (1980) -
Adventure $27.2M1 film · #1 Flash Gordon (1980)
Archive
Box Office in 1980, Month by Month
The months of 1980 with their totals: May leads with $700.1M, led by Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980).
- January $4.4M #1 Windows (1980)
- February $118.7M #1 American Gigolo (1980)
- March $132M #1 Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
- April $23.9M #1 The Last Married Couple in America (1980)
- May $700.1M #1 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- June $283.7M #1 The Blues Brothers (1980)
- July $329.7M #1 Airplane! (1980)
- August $147.7M #1 Smokey and the Bandit II (1980)
- September $102.7M #1 Ordinary People (1980)
- October $143.4M #1 Private Benjamin (1980)
- November $29.7M #1 Raging Bull (1980)
- December $494.4M #1 9 to 5 (1980)
FAQ
Box Office December 1980: 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 14 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in December 1980?
9 to 5 (1980) leads with $103.3M worldwide, $103.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Stir Crazy (1980) at $101.3M and Any Which Way You Can (1980) at $70.7M.
How much did movies released in December 1980 earn?
14 films released in December 1980 report a worldwide gross, $494.4M in all, or $35.3M per film on average. November 1980 releases took $29.7M.
How many movies released in December 1980 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by 9 to 5 (1980) with $103.3M.
How is the December 1980 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 December 1980. 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 December 1980 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.