#1 of 10 #1 movie of May 1981
1981 · Romance, Drama
$50.4M worldwide · 39% of the chart's total
$50.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Box office · May 1981
May 1981 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing May Releases
The Four Seasons (1981) is the highest-grossing movie released in May 1981, with $50.4M worldwide, ahead of Bustin’ Loose (1981) at $31.3M and Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) at $21.7M. 10 films released in May 1981 report a worldwide gross, $130.9M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 5% on April 1981, whose releases took $137.4M. By genre, Drama leads with $91.8M across 5 releases.
- May 1981 releases with a gross
- 10
- combined worldwide
- $130.9M
- The Four Seasons (1981), the #1
- $50.4M
- vs April 1981
- −5%
#1 of 10 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of May 1981?
The Four Seasons (1981) leads with $50.4M, 39% of the total. The top 5 together took $126M, 96% of what all 10 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 May 1981, 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 1981.
- 1 May 22, 1981 US and Canada: $50.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $50.4M
- 2 May 22, 1981 US and Canada: $31.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.3M
- 3 May 1, 1981 US and Canada: $21.7M Rest of the world: $199 Worldwide: $21.7M
- 4 May 22, 1981 US and Canada: $17.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.4M
- 5 May 4, 1981 US and Canada: $5.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.2M
- 6
May 15, 1981 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.1M - 7
May 1, 1981 US and Canada: $1.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.8M - 8
May 8, 1981 US and Canada: $19.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.5K - 9
May 29, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.1K - 10
May 8, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $315
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1981?
Of the top 10, The Four Seasons (1981) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 10 films, $130.9M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 2 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Four Seasons (1981) $50.4M $50.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Bustin’ Loose (1981) $31.3M $31.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) $21.7M $21.7M US & Canada · 100% $199 elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Outland (1981) $17.4M $17.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Inchon (1981) $5.2M $5.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 The Fan (1981) $3.1M $3.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 King of the Mountain (1981) $1.8M $1.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Second-Hand Hearts (1981) $19.5K $19.5K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Polyester (1981) $5.1K No US & Canada figure reported
- 10 The Burning (1981) $315 No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many May 1981 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 10 films reached $100M. 6 films, 60% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $130.9M total.
92%
- $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 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $10M to $100M 4 films, 40% of the list $120.8M · 92% of the gross
- Under $10M 6 films, 60% of the list $10.1M · 8% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of May 1981 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 17–23) took $99.1M, led by The Four Seasons (1981). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 26–May 2 Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) $23.5M Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 3–9 Inchon (1981) $5.2M Inchon (1981)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 10–16 The Fan (1981) $3.1M The Fan (1981)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 17–23 The Four Seasons (1981) $99.1M The Four Seasons (1981)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 24–30 Polyester (1981) $5.1K Polyester (1981)
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 31–Jun 6 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1981 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1977 earned the most: $903M from 7 films, led by Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). May 1981 took $130.9M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1972 4 films | 4 | $33.4K | – | Play It Again, Sam (1972) $15.4K |
| May 1973 6 films · −69% | 6 | $10.3K | −69% | Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973) $8.5K |
| May 1974 7 films · +212484% | 7 | $21.9M | +212484% | Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) $21.7M |
| May 1975 7 films · +213% | 7 | $68.5M | +213% | The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) $41.8M |
| May 1976 5 films · −92% | 5 | $5.4M | −92% | That's Entertainment, Part II (1976) $5M |
| May 1977 7 films · +16669% | 7 | $903M | +16669% | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) $775.4M |
| May 1978 9 films · −92% | 9 | $76M | −92% | The End (1978) $44.9M |
| May 1979 10 films · −66% | 10 | $26.1M | −66% | La Cage aux Folles (1979) $20.4M |
| May 1980 13 films · +2586% | 13 | $700.1M | +2586% | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) $550M |
| May 1981 10 films · −81% | 10 | $130.9M | −81% | The Four Seasons (1981) $50.4M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in May 1981?
Drama took $91.8M across 5 films, 70% of the total, ahead of Comedy ($81.7M) and Romance ($50.4M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $130.9M across 9 films, 100% of the total.
May 1981 Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $91.8M5 films · #1 The Four Seasons (1981) -
Comedy $81.7M4 films · #1 The Four Seasons (1981) -
Romance $50.4M1 film · #1 The Four Seasons (1981) -
Thriller $42.2M3 films · #1 Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) -
Horror $24.8M3 films · #1 Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) -
Mystery $21.7M1 film · #1 Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) -
Action $17.4M1 film · #1 Outland (1981) -
Crime $17.4M1 film · #1 Outland (1981) -
Sci-Fi $17.4M1 film · #1 Outland (1981) -
Western $17.4M1 film · #1 Outland (1981)
Archive
Box Office in 1981, Month by Month
The months of 1981 with their totals: June leads with $572.7M, led by Superman II (1981).
- January $35.7M #1 The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981)
- February $50M #1 Fort Apache the Bronx (1981)
- March $96.1M #1 The Final Conflict (1981)
- April $137.4M #1 Excalibur (1981)
- May $130.9M #1 The Four Seasons (1981)
- June $572.7M #1 Superman II (1981)
- July $341.4M #1 Arthur (1981)
- August $146.6M #1 An American Werewolf in London (1981)
- September $75M #1 Only When I Laugh (1981)
- October $96.6M #1 The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981)
- November $66.2M #1 Time Bandits (1981)
- December $379.7M #1 On Golden Pond (1981)
FAQ
Box Office May 1981: 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 10 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in May 1981?
The Four Seasons (1981) leads with $50.4M worldwide, $50.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Bustin’ Loose (1981) at $31.3M and Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) at $21.7M.
How much did movies released in May 1981 earn?
10 films released in May 1981 report a worldwide gross, $130.9M in all, or $13.1M per film on average. April 1981 releases took $137.4M.
How many movies released in May 1981 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Four Seasons (1981), earned $50.4M.
How is the May 1981 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 1981. 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 1981 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.