#1 of 136 #1 movie of 1981
1981 · Action, Adventure
$216.4M worldwide · 10% of the chart's total
$108.2M US & Canada · 50% $108.2M elsewhere · 50%
Box office · 1981
1981 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing Movies of 1981, Page 2
Superman II (1981) is the highest-grossing movie released in 1981, with $216.4M worldwide, ahead of On Golden Pond (1981) at $119.3M and Arthur (1981) at $95.5M. 136 films released in 1981 report a worldwide gross, $2.1B in all, 95% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 15% on 1980, whose releases took $2.5B. By genre, Drama leads with $889.5M across 67 releases.
- 1981 releases with a gross
- 136
- combined worldwide
- $2.1B
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- vs 1980
- −15%
#1 of 136 Page 2 of 3
Every Release of 1981, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 51 to 100 of 136. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1981.
- 51
Jun 26, 1981 US and Canada: $14.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.1M - 52
Sep 25, 1981 US and Canada: $12.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.9M - 53
Apr 3, 1981 US and Canada: $12.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.7M - 54
Aug 6, 1981 US and Canada: $12.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.6M - 55
Aug 21, 1981 US and Canada: $12.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.5M - 56
Mar 20, 1981 US and Canada: $12.4M Rest of the world: $6.8K Worldwide: $12.4M - 57
Jul 24, 1981 US and Canada: $12M Rest of the world: $1.5K Worldwide: $12M - 58
Mar 13, 1981 US and Canada: $11.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.8M - 59
Mar 27, 1981 US and Canada: $11.5M Rest of the world: $2.6K Worldwide: $11.5M - 60
Jun 12, 1981 US and Canada: $11M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11M - 61
Jul 31, 1981 US and Canada: $10.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.9M - 62
Dec 11, 1981 US and Canada: $10.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.9M - 63
Jul 24, 1981 US and Canada: $10.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.6M - 64
Aug 6, 1981 US and Canada: $9.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.6M - 65
Aug 14, 1981 US and Canada: $8.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.3M - 66
Dec 2, 1981 US and Canada: $8.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.2M - 67
Aug 21, 1981 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M - 68
Mar 13, 1981 US and Canada: $7.9M Rest of the world: $142 Worldwide: $7.9M - 69
Apr 2, 1981 US and Canada: $7.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.3M - 70
Dec 11, 1981 US and Canada: $6.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.9M - 71
Feb 13, 1981 US and Canada: $6.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.4M - 72
Mar 4, 1981 US and Canada: $6.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.3M - 73
Aug 28, 1981 US and Canada: $5.7M Rest of the world: $6K Worldwide: $5.7M - 74
Feb 11, 1981 US and Canada: $5.7M Rest of the world: $1.3K Worldwide: $5.7M - 75
Apr 10, 1981 US and Canada: $5.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.5M - 76
Feb 13, 1981 US and Canada: $5.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.5M - 77
Nov 28, 1981 US and Canada: $5.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.2M - 78
May 4, 1981 US and Canada: $5.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.2M - 79
Aug 7, 1981 US and Canada: $5.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.2M - 80
Oct 9, 1981 US and Canada: $5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5M - 81
Mar 6, 1981 US and Canada: $4.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.5M - 82
Nov 13, 1981 US and Canada: $3.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.7M - 83
Oct 2, 1981 US and Canada: $3.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.3M - 84
May 15, 1981 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.1M - 85
Jul 24, 1981 US and Canada: $2.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.9M - 86
Mar 13, 1981 US and Canada: $2.9M Rest of the world: $582 Worldwide: $2.9M - 87
Apr 24, 1981 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.4M - 88
Dec 18, 1981 US and Canada: $2.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.2M - 89
Apr 10, 1981 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2M - 90
Feb 11, 1981 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2M - 91
Aug 21, 1981 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2M - 92
Sep 18, 1981 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2M - 93
May 1, 1981 US and Canada: $1.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.8M - 94
Mar 20, 1981 US and Canada: $1.7M Rest of the world: $23.4K Worldwide: $1.8M - 95
Oct 23, 1981 US and Canada: $1.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.6M - 96
Jan 7, 1981 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.2M - 97
Feb 11, 1981 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.1M - 98
Aug 26, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $917.3K - 99
Oct 10, 1981 US and Canada: $777.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $777.1K - 100
Aug 7, 1981 US and Canada: $546.5K Rest of the world: $1K Worldwide: $547.6K
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 · $134B
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)