#1 of 147 #1 movie of 1983
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
1983 · Action, Adventure
$482.5M worldwide · 17% of the chart's total
$316.6M US & Canada · 66% $165.9M elsewhere · 34%
Box office · 1983
1983 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing Movies of 1983
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) is the highest-grossing movie released in 1983, with $482.5M worldwide, ahead of Terms of Endearment (1983) at $108.4M and Flashdance (1983) at $92.9M. 147 films released in 1983 report a worldwide gross, $2.8B in all, 91% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 12% on 1982, whose releases took $2.5B. By genre, Thriller leads with $1.2B across 30 releases.
- 1983 releases with a gross
- 147
- combined worldwide
- $2.8B
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- vs 1982
- +12%
#1 of 147 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of 1983?
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) leads with $482.5M, 17% of the total. The top 5 together took $862.2M, 31% of what all 147 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1 $482.5M Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)$316.6M US & Canada · 66% $165.9M elsewhere · 34%
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Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Release of 1983, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 147. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1983.
- 1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)May 25, 1983 US and Canada: $316.6M Rest of the world: $165.9M Worldwide: $482.5M
May 25, 1983 · English · Action, Adventure $482.5M worldwide - 2 Nov 23, 1983 US and Canada: $108.4M Rest of the world: $260 Worldwide: $108.4M
- 3 Apr 15, 1983 US and Canada: $92.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $92.9M
- 4 Jun 8, 1983 US and Canada: $90.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $90.4M
- 5 Jul 22, 1983 US and Canada: $45.5M Rest of the world: $42.5M Worldwide: $88M
- 6
Jun 17, 1983 US and Canada: $60M Rest of the world: $20.3M Worldwide: $80.3M - 7
Jun 3, 1983 US and Canada: $79.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $79.6M - 8
Jun 10, 1983 US and Canada: $67.9M Rest of the world: $23.7K Worldwide: $67.9M - 9
Dec 9, 1983 US and Canada: $67.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $67.6M - 10
Dec 1, 1983 US and Canada: $46M Rest of the world: $20.5M Worldwide: $66.4M - 11
Jul 15, 1983 US and Canada: $64.9M Rest of the world: $659 Worldwide: $64.9M - 12
Aug 19, 1983 US and Canada: $64.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $64.8M - 13
Aug 5, 1983 US and Canada: $63.5M Rest of the world: $573 Worldwide: $63.5M - 14
Jul 29, 1983 US and Canada: $61.4M Rest of the world: $299 Worldwide: $61.4M - 15
Sep 28, 1983 US and Canada: $56.4M Rest of the world: $133 Worldwide: $56.4M - 16
Oct 7, 1983 US and Canada: $55.4M Rest of the world: $344 Worldwide: $55.4M - 17
Feb 25, 1983 US and Canada: $52.8M Rest of the world: $530 Worldwide: $52.8M - 18
May 13, 1983 US and Canada: $42.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.3M - 19
Dec 14, 1983 US and Canada: $35.6M Rest of the world: $1.4K Worldwide: $35.6M - 20
Jun 3, 1983 US and Canada: $34.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.7M - 21
Jun 24, 1983 US and Canada: $33.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $33.8M - 22
Dec 16, 1983 US and Canada: $30.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $30.5M - 23
Oct 7, 1983 US and Canada: $29.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $29.6M - 24
Jun 24, 1983 US and Canada: $29.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $29.5M - 25
Aug 19, 1983 US and Canada: $29.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $29.3M - 26
Mar 18, 1983 US and Canada: $28.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $28.4M - 27
Mar 25, 1983 US and Canada: $25.8M Rest of the world: $17.8K Worldwide: $25.9M - 28
Mar 25, 1983 US and Canada: $24.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $24.1M - 29
Dec 16, 1983 US and Canada: $23.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.6M - 30
Apr 22, 1983 US and Canada: $22.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.6M - 31
Jul 22, 1983 US and Canada: $21.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.7M - 32
Oct 21, 1983 US and Canada: $21.2M Rest of the world: $213 Worldwide: $21.2M - 33
Aug 12, 1983 US and Canada: $21.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.2M - 34
Dec 9, 1983 US and Canada: $21M Rest of the world: $27.9K Worldwide: $21M - 35
Nov 18, 1983 US and Canada: $20.8M Rest of the world: $14.5K Worldwide: $20.8M - 36
Oct 21, 1983 US and Canada: $20.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.8M - 37
May 13, 1983 US and Canada: $19.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.9M - 38
Mar 25, 1983 US and Canada: $17.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.6M - 39
Apr 29, 1983 US and Canada: $17.3M Rest of the world: $548 Worldwide: $17.3M - 40
Oct 21, 1983 US and Canada: $17.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.2M - 41
Jul 29, 1983 US and Canada: $16.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.9M - 42
Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983)May 20, 1983 US and Canada: $16.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.5M May 20, 1983 · English · Adventure, Sci-Fi $16.5M worldwide - 43
Oct 28, 1983 US and Canada: $16.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.2M - 44
Dec 16, 1983 US and Canada: $16.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.1M - 45
Dec 16, 1983 US and Canada: $15.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.9M - 46
May 6, 1983 US and Canada: $15.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.5M - 47
Mar 31, 1983 US and Canada: $14.9M Rest of the world: $20.1K Worldwide: $14.9M - 48
Sep 21, 1983 US and Canada: $14.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.6M - 49
Jul 29, 1983 US and Canada: $14M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14M - 50
Feb 4, 1983 US and Canada: $13.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.3M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1983?
Of the top 10, Flashdance (1983) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Jaws 3-D (1983) made 48% of its gross abroad. Across all 147 films, $2.6B (91%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M $316.6M US & Canada · 66% $165.9M elsewhere · 34%
- 2 Terms of Endearment (1983) $108.4M $108.4M US & Canada · 100% $260 elsewhere · <1%
- 3 Flashdance (1983) $92.9M $92.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Trading Places (1983) $90.4M $90.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Jaws 3-D (1983) $88M $45.5M US & Canada · 52% $42.5M elsewhere · 48%
- 6 Superman III (1983) $80.3M $60M US & Canada · 75% $20.3M elsewhere · 25%
- 7 WarGames (1983) $79.6M $79.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Octopussy (1983) $67.9M $67.9M US & Canada · 100% $23.7K elsewhere · <1%
- 9 Sudden Impact (1983) $67.6M $67.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Scarface (1983) $66.4M $46M US & Canada · 69% $20.5M elsewhere · 31%
Gross bands
How Many 1983 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
2 of 147 films crossed $100M and took $590.9M between them, 21% of the total. 80 films, 54% of the list, earned under $10M.
21% 71% 8%
- $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, 1% of the list $590.9M · 21% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 65 films, 44% of the list $2B · 71% of the gross
- Under $10M 80 films, 54% of the list $227.6M · 8% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1983 Earned the Most?
May releases took the most, $593.6M from 10 films, led by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). January was the quietest month ($24.2M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan The House on Sorority Row (1983) $24.2M The House on Sorority Row (1983)
- February Feb Gandhi (1983) $117.8M Gandhi (1983)
- March Mar High Road to China (1983) $158.6M High Road to China (1983)
- April Apr Flashdance (1983) $171.3M Flashdance (1983)
- May May Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $593.6M Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- June Jun Trading Places (1983) $437.6M Trading Places (1983)
- July Jul Jaws 3-D (1983) $291.7M Jaws 3-D (1983)
- August Aug Mr. Mom (1983) $226.6M Mr. Mom (1983)
- September Sep The Big Chill (1983) $128.7M The Big Chill (1983)
- October Oct Never Say Never Again (1983) $181.9M Never Say Never Again (1983)
- November Nov Terms of Endearment (1983) $161.1M Terms of Endearment (1983)
- December Dec Sudden Impact (1983) $313.5M Sudden Impact (1983)
Last 10 years
How Does 1983 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1983 earned the most: $2.8B from 147 films, led by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 65 films | 65 | $803.9M | – | Blazing Saddles (1974) $119.6M |
| 1975 49 films · +35% | 49 | $1.1B | +35% | Jaws (1975) $477.9M |
| 1976 49 films · −28% | 49 | $784.1M | −28% | Rocky (1976) $117.3M |
| 1977 72 films · +184% | 72 | $2.2B | +184% | Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) $775.4M |
| 1978 84 films · −12% | 84 | $2B | −12% | Grease (1978) $396.3M |
| 1979 99 films · +10% | 99 | $2.2B | +10% | Moonraker (1979) $210.3M |
| 1980 130 films · +16% | 130 | $2.5B | +16% | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) $550M |
| 1981 136 films · −15% | 136 | $2.1B | −15% | Superman II (1981) $216.4M |
| 1982 154 films · +18% | 154 | $2.5B | +18% | Tootsie (1982) $177.2M |
| 1983 147 films · +12% | 147 | $2.8B | +12% | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in 1983?
Thriller took $1.2B across 30 films, 42% of the total, ahead of Drama ($1.1B) and Action ($1.1B). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $2.6B across 129 films, 93% of the total, ahead of Hindi-language films ($64.9M) and French-language films ($13.6M).
1983 Box Office by Genre
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Thriller $1.2B30 films · #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) -
Drama $1.1B77 films · #1 Terms of Endearment (1983) -
Action $1.1B28 films · #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) -
Adventure $990M21 films · #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) -
Comedy $979.6M49 films · #1 Terms of Endearment (1983) -
Sci-Fi $781.3M17 films · #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) -
Fantasy $694.5M13 films · #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) -
Romance $551.9M34 films · #1 Terms of Endearment (1983) -
Crime $344.3M24 films · #1 Sudden Impact (1983) -
Horror $243.8M15 films · #1 Jaws 3-D (1983)
1983 Box Office by Language
- English $2.6B129 films · #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
-
Hindi $64.9M1 film · #1 Staying Alive (1983) -
French $13.6M6 films · #1 Without a Trace (1983) -
Swedish $6.8M1 film · #1 Fanny and Alexander (1983) -
Portuguese $1.3M1 film · #1 Gabriela (1983) -
Russian $328.2K1 film · #1 Nostalgia (1983) -
Chinese $37.5K1 film · #1 That Day, on the Beach (1983) -
Japanese $871 film · #1 Golgo 13: The Professional (1983)
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 · $133.9B
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)
1910s 2 years · $9.8K
FAQ
Box Office 1983: 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 147 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in 1983?
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) leads with $482.5M worldwide, $316.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Terms of Endearment (1983) at $108.4M and Flashdance (1983) at $92.9M.
How much did movies released in 1983 earn?
147 films released in 1983 report a worldwide gross, $2.8B in all, or $19.1M per film on average. 1982 releases took $2.5B.
How many movies released in 1983 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) with $482.5M.
How is the 1983 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 1983. 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 1983 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.