#1 of 10 #1 movie of May 1983
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
1983 · Action, Adventure
$482.5M worldwide · 81% of the chart's total
$316.6M US & Canada · 66% $165.9M elsewhere · 34%
Box office · May 1983
May 1983 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing May Releases
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) is the highest-grossing movie released in May 1983, with $482.5M worldwide, ahead of Blue Thunder (1983) at $42.3M and Breathless (1983) at $19.9M. 10 films released in May 1983 report a worldwide gross, $593.6M in all, 72% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 3.5 times the total of April 1983, whose releases took $171.3M. By genre, Action leads with $550.8M across 5 releases.
- May 1983 releases with a gross
- 10
- combined worldwide
- $593.6M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs April 1983
- ×3.5
#1 of 10 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of May 1983?
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) leads with $482.5M, 81% of the total. The top 5 together took $576.7M, 97% 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 $482.5M Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)$316.6M US & Canada · 66% $165.9M elsewhere · 34%
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 $16.5M Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983)$16.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0% -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Release of May 1983, 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 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 May 13, 1983 US and Canada: $42.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.3M
- 3 May 13, 1983 US and Canada: $19.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.9M
- 4 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
- 5 May 6, 1983 US and Canada: $15.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.5M
- 6
May 6, 1983 US and Canada: $10.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.4M - 7
May 27, 1983 US and Canada: $6.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.1M - 8
May 17, 1983 US and Canada: $303K Rest of the world: $25.2K Worldwide: $328.2K - 9
May 14, 1983 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.7K - 10
May 28, 1983 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $87
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1983?
Of the top 10, Blue Thunder (1983) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) made 34% of its gross abroad. Across all 10 films, $427.6M (72%) came from the US & Canada. 2 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M $316.6M US & Canada · 66% $165.9M elsewhere · 34%
- 2 Blue Thunder (1983) $42.3M $42.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Breathless (1983) $19.9M $19.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983) $16.5M $16.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Still Smokin (1983) $15.5M $15.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Doctor Detroit (1983) $10.4M $10.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Chained Heat (1983) $6.1M $6.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Nostalgia (1983) $328.2K $303K US & Canada · 92% $25.2K elsewhere · 8%
- 9 Utu (1983) $1.7K No US & Canada figure reported
- 10 Golgo 13: The Professional (1983) $87 No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many May 1983 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 10 films crossed $100M and took $482.5M between them, 81% of the total. 4 films, 40% of the list, earned under $10M.
81% 18%
- $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 1 film, 10% of the list $482.5M · 81% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 5 films, 50% of the list $104.6M · 18% of the gross
- Under $10M 4 films, 40% of the list $6.5M · 1% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of May 1983 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 22 (May 22–28) took $488.6M, led by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 1–7 Still Smokin (1983) $25.9M Still Smokin (1983)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 8–14 Blue Thunder (1983) $62.2M Blue Thunder (1983)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 15–21 Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983) $16.8M Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 22–28 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $488.6M Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 29–Jun 4 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1983 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 1983 took $593.6M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1974 7 films | 7 | $21.9M | – | 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 |
| May 1982 17 films · +111% | 17 | $275.9M | +111% | Rocky III (1982) $125.1M |
| May 1983 10 films · +115% | 10 | $593.6M | +115% | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in May 1983?
Action took $550.8M across 5 films, 93% of the total, ahead of Thriller ($550.8M) and Sci-Fi ($541.3M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $557.8M across 6 films, 94% of the total, ahead of Russian-language films ($328.2K) and Japanese-language films ($87).
May 1983 Box Office by Genre
-
Action $550.8M5 films · #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) -
Thriller $550.8M4 films · #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) -
Sci-Fi $541.3M3 films · #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) -
Adventure $498.9M3 films · #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) -
Fantasy $482.5M1 film · #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) -
Drama $68.7M5 films · #1 Blue Thunder (1983) -
Crime $48.5M3 films · #1 Blue Thunder (1983) -
Comedy $25.9M2 films · #1 Still Smokin (1983) -
Romance $20.2M2 films · #1 Breathless (1983) -
Music $15.5M1 film · #1 Still Smokin (1983)
Archive
Box Office in 1983, Month by Month
The months of 1983 with their totals: May leads with $593.6M, led by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983).
- January $24.2M #1 The House on Sorority Row (1983)
- February $117.8M #1 Gandhi (1983)
- March $158.6M #1 High Road to China (1983)
- April $171.3M #1 Flashdance (1983)
- May $593.6M #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- June $437.6M #1 Trading Places (1983)
- July $291.7M #1 Jaws 3-D (1983)
- August $226.6M #1 Mr. Mom (1983)
- September $128.7M #1 The Big Chill (1983)
- October $181.9M #1 Never Say Never Again (1983)
- November $161.1M #1 Terms of Endearment (1983)
- December $313.5M #1 Sudden Impact (1983)
FAQ
Box Office May 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 10 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in May 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 Blue Thunder (1983) at $42.3M and Breathless (1983) at $19.9M.
How much did movies released in May 1983 earn?
10 films released in May 1983 report a worldwide gross, $593.6M in all, or $59.4M per film on average. April 1983 releases took $171.3M.
How many movies released in May 1983 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) with $482.5M.
How is the May 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 May 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 May 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.