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Box office · May 1986

May 1986 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing May Releases

Top Gun (1986) is the highest-grossing movie released in May 1986, with $357.3M worldwide, ahead of Cobra (1986) at $49M and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) at $41M. 13 films released in May 1986 report a worldwide gross, $522.4M in all, 66% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 4.5 times the total of April 1986, whose releases took $115.7M. By genre, Action leads with $422.3M across 6 releases.

May 1986 releases with a gross
13
combined worldwide
$522.4M
film crossed $100M
1
vs April 1986
×4.5
Top Gun (1986) movie poster #1 of 13
#1 movie of May 1986

Top Gun (1986)

1986 · Action, Drama

$357.3M worldwide · 68% of the chart's total

$180.3M US & Canada · 50% $177M elsewhere · 50%
Top 5

What Were the Biggest Hits of May 1986?

Top Gun (1986) leads with $357.3M, 68% of the total. The top 5 together took $506.1M, 97% of what all 13 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.

  1. Top Gun (1986) movie poster Number 1
    $357.3M Top Gun (1986)
    $180.3M US & Canada · 50% $177M elsewhere · 50%
  2. Cobra (1986) movie poster Number 2
    $49M Cobra (1986)
    $49M US & Canada · 100% $2.4K elsewhere · <1%
  3. Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) movie poster Number 3
    $41M Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
    $41M US & Canada · 100% $1.4K elsewhere · <1%
  4. Short Circuit (1986) movie poster Number 4
    $40.7M Short Circuit (1986)
    $40.7M US & Canada · 100% $542 elsewhere · <1%
  5. Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) movie poster Number 5
    $18M Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)
    $18M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%

US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world

The chart

Every Release of May 1986, 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 1986.

  1. 1 Top Gun (1986) movie poster
    Top Gun (1986) May 16, 1986 · English · Action, Drama $357.3M worldwide
    May 16, 1986 US and Canada: $180.3M Rest of the world: $177M Worldwide: $357.3M
  2. 2 Cobra (1986) movie poster
    Cobra (1986) May 23, 1986 · Action, Thriller $49M worldwide
    May 23, 1986 US and Canada: $49M Rest of the world: $2.4K Worldwide: $49M
  3. 3 Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) movie poster
    Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) May 23, 1986 · English · Horror $41M worldwide
    May 23, 1986 US and Canada: $41M Rest of the world: $1.4K Worldwide: $41M
  4. 4 Short Circuit (1986) movie poster
    Short Circuit (1986) May 9, 1986 · Sci-Fi, Comedy $40.7M worldwide
    May 9, 1986 US and Canada: $40.7M Rest of the world: $542 Worldwide: $40.7M
  5. 5 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) movie poster
    Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) May 2, 1986 · English · Drama, Comedy $18M worldwide
    May 2, 1986 US and Canada: $18M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18M
  6. 6 Blue City (1986) movie poster
    Blue City (1986) May 2, 1986 · English · Action, Drama $6.9M worldwide
    May 2, 1986 US and Canada: $6.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.9M
  7. 7 No Retreat, No Surrender (1986) movie poster
    No Retreat, No Surrender (1986) May 2, 1986 · English · Action, Drama $4.7M worldwide
    May 2, 1986 US and Canada: $4.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7M
  8. 8 Dangerously Close (1986) movie poster
    Dangerously Close (1986) May 9, 1986 · English · Thriller, Crime $2.4M worldwide
    May 9, 1986 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.4M
  9. 9 Jake Speed (1986) movie poster
    Jake Speed (1986) May 30, 1986 · English · Action, Adventure $1.9M worldwide
    May 30, 1986 US and Canada: $1.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.9M
  10. 10 The Sacrifice (1986) movie poster
    The Sacrifice (1986) May 9, 1986 · Swedish · Drama $318.8K worldwide
    May 9, 1986 US and Canada: $223K Rest of the world: $95.8K Worldwide: $318.8K
  11. 11 Spookies (1986) movie poster
    Spookies (1986) May 14, 1986 · English · Horror $17.8K worldwide
    May 14, 1986 US and Canada: $17.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.8K
  12. 12 Coming Up Roses (1986) movie poster
    Coming Up Roses (1986) May 16, 1986 · Welsh · Comedy $4.3K worldwide
    May 16, 1986 US and Canada: $4.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.3K
  13. 13 Demons (1986) movie poster
    Demons (1986) May 30, 1986 · English · Horror $2.9K worldwide
    May 30, 1986 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.9K
US & Canada vs the world

Where Did the Money Come From in May 1986?

Of the top 10, Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Top Gun (1986) made 50% of its gross abroad. Across all 13 films, $345.2M (66%) came from the US & Canada.

  1. 1 Top Gun (1986) $357.3M
    $180.3M US & Canada · 50% $177M elsewhere · 50%
  2. 2 Cobra (1986) $49M
    $49M US & Canada · 100% $2.4K elsewhere · <1%
  3. 3 Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) $41M
    $41M US & Canada · 100% $1.4K elsewhere · <1%
  4. 4 Short Circuit (1986) $40.7M
    $40.7M US & Canada · 100% $542 elsewhere · <1%
  5. 5 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) $18M
    $18M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
  6. 6 Blue City (1986) $6.9M
    $6.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
  7. 7 No Retreat, No Surrender (1986) $4.7M
    $4.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
  8. 8 Dangerously Close (1986) $2.4M
    $2.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
  9. 9 Jake Speed (1986) $1.9M
    $1.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
  10. 10 The Sacrifice (1986) $318.8K
    $223K US & Canada · 70% $95.8K elsewhere · 30%
Gross bands

How Many May 1986 Releases Crossed $100 Million?

1 of 13 films crossed $100M and took $357.3M between them, 68% of the total. 8 films, 62% of the list, earned under $10M.

  • $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, 8% of the list $357.3M · 68% of the gross
  • $10M to $100M 4 films, 31% of the list $148.8M · 28% of the gross
  • Under $10M 8 films, 62% of the list $16.3M · 3% of the gross
By release week

Which Week of May 1986 Had the Biggest Releases?

Films released in week 20 (May 11–17) took $357.3M, led by Top Gun (1986). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.

  1. Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 27–May 3 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) $29.6M Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)
  2. Week 19 Wk 19 May 4–10 Short Circuit (1986) $43.4M Short Circuit (1986)
  3. Week 20 Wk 20 May 11–17 Top Gun (1986) $357.3M Top Gun (1986)
  4. Week 21 Wk 21 May 18–24 Cobra (1986) $90M Cobra (1986)
  5. Week 22 Wk 22 May 25–31 Jake Speed (1986) $1.9M Jake Speed (1986)
Earlier years

How Does May 1986 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 1986 took $522.4M.

Month Films Worldwide Change Biggest film
May 1977 7 films 7 $903M – 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
May 1984 15 films · −18% 15 $486.6M −18% Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) $333.1M
May 1985 20 films · +8% 20 $527.8M +8% Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) $300.4M
May 1986 13 films · −1% 13 $522.4M −1% Top Gun (1986) $357.3M
Genres & languages

Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in May 1986?

Action took $422.3M across 6 films, 81% of the total, ahead of Drama ($387.3M) and Romance ($357.3M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $432.3M across 9 films, 83% of the total, ahead of Swedish-language films ($318.8K) and Welsh-language films ($4.3K).

May 1986 Box Office by Genre

  1. Action $422.3M
    6 films · #1 Top Gun (1986)
  2. Drama $387.3M
    5 films · #1 Top Gun (1986)
  3. Romance $357.3M
    1 film · #1 Top Gun (1986)
  4. Comedy $65.3M
    5 films · #1 Short Circuit (1986)
  5. Crime $65M
    5 films · #1 Cobra (1986)
  6. Thriller $51.4M
    2 films · #1 Cobra (1986)
  7. Horror $41M
    3 films · #1 Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
  8. Family $40.7M
    1 film · #1 Short Circuit (1986)
  9. Sci-Fi $40.7M
    1 film · #1 Short Circuit (1986)
  10. Fantasy $18M
    1 film · #1 Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)

May 1986 Box Office by Language

  1. English $432.3M
    9 films · #1 Top Gun (1986)
  2. Swedish $318.8K
    1 film · #1 The Sacrifice (1986)
  3. Welsh $4.3K
    1 film · #1 Coming Up Roses (1986)
Archive

Box Office in 1986, Month by Month

The months of 1986 with their totals: June leads with $548.4M, led by The Karate Kid Part II (1986).

FAQ

Box Office May 1986: 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 13 films as the chart.

What is the highest-grossing movie in May 1986?

Top Gun (1986) leads with $357.3M worldwide, $180.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Cobra (1986) at $49M and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) at $41M.

How much did movies released in May 1986 earn?

13 films released in May 1986 report a worldwide gross, $522.4M in all, or $40.2M per film on average. April 1986 releases took $115.7M.

How many movies released in May 1986 made $1 billion?

None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Top Gun (1986) with $357.3M.

How much of the May 1986 box office came from the US and Canada?

$345.2M of the $522.4M total, or 66%, was earned in the US & Canada (the domestic market); the rest came from other countries. 1 film of the 13 report no domestic figure.

How is the May 1986 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 1986. 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 1986 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.