#1 of 16 #1 movie of January 1991
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)
1991 · Thriller, Drama
$175M worldwide · 51% of the chart's total
$101.6M US & Canada · 58% $73.4M elsewhere · 42%
Box office · January 1991
January 1991 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing January Releases
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) is the highest-grossing movie released in January 1991, with $175M worldwide, ahead of White Fang (1991) at $34.8M and Green Card (1991) at $29.9M. 16 films released in January 1991 report a worldwide gross, $340.5M in all, 78% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 45% on December 1990, whose releases took $624M. By genre, Drama leads with $314.3M across 9 releases.
- January 1991 releases with a gross
- 16
- combined worldwide
- $340.5M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs December 1990
- −45%
#1 of 16 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of January 1991?
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) leads with $175M, 51% of the total. The top 5 together took $284.7M, 84% of what all 16 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 January 1991, 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 January 1991.
- 1 Jan 13, 1991 US and Canada: $101.6M Rest of the world: $73.4M Worldwide: $175M
- 2 Jan 18, 1991 US and Canada: $34.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.8M
- 3 Jan 11, 1991 US and Canada: $29.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $29.9M
- 4 Jan 11, 1991 US and Canada: $24.1M Rest of the world: $193K Worldwide: $24.3M
- 5 Jan 18, 1991 US and Canada: $20.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.7M
- 6
Jan 18, 1991 US and Canada: $14.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.9M - 7
Jan 11, 1991 US and Canada: $14.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.8M - 8
Jan 18, 1991 US and Canada: $14.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.6M - 9
Jan 18, 1991 US and Canada: $5.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.5M - 10
Jan 31, 1991 US and Canada: $4.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.5M - 11
Jan 30, 1991 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M - 12
1991 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $322.8K - 13
High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass Music (1991)1991 US and Canada: $53.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $53.3K
1991 · English · Documentary, Music $53.3K worldwide - 14
Jan 11, 1991 US and Canada: $18.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.5K - 15
1991 US and Canada: $13.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.6K - 16
Jan 18, 1991 US and Canada: $5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in January 1991?
Of the top 10, White Fang (1991) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) made 42% of its gross abroad. Across all 16 films, $266.6M (78%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) $175M $101.6M US & Canada · 58% $73.4M elsewhere · 42%
- 2 White Fang (1991) $34.8M $34.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Green Card (1991) $29.9M $29.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Lionheart (1991) $24.3M $24.1M US & Canada · 99% $193K elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Hamlet (1991) $20.7M $20.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Once Around (1991) $14.9M $14.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Not Without My Daughter (1991) $14.8M $14.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Flight of the Intruder (1991) $14.6M $14.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Eve of Destruction (1991) $5.5M $5.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Mediterraneo (1991) $4.5M $4.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many January 1991 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 16 films crossed $100M and took $175M between them, 51% of the total. 8 films, 50% of the list, earned under $10M.
51% 45%
- $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, 6% of the list $175M · 51% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 7 films, 44% of the list $153.9M · 45% of the gross
- Under $10M 8 films, 50% of the list $11.6M · 3% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of January 1991 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 3 (Jan 13–19) took $265.4M, led by Sleeping with the Enemy (1991). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 1 Wk 1 Jan 1–5 Red and Black (1991) $389.7K Red and Black (1991)
- Week 2 Wk 2 Jan 6–12 Green Card (1991) $69M Green Card (1991)
- Week 3 Wk 3 Jan 13–19 Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) $265.4M Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)
- Week 4 Wk 4 Jan 20–26 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 5 Wk 5 Jan 27–Feb 2 Mediterraneo (1991) $5.8M Mediterraneo (1991)
Earlier years
How Does January 1991 Compare With January in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, January 1991 earned the most: $340.5M from 16 films, led by Sleeping with the Enemy (1991).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1982 7 films | 7 | $43.3M | – | Vice Squad (1982) $13.3M |
| January 1983 4 films · −44% | 4 | $24.2M | −44% | The House on Sorority Row (1983) $10.6M |
| January 1984 8 films · +224% | 8 | $78.5M | +224% | Yentl (1984) $40.2M |
| January 1985 6 films · −75% | 6 | $19.6M | −75% | Tuff Turf (1985) $9.4M |
| January 1986 19 films · +722% | 19 | $161M | +722% | Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986) $62.1M |
| January 1987 14 films · −9% | 14 | $146.4M | −9% | Outrageous Fortune (1987) $52.9M |
| January 1988 10 films · +15% | 10 | $168.7M | +15% | Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) $123.9M |
| January 1989 11 films · −43% | 11 | $96.3M | −43% | Three Fugitives (1989) $40.6M |
| January 1990 17 films · −25% | 17 | $72.7M | −25% | Internal Affairs (1990) $27.7M |
| January 1991 16 films · +368% | 16 | $340.5M | +368% | Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) $175M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in January 1991?
Drama took $314.3M across 9 films, 92% of the total, ahead of Thriller ($195.2M) and Romance ($70M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $271M across 12 films, 80% of the total, ahead of Italian-language films ($4.5M) and Cantonese-language films ($322.8K).
January 1991 Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $314.3M9 films · #1 Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) -
Thriller $195.2M3 films · #1 Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) -
Romance $70M4 films · #1 Green Card (1991) -
Comedy $49.3M4 films · #1 Green Card (1991) -
Action $45.6M4 films · #1 Lionheart (1991) -
Adventure $36M2 films · #1 White Fang (1991) -
Crime $24.3M1 film · #1 Lionheart (1991) -
Sport $24.3M1 film · #1 Lionheart (1991) -
War $19.1M2 films · #1 Flight of the Intruder (1991) -
Sci-Fi $5.5M1 film · #1 Eve of Destruction (1991)
Archive
Box Office in 1991, Month by Month
The months of 1991 with their totals: November leads with $1.1B, led by Beauty and the Beast (1991).
- January $340.5M #1 Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)
- February $412M #1 The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
- March $322.1M #1 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)
- April $155.7M #1 Out for Justice (1991)
- May $474.3M #1 Backdraft (1991)
- June $861.2M #1 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
- July $967.5M #1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- August $246.5M #1 Doc Hollywood (1991)
- September $206.7M #1 The Fisher King (1991)
- October $185.3M #1 Curly Sue (1991)
- November $1.1B #1 Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- December $937.4M #1 Hook (1991)
FAQ
Box Office January 1991: 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 16 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in January 1991?
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) leads with $175M worldwide, $101.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come White Fang (1991) at $34.8M and Green Card (1991) at $29.9M.
How much did movies released in January 1991 earn?
16 films released in January 1991 report a worldwide gross, $340.5M in all, or $21.3M per film on average. December 1990 releases took $624M.
How many movies released in January 1991 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Sleeping with the Enemy (1991) with $175M.
How is the January 1991 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 January 1991. 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 January 1991 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.