#1 of 27 #1 movie of May 1991
1991 · Action, Drama
$152.4M worldwide · 32% of the chart's total
$77.9M US & Canada · 51% $74.5M elsewhere · 49%
Box office · May 1991
May 1991 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing May Releases
Backdraft (1991) is the highest-grossing movie released in May 1991, with $152.4M worldwide, ahead of What About Bob? (1991) at $63.7M and Thelma & Louise (1991) at $45.5M. 27 films released in May 1991 report a worldwide gross, $474.3M in all, 81% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 3 times the total of April 1991, whose releases took $155.7M. By genre, Crime leads with $254.4M across 7 releases.
- May 1991 releases with a gross
- 27
- combined worldwide
- $474.3M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs April 1991
- ×3
#1 of 27 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of May 1991?
Backdraft (1991) leads with $152.4M, 32% of the total. The top 5 together took $327.1M, 69% of what all 27 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 May 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 May 1991.
- 1 May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $77.9M Rest of the world: $74.5M Worldwide: $152.4M
- 2 May 17, 1991 US and Canada: $63.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $63.7M
- 3 May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $45.4M Rest of the world: $113K Worldwide: $45.5M
- 4 May 31, 1991 US and Canada: $36.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $36.5M
- 5 May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $15M Rest of the world: $14M Worldwide: $29M
- 6
May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $21.8M Rest of the world: $3.3M Worldwide: $25.1M - 7
May 10, 1991 US and Canada: $21.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.1M - 8
May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $17.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.2M - 9
May 10, 1991 US and Canada: $15.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.5M - 10
May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $13.9M Rest of the world: $6K Worldwide: $13.9M - 11
May 3, 1991 US and Canada: $11.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.3M - 12
May 3, 1991 US and Canada: $10.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.4M - 13
May 17, 1991 US and Canada: $9.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.2M - 14
May 9, 1991 US and Canada: $5.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.6M - 15
May 1, 1991 US and Canada: $4.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7M - 16
May 17, 1991 US and Canada: $3.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.8M - 17
May 22, 1991 US and Canada: $2.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.7M - 18
May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $1.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.6M - 19
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991)May 1, 1991 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: $14.9K Worldwide: $1.3M
May 1, 1991 · English · Documentary $1.3M worldwide - 20
May 16, 1991 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.2M - 21
May 3, 1991 US and Canada: $561K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $561K - 22
May 15, 1991 US and Canada: $524.7K Rest of the world: $227 Worldwide: $524.9K - 23
May 25, 1991 US and Canada: $516.4K Rest of the world: $1.1K Worldwide: $517.5K - 24
May 14, 1991 US and Canada: $403.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $403.1K - 25
May 13, 1991 US and Canada: $396.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $396.6K - 26
May 10, 1991 US and Canada: $382.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $382.5K - 27
May 9, 1991 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.2K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1991?
Of the top 10, What About Bob? (1991) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Backdraft (1991) made 49% of its gross abroad. Across all 27 films, $382.4M (81%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Backdraft (1991) $152.4M $77.9M US & Canada · 51% $74.5M elsewhere · 49%
- 2 What About Bob? (1991) $63.7M $63.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Thelma & Louise (1991) $45.5M $45.4M US & Canada · 100% $113K elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Soapdish (1991) $36.5M $36.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) $29M $15M US & Canada · 52% $14M elsewhere · 48%
- 6 Only the Lonely (1991) $25.1M $21.8M US & Canada · 87% $3.3M elsewhere · 13%
- 7 F/X2 (1991) $21.1M $21.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Hudson Hawk (1991) $17.2M $17.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Switch (1991) $15.5M $15.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Drop Dead Fred (1991) $13.9M $13.9M US & Canada · 100% $6K elsewhere · <1%
Gross bands
How Many May 1991 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 27 films crossed $100M and took $152.4M between them, 32% of the total. 15 films, 56% of the list, earned under $10M.
32% 61%
- $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, 4% of the list $152.4M · 32% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 11 films, 41% of the list $289.2M · 61% of the gross
- Under $10M 15 films, 56% of the list $32.8M · 7% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of May 1991 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 19–25) took $287.8M, led by Backdraft (1991). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 28–May 4 One Good Cop (1991) $28.3M One Good Cop (1991)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 5–11 F/X2 (1991) $42.6M F/X2 (1991)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 12–18 What About Bob? (1991) $79.2M What About Bob? (1991)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 19–25 Backdraft (1991) $287.8M Backdraft (1991)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 26–Jun 1 Soapdish (1991) $36.5M Soapdish (1991)
Earlier years
How Does May 1991 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1989 earned the most: $595M from 27 films, led by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). May 1991 took $474.3M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1982 17 films | 17 | $275.9M | – | 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 |
| May 1987 24 films · −25% | 24 | $390.6M | −25% | Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $300M |
| May 1988 28 films · +37% | 28 | $533.3M | +37% | Crocodile Dundee II (1988) $239.6M |
| May 1989 27 films · +12% | 27 | $595M | +12% | Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) $474.2M |
| May 1990 12 films · −23% | 12 | $457.8M | −23% | Back to the Future Part III (1990) $245.1M |
| May 1991 27 films · +4% | 27 | $474.3M | +4% | Backdraft (1991) $152.4M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in May 1991?
Crime took $254.4M across 7 films, 54% of the total, ahead of Drama ($245.6M) and Thriller ($244.4M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $466.6M across 22 films, 98% of the total, ahead of German-language films ($5.6M) and French-language films ($1.6M).
May 1991 Box Office by Genre
-
Crime $254.4M7 films · #1 Backdraft (1991) -
Drama $245.6M15 films · #1 Backdraft (1991) -
Thriller $244.4M7 films · #1 Backdraft (1991) -
Action $215.8M6 films · #1 Backdraft (1991) -
Comedy $208.8M11 films · #1 What About Bob? (1991) -
Mystery $152.4M1 film · #1 Backdraft (1991) -
Romance $67.8M6 films · #1 Soapdish (1991) -
Fantasy $36M5 films · #1 Switch (1991) -
Music $30.6M2 films · #1 Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) -
Documentary $30.3M2 films · #1 Madonna: Truth or Dare (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 May 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 27 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in May 1991?
Backdraft (1991) leads with $152.4M worldwide, $77.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come What About Bob? (1991) at $63.7M and Thelma & Louise (1991) at $45.5M.
How much did movies released in May 1991 earn?
27 films released in May 1991 report a worldwide gross, $474.3M in all, or $17.6M per film on average. April 1991 releases took $155.7M.
How many movies released in May 1991 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Backdraft (1991) with $152.4M.
How is the May 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 May 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 May 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.