List of 1981 box office number-one films in the United States

This is a list of films which have placed number one at the weekend box office in the United States during 1981.

Number-one films
# Week ending Film Gross Notes Ref
1January 4, 19819 to 5$7,111,919[1]
2January 11, 1981$6,388,982[2]
3January 18, 1981$6,014,902[3]
4January 25, 1981Stir CrazyTBD[4]
5February 1, 1981The Incredible Shrinking Woman$4,279,264[5]
6February 8, 1981Fort Apache, The Bronx$4,565,000[6]
7February 15, 1981$4,000,000[7][8]
8February 22, 1981TBD[9]
9March 1, 1981TBD[10]
10March 8, 1981TBD[11]
11March 15, 1981Back Roads$3,046,339[12]
12March 22, 1981Omen III: The Final Conflict$5,571,675[13][14]
13March 29, 1981TBD[15]
14April 5, 1981Hardly Working$4,160,193[16]
15April 12, 1981Star Wars (reissue)$6,549,751[17][18]
16April 19, 1981$4,564,616[18]
17April 26, 1981Excalibur$3,144,818[19]
18May 3, 1981Friday the 13th Part 2$6,420,784[20][21]
19May 10, 1981TBD[22]
20May 17, 1981Happy Birthday to Me$3,712,597[23][24]
21May 25, 19814-day weekendBustin' Loose$6,622,753[25]
22May 31, 1981The Four Seasons$4,355,238[26]
23June 7, 1981Cheech and Chong's Nice Dreams$8,153,738[27][28]
24June 14, 1981Raiders of the Lost Ark$8,305,823[29][30]
25June 21, 1981Superman II$14,100,523Superman II had the highest weekend debut of all-time beating the record of $11.9 million set by Star Trek: The Motion Picture.[31][32]
26June 28, 1981$10,765,687Superman II becomes the first film to have more than one weekend with a gross over $10 million.[33][34]
27July 5, 1981$10,905,892[35][34]
28July 12, 1981$6,745,678[36][34]
29July 19, 1981Raiders of the Lost Ark$6,450,189Raiders of the Lost Ark reclaimed number 1 in its sixth weekend of release.[37][34]
30July 26, 1981Tarzan, the Ape Man$6,700,809[38]
31August 2, 1981The Empire Strikes Back (reissue)$7,001,282[39]
32August 9, 1981Raiders of the Lost Ark$4,046,228Raiders of the Lost Ark reclaimed number 1 in its ninth weekend of release.[40]
33August 16, 1981$5,157,432[41]
34August 23, 1981$4,183,784[42]
35August 30, 1981$3,909,879[43][44]
36September 7, 19814-day weekend$5,406,403[45][46]
37September 13, 1981Arthur$3,002,255[47][48]
38September 20, 1981Continental Divide$3,218,347[49]
39September 27, 1981Mommie Dearest$4,667,761[50]
40October 4, 1981Paternity$3,610,147[51][52]
41October 11, 1981$3,227,174[53]
42October 18, 1981$2,442,503[54]
43October 25, 1981The French Lieutenant's WomanTBD[55]
44November 1, 1981Halloween II$7,676,836[56][57]
45November 8, 1981Time Bandits$6,507,356[58][59]
46November 15, 1981$5,336,032[60]
47November 22, 1981$3,700,000[61][62]
48November 29, 1981$5,000,000[63][64]
49December 6, 1981Raiders of the Lost Ark$2,441,000Raiders of the Lost Ark reclaimed number 1 in its 26th weekend of release.[65][66]
50December 13, 1981Rollover$2,260,889[67][68]
51December 20, 1981Neighbors$6,481,386[69]
52December 27, 1981$5,821,835[70]

Highest-grossing films

The top ten films released in 1981 by box office gross in the United States and Canada are as follows:

Highest-grossing films of 1981 based on year of release[71][nb 1]
RankTitleDistributorDomestic gross
1 Raiders of the Lost Ark Paramount $212,222,025
2 On Golden Pond Universal $119,285,432
3 Superman II Warner Bros. $108,185,706
4 Arthur $95,461,682
5 Stripes Columbia $85,297,000
6 The Cannonball Run 20th Century Fox $72,179,579
7 Chariots of Fire Warner Bros. $58,972,904
8 For Your Eyes Only United Artists $54,812,802
9 The Four Seasons Universal $50,427,646
10 Clash of the Titans Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer $41,092,328

Notes
  1. The chart listed on Box Office Mojo includes Time Bandits as the number ten film, however, its gross includes a re-issue in November 1982 so the chart doesn't include the film as it was not one of the top ten grossing films released in the year excluding reissues.

References
  1. Ginsberg, Steven (January 6, 1981). "Christmas '80 Boxoffice Among Best At $142 Mil". Daily Variety. p. 1.
  2. Ginsberg, Steven (January 13, 1981). "'Nine To Five' Tops Weekend's B.O. Competish". Daily Variety. p. 3.
  3. "'Crazy,' '9 To 5,' 'Which Way' Glow; 'Scanners' Strong". Variety. January 21, 1981. p. 3.
  4. "50 Top-Grossing Films". Variety. February 4, 1981. p. 9. Week ending January 28 No. 1 Stir Crazy $2,183,400 from 191 screens from 20-24 key cities sampled; No. 2 9 to 5 $1,465,953 from 136 screens
  5. "Domestic 1981 Weekend 5". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  6. "'Fort Apache' Bags $4.6 Mil". Daily Variety. February 10, 1981. p. 3.
  7. "'Bronx' B.O. Tops $11 Mil". Daily Variety. February 24, 1981. p. 13. Company reports second weekend is 12% off the first.
  8. "50 Top-Grossing Films". Variety. February 25, 1981. p. 9.
  9. "50 Top-Grossing Films". Variety. March 4, 1981. p. 12. Week ending February 25 No. 1 Fort Apache, The Bronx $1,575,828 from 136 screens from 20-24 key cities sampled; No. 2 9 to 5 $842,873 from 114 screens
  10. "50 Top-Grossing Films". Variety. March 11, 1981. p. 13. Week ending March 4 No. 1 Fort Apache, The Bronx $1,186,630 from 130 screens from 20-24 key cities sampled; No. 2 9 to 5 $724,886 from 108 screens
  11. "50 Top-Grossing Films". Variety. March 25, 1981. p. 12. Week ending March 11 No. 1 Fort Apache, The Bronx $903,294 from 20-24 key cities sampled; No. 2 9 to 5 $691,605
  12. "Domestic 1981 Weekend 11". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  13. "50 Top-Grossing Films". Variety. April 1, 1981. p. 9.
  14. "Domestic 1981 Weekend 12". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  15. "50 Top-Grossing Films". Variety. April 8, 1981. p. 9. Week ending April 1 No. 1 Omen III $1,400,323 from 156 screens from 20-24 key cities sampled; No. 2 Thief $1,159,719 from 125 screens
  16. ""Hardly Working" Is Really Working (advertisement)". Daily Variety. April 8, 1981. pp. 10–11.
  17. "'Wars' Re-Release Tops At B.O.". Daily Variety. April 14, 1981. p. 2.
  18. "Fox's 7 Nab 25% of Easter Screens". Variety. April 29, 1981. p. 7.
  19. "'Excalibur' Mounting: $16-Mil Thus Far". Variety. April 29, 1981. p. 3.
  20. "'Friday's' Weekend Biz". Variety. May 6, 1981. p. 7.
  21. "Domestic 1981 Weekend 18". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  22. "50 Top-Grossing Films". Variety. May 20, 1981. p. 13. Week ending May 13 No. 1 Friday the 13th Part 2 $820,246 from 123 screens from 20-24 key cities sampled; No. 2 Kill and Kill Again $753,600 from 94 screens
  23. "50 Top-Grossing Films". Variety. May 27, 1981. p. 9.
  24. "'Birthday's' Happy Biz". Variety. May 20, 1981. p. 5.
  25. "Domestic 1981 Weekend 21". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  26. "Weekend Domestic Chart for May 29, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  27. "Weekend Domestic Chart for June 5, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  28. "'Dreams' 1st Weekend Draws Biggest Of Yr". Daily Variety. June 9, 1981. p. 3.
  29. "Domestic 1981 Weekend 24". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  30. "Weekend Biz Breaks B.O. Logjam; 'Raiders,' 'Titans' and 'History' Score". Variety. June 17, 1981. p. 3.
  31. "Domestic 1981 Weekend 25". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  32. Ginsberg, Steven (June 23, 1981). "Super B.O. For 'Superman II'". Daily Variety. p. 1.
  33. "Domestic 1981 Weekend 26". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  34. Ginsberg, Steven (July 27, 1981). "'Superman,' 'Raiders' Neck & Neck". Daily Variety. p. 1.
  35. "Domestic 1981 Weekend 27". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  36. "Weekend Domestic Chart for July 10, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  37. "Weekend Domestic Chart for July 17, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  38. "Weekend Domestic Chart for July 24, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  39. "Weekend Domestic Chart for July 31, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  40. "Weekend Domestic Chart for August 7, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  41. "Weekend Domestic Chart for August 14, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  42. "Weekend Domestic Chart for August 21, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  43. "Weekend Domestic Chart for August 28, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  44. Ginsberg, Steven (September 2, 1981). "Summer B.O. Cooks, But 'Body,' 'Gallipoli' and 'Lessons' Start Well". Variety. p. 3.
  45. "Weekend Domestic Chart for September 4, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  46. Ginsberg, Steven (September 9, 1981). "'Ark' Outdistances Its Summer Rivals, Holdovers Slowing". Variety. p. 3.
  47. "Weekend Domestic Chart for September 11, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  48. Ginsberg, Steven (September 16, 1981). "Post Labor Day Dip Shuffles B.O. Pack". Variety. p. 3.
  49. "Domestic 1981 Weekend 38". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  50. "Weekend Domestic Chart for September 25, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  51. "Weekend Domestic Chart for October 2, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  52. Ginsberg, Steven (October 7, 1981). "Most Pix Post B.O. Drop Across U.S.; 'Paternity' Delivers A So-So $3.6-Mil". Daily Variety. p. 2.
  53. "Weekend Domestic Chart for October 9, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  54. "Weekend Domestic Chart for October 16, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  55. "50 Top-Grossing Films". Variety. November 4, 1981. p. 13. Week ending October 28 No.1 The French Lieutenant's Woman $948,753 from 79 screens from 20-24 key cities sampled; No. 2 Rich and Famous $767,927 from 163 screens
  56. "Weekend Domestic Chart for October 30, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  57. Ginsberg, Steven (November 4, 1981). "Boff 'Halloween II' Coin Is Only Highlight on National Scene". Variety. p. 3.
  58. "Domestic 1981 Weekend 45". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  59. Ginsberg, Steven (November 11, 1981). "'Bandits' Steal B.O. Thunder From Thin Pack; 'Halloween II' Plunges". Variety. p. 3.
  60. Ginsberg, Steven (November 18, 1981). "'Bandits' Still Tops In Pre-Xmas B.O. Calm; 'Cooper,' Falling Flat". Variety. p. 3.
  61. "Weekend Domestic Chart for November 20, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  62. Ginsberg, Steven (November 25, 1981). "'Bandits' Pace B.O.; Upbeat Starts For 'Malice,' 'Ragtime'". Variety. p. 3.
  63. "Weekend Domestic Chart for November 27, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  64. Ginsberg, Steven (December 2, 1981). "Thanksgiving Cooks B.O. Gravy; 'Bandits' Zoom; 'Raiders' Soar". Variety. p. 3.
  65. "Weekend Domestic Chart for December 4, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  66. Ginsberg, Steven (December 9, 1981). "B.O. In Holding Pattern; 'Pond' Wow: 'Reds' Okay; 'Life' Fair". Variety. p. 3.
  67. "Weekend Domestic Chart for December 11, 1981". The Numbers. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  68. Ginsberg, Steven (December 16, 1981). "No Sugarplums In Xmas Crop; Soft Debuts Prevail; 'Reds' Dives". Variety. p. 3.
  69. "Domestic 1981 Weekend 51". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  70. Ginsberg, Steven (December 29, 1981). "Some Tinsel Brightening B.O.". Daily Variety. p. 1.
  71. "1981 Domestic Grosses". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 13, 2020.

See also
Preceded by
1980		 1981 Succeeded by
1982
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