Most Popular Movies 1981
This chart shows the 1981 movie releases that have attracted the most interest on The Numbers web site over the past 24 hours. A share of 100 corresponds to 1 percent of the total views for all 1981 releases.
See also: Domestic Release Schedule for 1981 - Top 1981 Worldwide
| ← 1980 | Most Popular Overall | 1982 → |
1
| Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior |
| Director: George Miller |
| Lead Roles: Mel Gibson as Max |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 24, 1981 (Wide) by Roadshow Films (Australia) |
| Keywords: Post Apocalypse, Action Adventure, Near Future, Voiceover/Narration, Car Chase, Ozploitation, Death of a Pet, 1980s, Yesterday's Tomorrow |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $23,667,907 |
|
International BO: $500 |
2
| Halloween II |
| Director: Rick Rosenthal |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 30, 1981 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Slasher Horror |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $25,533,818 |
3
| Raiders of the Lost Ark |
| Director: Steven Spielberg |
| Lead Roles: Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, Karen Allen as Marion |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 12, 1981 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Treasure Hunters, IMAX: DMR, Nazis, Religious, Character's Journey Shown on Map, Academics, Hot for Teacher, Occult, Prologue, Kidnap, Rescue, Intertitle, Archaeology, Chase Adventure, 1982 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Adventure, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $225,686,079 |
|
International BO: $141,765,835 |
4
| Aus dem Leben der Marionetten |
| Director: Ingmar Bergman |
| Initial Theatrical Release: September 25, 1981 (Limited), released as Da Vida das Marionetas (Portugal) |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
International BO: $4,289 |
5
| Victory |
| Director: John Huston |
| Lead Roles: Sylvester Stallone as Robert Hatch, Michael Caine as Captain John Colby, Pelé as Luis Fernandez |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 31, 1981 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Soccer, War, World War II, Sports Action, POW, Prison Break, 1940s, Set in Paris, Set in France, Based on an UNTRUE Story, Remake, Foreign-Language Remake |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $10,853,000 |
|
International BO: $16,600,000 |
6
| Fort Apache, The Bronx |
| Lead Roles: Paul Newman as Murphy |
| Initial Theatrical Release: 1981 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
|
Domestic BO: $29,200,000 |
|
International BO: $36,000,000 |
7
| On Golden Pond |
| Lead Roles: Katharine Hepburn as Ethel Thayer, Henry Fonda as Norman Thayer Jr., Jane Fonda as Chelsea Thayer Wayne, Doug McKeon as Billy Ray |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 4, 1981 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Golden Years, Relatives Playing Relatives, Dysfunctional Family, Life Drama, 1982 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Classification: Based on Play, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $119,285,432 |
8
| Wolfen |
| Director: Michael Wadleigh |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 24, 1981 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Supernatural Horror, Native Americans, Native American Folklore, Werewolf, Police Detective, Romance, Land Developer |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Horror, Live Action, Fantasy |
|
Domestic BO: $11,000,000 |
9
| Enter the Ninja |
| Director: Menahem Golan |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 23, 1981 (Wide) by Cannon |
| Keywords: Mafia |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
10
| Time Bandits |
| Director: Terry Gilliam |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 6, 1981 (Wide) by Avco Embassy |
| Keywords: Time Travel, Chase Adventure, Good vs. Evil, Dysfunctional Family, Cult Movie, Sword & Sorcerer, 1700s, Ancient Greece, On a Boat, 1910s, Disaster |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Adventure, Live Action, Fantasy |
|
Domestic BO: $37,400,000 |
11
| Pick-up Summer |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March, 1981 (Limited) |
|
Domestic BO: $28,756 |
12
| Private Lessons |
| Director: Alan Myerson |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 28, 1981 (Wide) by Jensen Farley Pictures |
| Keywords: Sex Comedy, Novel or Other Work Adapted by Author, Blackmail, February / May Romance, Romance, Relationships Gone Wrong, Immigration |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $18,064,851 |
|
International BO: $1,923 |
13
| The Fox and the Hound |
| Director: Ted Berman, Richard Rich, Art Stevens |
| Lead Roles: Kurt Russell as Adult Copper |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 10, 1981 (Wide) by Walt Disney |
| Keywords: Animal Lead, Talking Animals, Orphan, Revenge, Family Adventure, Friends turned Enemies |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Adventure, Hand Animation, Kids Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $43,899,231 |
14
| This is Elvis |
| Director: Malcolm Leo |
| Initial Theatrical Release: April 10, 1981 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Biography |
| Classification: Based on Real Life Events, Documentary, Live Action, Factual |
|
Domestic BO: $429,146 |
15
| Paternity |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 2, 1981 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
|
Domestic BO: $18,838,000 |
16
| The Cannonball Run |
| Director: Hal Needham |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 19, 1981 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Keywords: Street Racing, Gambling, Directing Yourself, Epilogue, Car Chase, Gratuitous Cameos, Spoof, Secret Agent, Martial Arts, Mental Illness, Road Trip, Action Comedy |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $57,498,710 |
17
| King of the Mountain |
| Initial Theatrical Release: May 1, 1981 (Wide) by Universal |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $958,637 |
18
| The Incredible Shrinking Woman |
| Director: Joel Schumacher |
| Initial Theatrical Release: January 30, 1981 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Farcical / Slapstick Comedy, Spoof, Remake, Remake with a Different Genre, Mad Scientist, Kidnap, Faked Death, F-Rated, Genderbending Casting |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Comedy, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $20,259,000 |
19
| Superman II |
| Director: Richard Donner |
| Lead Roles: Christopher Reeve as Superman |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 19, 1981 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: D.C. Comics, Visual Effects, Action Adventure, Good vs. Evil, Alien Invasion |
| Classification: Based on Comic/Graphic Novel, Adventure, Live Action, Super Hero |
|
Domestic BO: $108,185,706 |
|
International BO: $82,214,294 |
20
| Student Bodies |
| Director: Michael Ritchie |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 7, 1981 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $1,582,148 |
21
| Looker |
| Director: Michael Crichton |
| Lead Roles: Albert Finney as Dr. Larry Roberts, James Coburn as John Reston, Susan Dey as Cindy Fairmont, Leigh Taylor-Young as Jennifer Long |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 30, 1981 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Psychological Thriller, Models, Doctors, Serial Killer, Corporate Malfeasance |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Thriller/Suspense, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $3,281,232 |
22
| Escape from New York |
| Director: John Carpenter |
| Lead Roles: Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 10, 1981 (Wide) by Avco Embassy |
| Keywords: Hostage, Action Thriller, Rescue, Near Future, Yesterday's Tomorrow, Set in New York, Set in New York City, Politicians, 1990s, Crime Boss, Death of a Girlfriend / Boyfriend, Voiceover/Narration, Dystopia |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $25,244,700 |
|
International BO: $31,650 |
Synopsis
The world is ravaged by crime and the entire island of Manhattan has been converted to a walled prison where brutal prisoners roam. But when the U.S. President crash-lands inside, only Plissken can bring him back.
23
| Whose Life is it Anyway? |
| Director: John Badham |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 2, 1981 (Wide) by MGM |
| Keywords: Life Drama, Car Accident, Paralysis, Medical and Hospitals, Suicide, Assisted Suicide |
| Classification: Based on TV, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $6,100,000 |
24
| Carbon Copy |
| Director: Michael Schultz |
| Lead Roles: Denzel Washington as Roger Porter |
| Initial Theatrical Release: September 25, 1981 (Wide) by Avco Embassy |
| Keywords: Comedy Drama, Interracial Child, Infidelity, Dysfunctional Family, Jewish, African Americans, Bigotry, Riches to Rags |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $8,400,000 |
25
| The Jazz Singer |
| Director: Richard Fleischer |
| Initial Theatrical Release: May 1, 1981 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Musicians |
|
Domestic BO: $27,118,000 |