1981 Weekend Box Office Records
This chart shows the highest-grossing weekends at the domestic box office for 1981.
| Rank | Date | Movie | Weekend Gross | Theaters | Per-Theater Average | Total Gross | Days in Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 19, 1981 | Superman II | $14,100,522 | 1,395 | $10,108 | $14,100,522 | 3 |
| 2 | Jun 19, 1981 | The Cannonball Run | $11,765,654 | 1,680 | $7,003 | $11,765,654 | 3 |
| 3 | Jul 3, 1981 | Superman II | $10,905,892 | 1,887 | $5,779 | $53,472,435 | 17 |
| 4 | Jun 26, 1981 | Superman II | $10,765,727 | 1,395 | $7,717 | $34,774,999 | 10 |
| 5 | Jun 12, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $8,305,823 | 1,078 | $7,705 | $8,305,823 | 3 |
| 6 | Jun 26, 1981 | The Cannonball Run | $8,241,415 | 1,692 | $4,871 | $27,098,640 | 10 |
| 7 | Jun 5, 1981 | Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams | $8,153,738 | 1,390 | $5,866 | $8,153,738 | 3 |
| 8 | Jun 19, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $8,018,871 | 1,078 | $7,439 | $21,861,910 | 10 |
| 9 | Oct 30, 1981 | Halloween II | $7,676,836 | 1,217 | $6,308 | $7,676,836 | 3 |
| 10 | Jul 3, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $7,342,026 | 1,078 | $6,811 | $46,273,735 | 24 |
| 11 | Jun 26, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $7,069,358 | 1,078 | $6,558 | $34,903,399 | 17 |
| 12 | Jul 31, 1981 | Star Wars Ep. V: The Empire S… | $7,001,282 | 1,364 | $5,133 | $188,355,137 | 439 |
| 13 | Jun 26, 1981 | For Your Eyes Only | $6,834,967 | 952 | $7,180 | $6,834,967 | 3 |
| 14 | Jul 10, 1981 | Superman II | $6,745,678 | 1,853 | $3,640 | $60,218,113 | 24 |
| 15 | Jul 24, 1981 | Tarzan, The Ape Man | $6,700,809 | 930 | $7,205 | $6,700,809 | 3 |
| 16 | Jun 12, 1981 | Clash of the Titans | $6,580,742 | 0 | $6,580,742 | 3 | |
| 17 | Nov 6, 1981 | Time Bandits | $6,507,356 | 821 | $7,926 | $6,507,356 | 3 |
| 18 | Dec 18, 1981 | Neighbors | $6,481,386 | 1,387 | $4,673 | $6,481,386 | 3 |
| 19 | Jul 17, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $6,450,189 | 1,400 | $4,607 | $68,431,268 | 38 |
| 20 | May 1, 1981 | Friday the 13th Part 2 | $6,429,784 | 1,350 | $4,763 | $6,429,784 | 4 |
| 21 | Jul 3, 1981 | For Your Eyes Only | $6,250,000 | 1,086 | $5,755 | $17,238,007 | 10 |
| 22 | Jul 3, 1981 | Stripes | $6,243,323 | 1,085 | $5,754 | $17,114,611 | 10 |
| 23 | Jun 26, 1981 | Stripes | $6,152,166 | 1,074 | $5,728 | $6,152,166 | 3 |
| 24 | Jul 10, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $6,137,192 | 1,078 | $5,693 | $58,406,558 | 31 |
| 25 | Jul 24, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $6,046,274 | 1,182 | $5,115 | $78,743,581 | 45 |
| 26 | Jul 3, 1981 | The Cannonball Run | $5,723,597 | 1,573 | $3,639 | $37,538,551 | 17 |
| 27 | Jul 10, 1981 | Stripes | $5,692,821 | 1,084 | $5,252 | $26,423,482 | 17 |
| 28 | Mar 20, 1981 | The Final Conflict | $5,571,675 | 918 | $6,069 | $5,571,675 | 3 |
| 29 | Nov 13, 1981 | Time Bandits | $5,500,000 | 832 | $6,611 | $12,939,284 | 10 |
| 30 | Sep 4, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $5,406,403 | 1,144 | $4,726 | $125,254,773 | 87 |
| 31 | Jul 31, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $5,369,898 | 1,140 | $4,710 | $88,137,951 | 52 |
| 32 | Jul 17, 1981 | Stripes | $5,299,888 | 0 | $34,986,321 | 24 | |
| 33 | Jul 17, 1981 | Superman II | $5,260,610 | 1,227 | $4,287 | $71,625,048 | 31 |
| 34 | Aug 14, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $5,157,432 | 1,310 | $3,937 | $104,088,566 | 66 |
| 35 | Sep 4, 1981 | Arthur | $5,001,805 | 949 | $5,271 | $38,663,847 | 52 |
| 36 | Nov 27, 1981 | Time Bandits | $5,000,000 | 1,046 | $4,780 | $23,464,578 | 24 |
| 37 | Jun 12, 1981 | History of the World: Part I | $4,892,731 | 484 | $10,109 | $4,892,731 | 3 |
| 38 | Aug 7, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $4,846,228 | 1,091 | $4,442 | $95,974,374 | 59 |
| 39 | May 22, 1981 | Bustin' Loose | $4,798,289 | 828 | $5,795 | $4,798,289 | 3 |
| 40 | Dec 25, 1981 | Modern Problems | $4,758,371 | 1,111 | $4,283 | $4,758,371 | 3 |
| 41 | Jul 24, 1981 | Stripes | $4,748,819 | 1,086 | $4,373 | $42,740,041 | 31 |
| 42 | Sep 25, 1981 | Mommie Dearest | $4,667,761 | 930 | $5,019 | $5,580,619 | 10 |
| 43 | Apr 10, 1981 | Excalibur | $4,519,706 | 692 | $6,531 | $4,519,706 | 3 |
| 44 | Nov 6, 1981 | Halloween II | $4,400,000 | 1,208 | $3,642 | $14,200,000 | 10 |
| 45 | Jul 31, 1981 | Tarzan, The Ape Man | $4,386,721 | 1,050 | $4,178 | $14,585,076 | 10 |
| 46 | May 29, 1981 | The Four Seasons | $4,355,238 | 617 | $7,059 | $11,375,954 | 10 |
| 47 | Jan 30, 1981 | The Incredible Shrinking Woman | $4,279,264 | 789 | $5,424 | $4,279,264 | 3 |
| 48 | May 29, 1981 | Bustin' Loose | $4,244,427 | 810 | $5,240 | $12,424,762 | 10 |
| 49 | Nov 27, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $4,228,951 | 1,251 | $3,380 | $158,118,372 | 171 |
| 50 | Jul 10, 1981 | The Fox and the Hound | $4,215,000 | 1,030 | $4,092 | $4,215,000 | 3 |
| 51 | Aug 21, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $4,183,784 | 1,180 | $3,546 | $110,733,608 | 73 |
| 52 | Jul 17, 1981 | Endless Love | $4,162,921 | 580 | $7,177 | $4,162,921 | 3 |
| 53 | Jul 10, 1981 | Escape from New York | $4,162,385 | 579 | $7,189 | $4,162,385 | 3 |
| 54 | Jul 17, 1981 | The Fox and the Hound | $4,137,844 | 1,030 | $4,017 | $11,731,297 | 10 |
| 55 | May 22, 1981 | The Four Seasons | $4,128,525 | 623 | $6,627 | $4,128,525 | 3 |
| 56 | Jul 10, 1981 | The Cannonball Run | $4,033,018 | 1,302 | $3,098 | $44,372,201 | 24 |
| 57 | Aug 7, 1981 | Star Wars Ep. V: The Empire S… | $4,021,024 | 1,382 | $2,910 | $196,613,195 | 446 |
| 58 | Jul 10, 1981 | For Your Eyes Only | $4,000,000 | 1,026 | $3,899 | $24,400,896 | 17 |
| 59 | Aug 28, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $3,909,879 | 1,110 | $3,522 | $117,371,084 | 80 |
| 60 | Sep 25, 1981 | Only When I Laugh | $3,880,870 | 758 | $5,120 | $3,983,269 | 5 |
| 61 | Aug 21, 1981 | An American Werewolf in London | $3,786,512 | 870 | $4,352 | $3,786,512 | 3 |
| 62 | Dec 25, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $3,716,952 | 1,221 | $3,044 | $164,672,386 | 199 |
| 63 | Nov 20, 1981 | Time Bandits | $3,700,000 | 981 | $3,772 | $16,800,000 | 17 |
| 64 | Jul 24, 1981 | Superman II | $3,691,244 | 989 | $3,732 | $78,417,123 | 38 |
| 65 | Oct 2, 1981 | Paternity | $3,610,147 | 1,072 | $3,368 | $3,610,147 | 3 |
| 66 | Sep 4, 1981 | An American Werewolf in London | $3,561,460 | 825 | $4,317 | $14,500,000 | 17 |
| 67 | Aug 28, 1981 | An American Werewolf in London | $3,500,000 | 750 | $4,667 | $8,986,245 | 10 |
| 68 | Jul 31, 1981 | Stripes | $3,473,898 | 1,064 | $3,265 | $48,640,145 | 38 |
| 69 | Aug 7, 1981 | Tarzan, The Ape Man | $3,372,735 | 1,113 | $3,030 | $20,428,716 | 17 |
| 70 | Sep 4, 1981 | Stripes | $3,335,861 | 110 | $30,326 | $71,850,123 | 73 |
| 71 | Nov 20, 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark | $3,307,347 | 1,232 | $2,685 | $151,938,500 | 164 |
| 72 | Aug 7, 1981 | Heavy Metal | $3,261,186 | 620 | $5,260 | $3,261,186 | 3 |
| 73 | Oct 9, 1981 | Paternity | $3,227,174 | 1,075 | $3,002 | $7,615,063 | 10 |
| 74 | Sep 18, 1981 | Continental Divide | $3,218,347 | 864 | $3,725 | $3,218,347 | 3 |
| 75 | Aug 28, 1981 | Arthur | $3,214,004 | 854 | $3,763 | $31,973,249 | 45 |
| 76 | Oct 2, 1981 | Mommie Dearest | $3,208,436 | 930 | $3,450 | $10,537,537 | 17 |
| 77 | Jul 17, 1981 | For Your Eyes Only | $3,200,000 | 1,049 | $3,051 | $30,000,000 | 24 |
| 78 | Jun 19, 1981 | History of the World: Part I | $3,192,557 | 497 | $6,424 | $0 | 10 |
| 79 | Oct 2, 1981 | Only When I Laugh | $3,158,909 | 794 | $3,978 | $8,409,850 | 12 |
| 80 | Aug 7, 1981 | Stripes | $3,125,676 | 991 | $3,154 | $54,025,151 | 45 |
| 81 | May 15, 1981 | Take This Job and Shove It | $3,121,433 | 500 | $6,243 | $3,121,433 | 3 |
| 82 | Jun 19, 1981 | Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams | $3,110,000 | 1,253 | $2,482 | $0 | 10 |
| 83 | Jul 24, 1981 | The Fox and the Hound | $3,106,456 | 912 | $3,406 | $17,764,512 | 17 |
| 84 | Aug 7, 1981 | Arthur | $3,098,055 | 605 | $5,121 | $16,800,890 | 24 |
| 85 | Aug 21, 1981 | Arthur | $3,088,798 | 774 | $3,991 | $26,724,137 | 38 |
| 86 | Jul 3, 1981 | The Great Muppet Caper | $3,050,733 | 621 | $4,913 | $8,641,040 | 10 |
| 87 | Mar 13, 1981 | Back Roads | $3,046,339 | 805 | $3,784 | $3,046,339 | 3 |
| 88 | Aug 14, 1981 | Stripes | $3,042,397 | 1,044 | $2,914 | $58,826,081 | 52 |
| 89 | Jul 24, 1981 | Arthur | $3,041,995 | 705 | $4,315 | $7,711,222 | 10 |
| 90 | Jul 24, 1981 | Wolfen | $3,037,911 | 967 | $3,142 | $3,037,911 | 3 |
| 91 | Sep 18, 1981 | Body Heat | $3,027,895 | 764 | $3,963 | $5,327,189 | 24 |
| 92 | Dec 18, 1981 | Sharky's Machine | $3,022,041 | 1,388 | $2,177 | $3,022,041 | 3 |
| 93 | Sep 11, 1981 | Arthur | $3,002,255 | 948 | $3,167 | $42,646,628 | 59 |
| 94 | Jul 24, 1981 | Blow Out | $3,000,000 | 708 | $4,237 | $3,000,000 | 3 |
| 95 | Sep 18, 1981 | Arthur | $2,935,103 | 939 | $3,126 | $46,731,366 | 66 |
| 96 | Aug 14, 1981 | Arthur | $2,931,246 | 661 | $4,435 | $21,743,829 | 31 |
| 97 | Jul 17, 1981 | The Cannonball Run | $2,852,096 | 1,126 | $2,533 | $49,230,597 | 31 |
| 98 | Jul 17, 1981 | Escape from New York | $2,831,055 | 579 | $4,890 | $9,098,436 | 10 |
| 99 | Jul 31, 1981 | Superman II | $2,806,048 | 908 | $3,090 | $83,396,295 | 45 |
| 100 | Aug 14, 1981 | Deadly Blessing | $2,800,000 | 1,000 | $2,800 | $2,800,000 | 3 |