Most Popular Movies 1978
This chart shows the 1978 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 1978 releases.
See also: Domestic Release Schedule for 1978 - Top 1978 Worldwide
| ← 1977 | Most Popular Overall | 1979 → |
1
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| Halloween |
| Director: John Carpenter |
| Lead Roles: Donald Pleasance as Dr. Samuel "Sam" Loomis, Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 17, 1978 (Wide) by Compass International |
| Keywords: Slasher Horror, Babysitters |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $47,274,000 |
|
International BO: $23,000,000 |
2
| Grease |
| Director: Randal Kleiser |
| Lead Roles: John Travolta as Danny Zuko, Olivia Newton-John as Sandy Olsen |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 16, 1978 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: 1950s, Gangs, High School, Cross-Culture Romance, Romantic Musical |
| Classification: Based on Musical or Opera, Musical, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $181,813,770 |
|
International BO: $205,658,547 |
3
| Superman |
| Director: Richard Donner |
| Lead Roles: Christopher Reeve as Superman |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 15, 1978 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Visual Effects, D.C. Comics, Heroic Adventure, Unexpected Families, Adopted Family, Time Travel, Romance, Death of a Girlfriend / Boyfriend |
| Classification: Based on Comic/Graphic Novel, Adventure, Live Action, Super Hero |
|
Domestic BO: $134,218,018 |
|
International BO: $165,981,982 |
4
| The Cheap Detective |
| Director: Robert Moore |
| Lead Roles: Peter Falk as Lou Peckinpaugh |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 9, 1978 (Wide) by Columbia |
| Keywords: Crime Comedy, Death of a Partner, Falsely Accused, Ensemble, Spoof, Set in San Francisco, Police Detective, Nazis, Nazi Treasure, Treasure Hunters, Femme Fatale |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $28,221,552 |
5
| Up in Smoke |
| Director: Tommy Chong |
| Lead Roles: Cheech Marin as Pedro de Pacas, Tommy Chong as Anthony 'Man' Stillman |
| Initial Theatrical Release: September 15, 1978 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
|
Domestic BO: $41,590,893 |
6
| National Lampoon's Animal House |
| Director: John Landis |
| Lead Roles: John Belushi as John ‘Bluto’ Blutarsky, Tim Matheson as Eric ‘Otter’ Stratton, John Vernon as Dean Vernon Wormer, Verna Bloom as Marion Wormer, Tom Hulce as Larry ‘Pinto’ Kroger, Donald Sutherland as Professor Dave Jennings |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 28, 1978 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: College, Epilogue, Slobs vs. Snobs, Fraternity/Sorority, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Delayed Adulthood, Revenge, New Guy/Girl in School, Parties Gone Wild |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $141,600,000 |
|
International BO: $7,202 |
7
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| Piranha |
| Director: Joe Dante |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 3, 1978 (Limited) by New World |
| Keywords: Horror Comedy |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
International BO: $320 |
8
| Force 10 from Navarone |
| Director: Guy Hamilton |
| Lead Roles: Harrison Ford as Barnsby, Carl Weathers as Sergeant Watter Weaver, Edward Fox as Sgt. Dusty Miller, Robert Shaw as Major Keith Mallory, Barbara Bach as Maritza Petrovich |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 22, 1978 (Wide) by American International Pictures |
| Keywords: World War II, War, Action Thriller, 1940s |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Action, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $7,100,000 |
9
| The Fury |
| Director: Brian De Palma |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March 10, 1978 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Thriller/Suspense, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
10
| Heaven Can Wait |
| Director: Warren Beatty |
| Lead Roles: Warren Beatty as Joe Pendleton/Leo Farnsworth/Tom Jarrett , Julie Christie as Betty Logan |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 28, 1978 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Football, Reincarnation, Heaven and Hell, 1979 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Classification: Based on Play, Comedy, Live Action, Fantasy |
|
Domestic BO: $98,800,000 |
11
| The Brink's Job |
| Director: William Friedkin |
| Initial Theatrical Release: 1978 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Crime Comedy, Inspired by a True Story, Heist, Corporate Malfeasance, Set in Boston, Ensemble |
| Classification: Based on Factual Book/Article, Comedy, Live Action, Dramatization |
|
Domestic BO: $9,400,000 |
12
| Goin South |
| Director: Jack Nicholson |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 6, 1978 (Limited) by Paramount Pictures |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
13
| Every Which Way but Loose |
| Director: James Fargo |
| Lead Roles: Clint Eastwood as Philo Beddoe |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 20, 1978 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $104,268,727 |
14
| The Norseman |
| Director: Charles B. Pierce |
| Lead Roles: Lee Majors as Thorvald |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 5, 1978 (Limited) by American International Pictures |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Adventure, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
15
| F.I.S.T |
| Director: Norman Jewison |
| Lead Roles: Sylvester Stallone as Johnny D. Kovak |
| Initial Theatrical Release: April 13, 1978 (Wide) by United Artists |
| Keywords: Crime Drama, Unions, Corporate Malfeasance, 1930s, Fired, 1940s, 1950s, Mafia, Screenplay Written By the Star |
| Classification: Based on Real Life Events, Drama, Live Action, Dramatization |
|
Domestic BO: $20,388,920 |
16
| Coma |
| Director: Michael Crichton |
| Lead Roles: Geneviève Bujold as Dr. Susan Wheeler, Michael Douglas as Dr. Mark Bellows |
| Initial Theatrical Release: February 1, 1978 (Wide) by MGM |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Thriller/Suspense, Live Action, Science Fiction |
17
| Days of Heaven |
| Director: Terrence Malick |
| Lead Roles: Richard Gere as Bill |
| Initial Theatrical Release: September 13, 1978 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Romantic Drama, 1910s, Accidental Death, Fugitive / On the Run, False Identity, Confidence Men, Terminal Illness, Life on a Farm, Romance, Relationships Gone Wrong, Inheritance, Dysfunctional Family |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $3,446,749 |
|
International BO: $214,131 |
18
| An Unmarried Woman |
| Director: Paul Mazursky |
| Lead Roles: Jill Clayburgh as Erica |
| Initial Theatrical Release: 1978 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Keywords: Romance, Comedy Drama, Relationships Gone Wrong, Divorcée Romance, Infidelity, 1979 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $24,000,000 |
19
| Slow Dancing in the Big City |
| Director: John G. Avildsen |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 8, 1978 (Limited) by United Artists |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Musical, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $11,335 |
20
| Damien: Omen II |
| Lead Roles: William Holden as Richard Thorn, Lee Grant as Ann Thorn, Jonathan Scott-Taylor as Damien Thorn |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 9, 1978 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Keywords: Supernatural Horror, Supernatural, Demons, Satanism, Occult |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $24,000,000 |
21
| Invasion of the Body Snatchers |
| Director: Philip Kaufman |
| Lead Roles: Donald Sutherland as Matthew Bennell |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 22, 1978 (Wide) by United Artists |
| Keywords: Cloning, Alien Invasion, Film Noir, Parasite, Psychological Horror, Surprise Twist, Remake, Relationships Gone Wrong, Doppelganger, Remade |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Horror, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $24,946,533 |
22
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| I Spit on Your Grave |
| Director: Meir Zarchi |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 22, 1978 (Limited) by Jerry Gross Organization |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
23
| Caravans |
| Director: James Fargo |
| Lead Roles: Anthony Quinn as Zulffiqar, Jennifer O'Neill as Ellen Jasper, Michael Sarrazin as Mark Miller, Behrooz Vosoughi as Nazrullah |
| Initial Theatrical Release: 1978 (Wide) by Universal |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Adventure, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $1,000,000 |
24
| International Velvet |
| Director: Bryan Forbes |
| Lead Roles: Tatum O'Neal as Sarah Brown, Christopher Plummer as John Seaton, Anthony Hopkins as Captain Johnson, Nanette Newman as Velvet Brown |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 19, 1978 (Limited) by MGM |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
25
| The Fifth Floor |
| Initial Theatrical Release: 1978 (Wide) by Film Ventures International |
|
Domestic BO: $7,000,000 |