Yearly chart

1979 Box Office Rankings

Year-specific reference chart with worldwide gross, reported budgets, openings and ROI where available.

About the 1979 chart

This 1979 box office chart highlights films released in 1979, using available worldwide gross, budget, gross-minus-budget and ROI data. Some titles may have richer financial detail than others, depending on source coverage and later corrections.

Year gross$2.64Bvisible records

Avg budget$7.7Mbudgeted titles

Top opening—Mad Max

Releases92available for year

1979 quick chart highlights

Additional ways to explore the year’s highest-performing titles.

Top gross

Moonraker$210.3M Rocky II$200.2M Apocalypse Now$150.0M Star Trek: The Motion Picture$139.3M 10$107.0M

Best ROI

Rocky II28.60x The Jerk25.00x The Amityville Horror18.39x When a Stranger Calls16.67x 1015.29x

Gross-minus-budget leaders

Rocky II$193.2M Moonraker$176.3M Apocalypse Now$118.5M 10$100.0M Mad Max$99.7M

1979 movie chart

Sorted by worldwide gross.

#	Movie	Year	Worldwide	Budget	Gross - budget	ROI	Studio / Distributor
1	Moonraker WW Financial	1979	$210.3M	$34.0M	$176.3M	6.19x	Eon Productions
2	Rocky II WW Financial	1979	$200.2M	$7.0M	$193.2M	28.60x	United Artists
3	Apocalypse Now WW Financial	1979	$150.0M	$31.5M	$118.5M	4.76x	American Zoetrope
4	Star Trek: The Motion Picture WW Financial	1979	$139.3M	$44.0M	$95.3M	3.17x	Paramount Pictures
5	10 WW Financial	1979	$107.0M	$7.0M	$100.0M	15.29x	Orion Pictures
6	Kramer vs. Kramer WW Financial	1979	$106.3M	$8.0M	$98.3M	13.28x	Columbia Pictures
7	Alien WW Financial	1979	$104.9M	$11.0M	$93.9M	9.54x	Brandywine Productions
8	Mad Max WW Financial	1979	$100.0M	$350,000	$99.7M	285.71x	Kennedy Miller Productions
9	The Jerk WW Financial	1979	$100.0M	$4.0M	$96.0M	25.00x	Universal Pictures
10	1941 WW Financial	1979	$94.9M	$35.0M	$59.9M	2.71x	Columbia Pictures
11	The Amityville Horror WW Financial	1979	$86.4M	$4.7M	$81.7M	18.39x	American International Pictures
12	The Muppet Movie WW Financial	1979	$75.2M	$8.0M	$67.2M	9.40x	Itc Entertainment
13	The Electric Horseman WW Financial	1979	$61.8M	$12.5M	$49.3M	4.94x	Columbia Pictures
14	Prophecy WW Financial	1979	$54.0M	$12.0M	$42.0M	4.50x	Paramount Pictures
15	The China Syndrome WW Financial	1979	$51.7M	$5.9M	$45.8M	8.77x	Columbia Pictures
16	The Main Event WW Financial No budget	1979	$44.8M	—	—	—	Barwood Films
17	Love at First Bite WW Financial No budget	1979	$43.9M	—	—	—	Melvin Simon Productions
18	Escape from Alcatraz WW Financial	1979	$43.0M	$8.0M	$35.0M	5.38x	Paramount Pictures
19	Manhattan WW Financial	1979	$40.2M	$9.0M	$31.2M	4.47x	United Artists
20	The In-Laws WW Financial	1979	$38.2M	$9.0M	$29.2M	4.24x	Warner Bros. Pictures
21	All That Jazz WW Financial	1979	$37.8M	$12.0M	$25.8M	3.15x	Columbia Pictures
22	The Black Stallion WW Financial	1979	$37.8M	$2.7M	$35.1M	14.00x	United Artists
23	The Black Hole WW Financial	1979	$35.8M	$20.0M	$15.8M	1.79x	Walt Disney Productions
24	Starting Over WW Financial	1979	$35.6M	$10.0M	$25.6M	3.56x	Paramount Pictures
25	...And Justice for All WW Financial	1979	$33.3M	$6.0M	$27.3M	5.55x	Columbia Pictures
26	The Champ WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$30.4M	—	—	—	Metro Goldwyn Mayer
27	Being There WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$30.2M	—	—	—	Northstar Media
28	Going in Style WW Financial Hidden	1979	$30.0M	$5.5M	$24.5M	5.45x	Warner Bros. Pictures
29	The Rose WW Financial Hidden	1979	$29.2M	$9.3M	$19.9M	3.15x	20th Century Fox
30	North Dallas Forty WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$26.1M	—	—	—	Frank Yablans Presentations
31	When a Stranger Calls WW Financial Hidden	1979	$25.0M	$1.5M	$23.5M	16.67x	Melvin Simon Productions
32	Caligula WW Financial Hidden	1979	$23.4M	$17.5M	$5.9M	1.34x	Penthouse Films International
33	The Wanderers WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$23.0M	—	—	—	Orion Pictures
34	The Warriors WW Financial Hidden	1979	$22.5M	$4.0M	$18.5M	5.62x	Paramount Pictures
35	Norma Rae WW Financial Hidden	1979	$22.2M	$4.5M	$17.7M	4.94x	20th Century Fox
36	Buck Rogers in the 25th Century WW Financial Hidden	1979	$21.7M	$3.5M	$18.2M	6.20x	Universal Pictures
37	The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again WW Financial Hidden	1979	$20.9M	$5.5M	$15.5M	3.84x	Walt Disney Productions
38	Life of Brian WW Financial Hidden	1979	$20.8M	$4.0M	$16.8M	5.21x	Handmade Films
39	A Force of One WW Financial Hidden	1979	$20.2M	$3.5M	$16.7M	5.76x	American Cinema Productions
40	Tess WW Financial Hidden	1979	$20.1M	$12.0M	$8.1M	1.68x	Renn Productions
41	Breaking Away WW Financial Hidden	1979	$20.0M	$2.3M	$17.7M	8.70x	20th Century Fox
42	The Seduction of Joe Tynan WW Financial Hidden	1979	$19.6M	$5.0M	$14.6M	3.92x	Universal Pictures
43	The Tin Drum WW Financial Hidden	1979	$17.0M	$3.0M	$14.0M	5.67x	Jadran Film
44	Hair WW Financial Hidden	1979	$15.3M	$11.0M	$4.3M	1.39x	Cip Filmproduktion Gmb H
45	The Prisoner of Zenda WW Financial Hidden	1979	$15.3M	$10.0M	$5.3M	1.53x	Universal Pictures
46	More American Graffiti WW Financial Hidden	1979	$15.0M	$2.5M	$12.5M	6.00x	Universal Pictures
47	The Concorde... Airport '79 WW Financial Hidden	1979	$13.0M	$14.0M	-$984,312	0.93x	Universal Pictures
48	Time After Time WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$13.0M	—	—	—	Orion Pictures
49	Meteor WW Financial Hidden	1979	$12.6M	$16.0M	-$3.4M	0.79x	American International Pictures
50	Qaher Al Zalam WW Financial Hidden	1979	$12.6M	$5.6M	$7.0M	2.25x	Aflam Saad Shnb
51	Phantasm WW Financial Hidden	1979	$12.0M	$300,000	$11.7M	39.96x	New Breed Productions
52	The Frisco Kid WW Financial Hidden	1979	$9.3M	$9.2M	$100,000	1.01x	Warner Bros. Pictures
53	Bloodline WW Financial Hidden	1979	$8.2M	$12.0M	-$3.8M	0.68x	Nf Geria Iii Produktion München
54	The Castle of Cagliostro WW Financial Hidden	1979	$8.2M	$7.2M	$992,669	1.14x	Tokyo Movie Shinsha
55	Agatha WW Financial Hidden	1979	$7.5M	$3.5M	$4.0M	2.14x	Sweetwall
56	The Call-up WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$7.5M	—	—	—	Ri Film
57	The Brood WW Financial Hidden	1979	$5.0M	$1.4M	$3.6M	3.69x	Elgin International Films
58	The Great Santini WW Financial Hidden	1979	$4.7M	$4.0M	$700,000	1.18x	Bing Crosby Productions
59	Hanover Street WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$3.0M	—	—	—	Hanover Street
60	Wanda Nevada WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$2.4M	—	—	—	United Artists
61	Zombie Flesh Eaters WW Financial Hidden	1979	$1.9M	$497,000	$1.4M	3.87x	Variety Film Production
62	Zulu Dawn WW Financial Hidden	1979	$1.9M	$11.8M	-$9.9M	0.16x	Lamitas
63	Rich Kids WW Financial Hidden	1979	$1.9M	$2.5M	-$643,878	0.74x	United Artists
64	The Europeans WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$1.2M	—	—	—	Merchant Ivory Productions
65	Sleeping Fist WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$1.2M	—	—	—	East Asia Film (H. K.) Co.
66	Firepower WW Financial Hidden	1979	$1.2M	$8.0M	-$6.8M	0.15x	Scimitar Productions
67	Sin of an Angel WW Financial Hidden	1979	$1.0M	$2.0M	-$1.0M	0.50x	Egyptian Company For Studios And Cinema
68	Las verdes praderas WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$890,000	—	—	—	José Luis Tafur P.c.
69	Tim WW Financial Hidden	1979	$809,000	$600,000	$209,000	1.35x	—
70	Honey WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$740,304	—	—	—	Pedro Masó Pc
71	The Little Convict WW Financial Hidden	1979	$606,000	$535,000	$71,000	1.13x	Australian Film Commission
72	Supersonic Man WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$519,204	—	—	—	Almena Films
73	Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$444,334	—	—	—	Universal Pictures
74	Handsome Poor Bilo WW Financial Hidden	1979	$425,000	$98,000	$327,000	4.34x	Arzu Film
75	The Human Factor WW Financial Hidden	1979	$376,050	$5.5M	-$5.1M	0.07x	Wheel Productions
76	Real Life WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$364,642	—	—	—	Paramount Pictures
77	El día del presidente WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$259,085	—	—	—	Proesa
78	Lady Oscar WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$220,000	—	—	—	Toho
79	The Burgos Trial WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$182,050	—	—	—	Irrintzi Zinema
80	A Woman's Revenge WW Financial Hidden	1979	$100,000	$55,000	$45,000	1.82x	Birlik Film
81	Püsküllü Bela WW Financial Hidden	1979	$100,000	$55,000	$45,000	1.82x	—
82	The Exit WW Financial Hidden	1979	$100,000	$55,000	$45,000	1.82x	Gaye Film
83	The Adventure of Sudsakorn WW Financial Hidden	1979	$62,700	$157,000	-$94,300	0.40x	Jirabanterng Film
84	Gulliver WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$23,818	—	—	—	Juan Manuel Muñoz P.c.
85	The Savage WW Financial Hidden	1979	$15,600	$19,800	-$4,200	0.79x	Sndryla Fylm
86	Dolphin WW Financial Hidden	1979	$14,000	$170,000	-$156,000	0.08x	—
87	Legend of the Mountain WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$7,639	—	—	—	Feng Nian
88	Nosferatu the Vampyre WW Financial Hidden	1979	$3,451	$1.4M	-$1.4M	0.00x	Werner Herzog Filmproduktion
89	Siberiade WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$1,753	—	—	—	Tretye Tvorcheskoe Obyedinenie
90	Szávitri, az asszonyi hüség dicsérete WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$68	—	—	—	—
91	The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh WW Financial No budget Hidden	1979	$8	—	—	—	Lorimar Motion Pictures
92	Attack of the Helping Hand! WW Financial Hidden	1979	$1	$1	—	1.00x	Metropolitan Film Group

Moonraker 1979 · WW Budget $34.0M · Eon Productions

$210.3M ROI 6.19x

Rocky II 1979 · WW Budget $7.0M · United Artists

$200.2M ROI 28.60x

Apocalypse Now 1979 · WW Budget $31.5M · American Zoetrope

$150.0M ROI 4.76x

Star Trek: The Motion Picture 1979 · WW Budget $44.0M · Paramount Pictures

$139.3M ROI 3.17x

10 1979 · WW Budget $7.0M · Orion Pictures

$107.0M ROI 15.29x

Kramer vs. Kramer 1979 · WW Budget $8.0M · Columbia Pictures

$106.3M ROI 13.28x

Alien 1979 · WW Budget $11.0M · Brandywine Productions

$104.9M ROI 9.54x

Mad Max 1979 · WW Budget $350,000 · Kennedy Miller Productions

$100.0M ROI 285.71x

The Jerk 1979 · WW Budget $4.0M · Universal Pictures

$100.0M ROI 25.00x

1941 1979 · WW Budget $35.0M · Columbia Pictures

$94.9M ROI 2.71x

The Amityville Horror 1979 · WW Budget $4.7M · American International Pictures

$86.4M ROI 18.39x

The Muppet Movie 1979 · WW Budget $8.0M · Itc Entertainment

$75.2M ROI 9.40x

The Electric Horseman 1979 · WW Budget $12.5M · Columbia Pictures

$61.8M ROI 4.94x

Prophecy 1979 · WW Budget $12.0M · Paramount Pictures

$54.0M ROI 4.50x

The China Syndrome 1979 · WW Budget $5.9M · Columbia Pictures

$51.7M ROI 8.77x

The Main Event 1979 · WW Budget — · Barwood Films

$44.8M ROI —

Love at First Bite 1979 · WW Budget — · Melvin Simon Productions

$43.9M ROI —

Escape from Alcatraz 1979 · WW Budget $8.0M · Paramount Pictures

$43.0M ROI 5.38x

Manhattan 1979 · WW Budget $9.0M · United Artists

$40.2M ROI 4.47x

The In-Laws 1979 · WW Budget $9.0M · Warner Bros. Pictures

$38.2M ROI 4.24x

All That Jazz 1979 · WW Budget $12.0M · Columbia Pictures

$37.8M ROI 3.15x

The Black Stallion 1979 · WW Budget $2.7M · United Artists

$37.8M ROI 14.00x

The Black Hole 1979 · WW Budget $20.0M · Walt Disney Productions

$35.8M ROI 1.79x

Starting Over 1979 · WW Budget $10.0M · Paramount Pictures

$35.6M ROI 3.56x

...And Justice for All 1979 · WW Budget $6.0M · Columbia Pictures

$33.3M ROI 5.55x

The Champ 1979 · WW Budget — · Metro Goldwyn Mayer

$30.4M ROI —

Being There 1979 · WW Budget — · Northstar Media

$30.2M ROI —

Going in Style 1979 · WW Budget $5.5M · Warner Bros. Pictures

$30.0M ROI 5.45x

The Rose 1979 · WW Budget $9.3M · 20th Century Fox

$29.2M ROI 3.15x

North Dallas Forty 1979 · WW Budget — · Frank Yablans Presentations

$26.1M ROI —

When a Stranger Calls 1979 · WW Budget $1.5M · Melvin Simon Productions

$25.0M ROI 16.67x

Caligula 1979 · WW Budget $17.5M · Penthouse Films International

$23.4M ROI 1.34x

The Wanderers 1979 · WW Budget — · Orion Pictures

$23.0M ROI —

The Warriors 1979 · WW Budget $4.0M · Paramount Pictures

$22.5M ROI 5.62x

Norma Rae 1979 · WW Budget $4.5M · 20th Century Fox

$22.2M ROI 4.94x

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century 1979 · WW Budget $3.5M · Universal Pictures

$21.7M ROI 6.20x

The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again 1979 · WW Budget $5.5M · Walt Disney Productions

$20.9M ROI 3.84x

Life of Brian 1979 · WW Budget $4.0M · Handmade Films

$20.8M ROI 5.21x

A Force of One 1979 · WW Budget $3.5M · American Cinema Productions

$20.2M ROI 5.76x

Tess 1979 · WW Budget $12.0M · Renn Productions

$20.1M ROI 1.68x

Breaking Away 1979 · WW Budget $2.3M · 20th Century Fox

$20.0M ROI 8.70x

The Seduction of Joe Tynan 1979 · WW Budget $5.0M · Universal Pictures

$19.6M ROI 3.92x

The Tin Drum 1979 · WW Budget $3.0M · Jadran Film

$17.0M ROI 5.67x

Hair 1979 · WW Budget $11.0M · Cip Filmproduktion Gmb H

$15.3M ROI 1.39x

The Prisoner of Zenda 1979 · WW Budget $10.0M · Universal Pictures

$15.3M ROI 1.53x

More American Graffiti 1979 · WW Budget $2.5M · Universal Pictures

$15.0M ROI 6.00x

The Concorde... Airport '79 1979 · WW Budget $14.0M · Universal Pictures

$13.0M ROI 0.93x

Time After Time 1979 · WW Budget — · Orion Pictures

$13.0M ROI —

Meteor 1979 · WW Budget $16.0M · American International Pictures

$12.6M ROI 0.79x

Qaher Al Zalam 1979 · WW Budget $5.6M · Aflam Saad Shnb

$12.6M ROI 2.25x

Phantasm 1979 · WW Budget $300,000 · New Breed Productions

$12.0M ROI 39.96x

The Frisco Kid 1979 · WW Budget $9.2M · Warner Bros. Pictures

$9.3M ROI 1.01x

Bloodline 1979 · WW Budget $12.0M · Nf Geria Iii Produktion München

$8.2M ROI 0.68x

The Castle of Cagliostro 1979 · WW Budget $7.2M · Tokyo Movie Shinsha

$8.2M ROI 1.14x

Agatha 1979 · WW Budget $3.5M · Sweetwall

$7.5M ROI 2.14x

The Call-up 1979 · WW Budget — · Ri Film

$7.5M ROI —

The Brood 1979 · WW Budget $1.4M · Elgin International Films

$5.0M ROI 3.69x

The Great Santini 1979 · WW Budget $4.0M · Bing Crosby Productions

$4.7M ROI 1.18x

Hanover Street 1979 · WW Budget — · Hanover Street

$3.0M ROI —

Wanda Nevada 1979 · WW Budget — · United Artists

$2.4M ROI —

Zombie Flesh Eaters 1979 · WW Budget $497,000 · Variety Film Production

$1.9M ROI 3.87x

Zulu Dawn 1979 · WW Budget $11.8M · Lamitas

$1.9M ROI 0.16x

Rich Kids 1979 · WW Budget $2.5M · United Artists

$1.9M ROI 0.74x

The Europeans 1979 · WW Budget — · Merchant Ivory Productions

$1.2M ROI —

Sleeping Fist 1979 · WW Budget — · East Asia Film (H. K.) Co.

$1.2M ROI —

Firepower 1979 · WW Budget $8.0M · Scimitar Productions

$1.2M ROI 0.15x

Sin of an Angel 1979 · WW Budget $2.0M · Egyptian Company For Studios And Cinema

$1.0M ROI 0.50x

Las verdes praderas 1979 · WW Budget — · José Luis Tafur P.c.

$890,000 ROI —

Tim 1979 · WW Budget $600,000

$809,000 ROI 1.35x

Honey 1979 · WW Budget — · Pedro Masó Pc

$740,304 ROI —

The Little Convict 1979 · WW Budget $535,000 · Australian Film Commission

$606,000 ROI 1.13x

Supersonic Man 1979 · WW Budget — · Almena Films

$519,204 ROI —

Fast Charlie... the Moonbeam Rider 1979 · WW Budget — · Universal Pictures

$444,334 ROI —

Handsome Poor Bilo 1979 · WW Budget $98,000 · Arzu Film

$425,000 ROI 4.34x

The Human Factor 1979 · WW Budget $5.5M · Wheel Productions

$376,050 ROI 0.07x

Real Life 1979 · WW Budget — · Paramount Pictures

$364,642 ROI —

El día del presidente 1979 · WW Budget — · Proesa

$259,085 ROI —

Lady Oscar 1979 · WW Budget — · Toho

$220,000 ROI —

The Burgos Trial 1979 · WW Budget — · Irrintzi Zinema

$182,050 ROI —

A Woman's Revenge 1979 · WW Budget $55,000 · Birlik Film

$100,000 ROI 1.82x

Püsküllü Bela 1979 · WW Budget $55,000

$100,000 ROI 1.82x

The Exit 1979 · WW Budget $55,000 · Gaye Film

$100,000 ROI 1.82x

The Adventure of Sudsakorn 1979 · WW Budget $157,000 · Jirabanterng Film

$62,700 ROI 0.40x

Gulliver 1979 · WW Budget — · Juan Manuel Muñoz P.c.

$23,818 ROI —

The Savage 1979 · WW Budget $19,800 · Sndryla Fylm

$15,600 ROI 0.79x

Dolphin 1979 · WW Budget $170,000

$14,000 ROI 0.08x

Legend of the Mountain 1979 · WW Budget — · Feng Nian

$7,639 ROI —

Nosferatu the Vampyre 1979 · WW Budget $1.4M · Werner Herzog Filmproduktion

$3,451 ROI 0.00x

Siberiade 1979 · WW Budget — · Tretye Tvorcheskoe Obyedinenie

$1,753 ROI —

Szávitri, az asszonyi hüség dicsérete 1979 · WW Budget —

$68 ROI —

The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh 1979 · WW Budget — · Lorimar Motion Pictures

$8 ROI —

Attack of the Helping Hand! 1979 · WW Budget $1 · Metropolitan Film Group

$1 ROI 1.00x

1979 box office FAQ

Helpful answers about the 1979 box office chart.

How many movies are included in the 1979 box office chart?

The number of titles depends on available box office data for that release year. More records can appear as source coverage improves.

Why do some movies have more detailed box office pages?

Some titles have more complete financial, ranking and source information available. Titles with less reliable supporting data may remain listed in ranking tables until more detail is available.

What does worldwide gross mean?

Worldwide gross refers to reported theatrical box office revenue across all available markets before any later home entertainment or streaming revenue.

How is ROI calculated?

ROI is calculated from available gross and budget data. Where budget or revenue is missing, ROI may be unavailable or marked as estimated depending on the source quality.

Can more films be expanded with full box office details later?

Yes. A title can receive a more detailed page when reliable financial data, source links and useful context become available.