Poltergeist (1982)

Poltergeist
Theatrical Performance
Domestic Box Office $74,706,019Details
International Box Office $47,000,000Details
Worldwide Box Office $121,706,019
Further financial details...

Metrics

Opening Weekend:$6,896,612 (9.2% of total gross)
Legs:10.83 (domestic box office/biggest weekend)
Domestic Share:61.4% (domestic box office/worldwide)
Production Budget:$10,700,000 (worldwide box office is 11.4 times production budget)
Theater counts:890 opening theaters/1,060 max. theaters, 15.9 weeks average run per theater
Infl. Adj. Dom. BO $273,922,064

Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists

RecordRankAmount
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 1,101-1,200) 1,163 $74,706,019
All Time International Box Office (Rank 2,001-2,100) 2,074 $47,000,000
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 1,501-1,600) 1,529 $121,706,019

See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.


Watch Now On

iTunes:iTunes
Google Play:Google Play, Google Play

Movie Details

Domestic Releases: June 4th, 1982 (Wide) by MGM
October 6th, 2022 (Limited) by Fathom Events (40th Anniversary)
International Releases: August 6th, 1982 (Wide) (Australia)
October 21st, 2022 (Limited), released as Poltergeist (40th Anniversary 4K Restoration) (United Kingdom)
Video Release: April 8th, 1997 by Turner Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 114 minutes
Franchise: Poltergeist
Comparisons: vs. The Exorcist
Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Haunting, Supernatural, Supernatural Horror
Source:Original Screenplay
Genre:Horror
Production Method:Live Action
Creative Type:Fantasy
Production/Financing Companies: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
Production Countries: United States
Languages: English

Ranking on other Records and Milestones

RecordRankAmountChart
Date
Days In
Release
Biggest Domestic 22nd Weekend 41 $1,003,019 Oct 29, 1982 150
Independence Day (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 187 $16,364,796 Jul 2, 1982 31

Compare this performance with other movies…

Domestic Cumulative Box Office Records

Weekend Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Jun 4, 1982 3 $6,896,612   890 $7,749   $6,896,612 1
Jun 11, 1982 4 $5,379,673 -22% 890 $6,045   $15,840,440 2
Jun 18, 1982 6 $4,709,044 -12% 911 $5,169   $24,296,134 3
Jun 25, 1982 7 $4,103,235 -13% 911 $4,504   $31,328,050 4
Jul 2, 1982 7 $4,257,743 +4% 1,060 $4,017   $37,957,743 5
Jul 9, 1982 5 $3,246,527 -24% 1,030 $3,152   $42,746,527 6
Jul 16, 1982 7 $2,648,700 -18% 1,030 $2,572   $47,448,700 7
Jul 23, 1982 8 $2,125,435 -20% 926 $2,295   $51,285,055 8
Jul 30, 1982 9 $1,847,018 -13% 867 $2,130   $54,890,000 9
Aug 6, 1982 9 $1,903,479 +3% 805 $2,365   $58,137,711 10
Aug 13, 1982 12 $1,425,480 -25% 699 $2,039   $60,647,035 11
Aug 20, 1982 14 $1,279,800 -10% 739 $1,732   $62,285,580 12
Aug 27, 1982 17 $920,500 -28% 681 $1,352   $64,190,575 13
Sep 3, 1982 19 $1,083,726 +18% 596 $1,818   $65,697,180 14
Sep 10, 1982 9 $1,065,523 -2% 680 $1,567   $66,918,281 15
Sep 17, 1982 13 $738,292 -31% 530 $1,393   $67,938,442 16
Sep 24, 1982 13 $720,000 -2% 440 $1,636   $68,899,175 17
Oct 1, 1982 19 $414,721 -42% 368 $1,127   $69,572,921 18
Oct 8, 1982 20 $389,180 -6% 308 $1,264   $70,526,405 19
Oct 15, 1982 22 $206,183 -47% 246 $838   $71,322,433 20
Oct 22, 1982 18 $183,308 -11% 171 $1,072   $71,617,409 21
Oct 29, 1982 9 $1,003,019 +447% 879 $1,141   $72,700,529 22
Nov 5, 1982 12 $385,617 -62% 323 $1,194   $73,485,501 23
Nov 12, 1982 13 $223,190 -42% 288 $775   $73,876,020 24
Nov 19, 1982 16 $186,670 -16% 211 $885   $74,122,020 25
Nov 26, 1982 15 $290,945 +56% 213 $1,366   $74,508,431 26
Dec 3, 1982 15 $143,331 -51% 193 $743   $74,706,019 27

Daily Box Office Performance

Weekly Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Jun 4, 1982 3 $10,460,767   890 $11,754   $10,460,767 1
Jun 11, 1982 4 $9,126,323 -13% 890 $10,254   $19,587,090 2
Jun 18, 1982 6 $7,637,725 -16% 911 $8,384   $27,224,815 3
Jun 25, 1982 7 $6,475,185 -15% 911 $7,108   $33,700,000 4
Jul 2, 1982 6 $5,800,000 -10% 1,060 $5,472   $39,500,000 5
Jul 9, 1982 6 $5,300,000 -9% 1,030 $5,146   $44,800,000 6
Jul 16, 1982 6 $4,359,620 -18% 1,030 $4,233   $49,159,620 7
Jul 23, 1982 7 $3,883,362 -11% 926 $4,194   $53,042,982 8
Jul 30, 1982 8 $3,191,250 -18% 867 $3,681   $56,234,232 9
Aug 6, 1982 10 $2,987,323 -6% 805 $3,711   $59,221,555 10
Aug 13, 1982 14 $1,784,225 -40% 699 $2,553   $61,005,780 11
Aug 20, 1982 12 $2,264,295 +27% 739 $3,064   $63,270,075 12
Aug 27, 1982 20 $1,343,379 -41% 681 $1,973   $64,613,454 13
Sep 3, 1982 16 $1,239,304 -8% 596 $2,079   $65,852,758 14
Sep 10, 1982 9 $1,347,392 +9% 680 $1,981   $67,200,150 15
Sep 17, 1982 12 $979,025 -27% 530 $1,847   $68,179,175 16
Sep 24, 1982 11 $979,025 n/c 440 $2,225   $69,158,200 17
Oct 1, 1982 10 $979,025 n/c 368 $2,660   $70,137,225 18
Oct 8, 1982 9 $979,025 n/c 308 $3,179   $71,116,250 19
Oct 15, 1982 14 $317,851 -68% 246 $1,292   $71,434,101 20
Oct 22, 1982 15 $263,409 -17% 171 $1,540   $71,697,510 21
Oct 29, 1982 9 $1,402,374 +432% 879 $1,595   $73,099,884 22
Nov 5, 1982 9 $552,946 -61% 323 $1,712   $73,652,830 23
Nov 12, 1982 12 $282,520 -49% 288 $981   $73,935,350 24
Nov 19, 1982 14 $282,136 n/c 211 $1,337   $74,217,486 25
Nov 26, 1982 15 $345,202 +22% 213 $1,621   $74,562,688 26

Box Office Summary Per Territory

Territory Release
Date
Opening
Weekend
Opening
Weekend
Screens
Maximum
Screens
Theatrical
Engagements
Total
Box Office
Report
Date
Australia 8/6/1982 $0 0 2 4 $0
United Kingdom 10/21/2022 $52,617 103 103 103 $52,617 11/12/2022
 
Rest of World $46,947,383
 
International Total$47,000,000 11/12/2022

International Cumulative Box Office Records


Worldwide Cumulative Box Office Records


Weekly US Blu-ray Sales

DateRankUnits
this
Week
% ChangeTotal
Units
Spending
this
Week
Total
Spending
Weeks
in
Release
Sep 25, 2022813,838 13,838$270,533$270,5331,329

Our DVD and Blu-ray sales estimates are based on weekly retail surveys, which we use to build a weekly market share estimate for each title we are tracking. The market share is converted into a weekly sales estimate based on industry reports on the overall size of the market, including reports published in Media Play News.

For example, if our weekly retail survey estimates that a particular title sold 1% of all units that week, and the industry reports sales of 1,500,000 units in total, we will estimate 15,000 units were sold of that title. The consumer spending estimate is based on the average sales price for the title in the retailers we survey.

We refine our estimates from week to week as more data becomes available. In particular, we adjust weekly sales figures for the quarter once the total market estimates are published by the Digital Entertainment Group. Figures will therefore fluctuate each week, and totals for individual titles can go up or down as we update our estimates.

Because sales figures are estimated based on sampling, they will be more accurate for higher-selling titles.

Leading Cast

Heather O'Rourke    Carol Anne Freeling

Supporting Cast

JoBeth Williams    Diane Freeling
Craig T. Nelson    Steve Freeling
Beatrice Straight    Dr. Lesh
Dominique Dunne    Dana Freeling
Oliver Robins    Robbie Freeling
Michael McManus    Ben Tuthill
Virginia Kiser    Mrs. Tuthill
Martin Casella    Marty
Richard Lawson    Ryan
Zelda Rubinstein    Tangina
James Karen    Mr. Teague
Lou Perry    Pugsley
Clair Leucart    Bulldozer Driver
Dirk Blocker    Jeff Shaw
Allan Graf    Neighbor
Joseph R. Walsh    Neighbor
Helen Baron    Woman Buyer
Noel Conlon    Husband
Robert Broyles    Pool Worker
Sonny Landham    Pool Worker
Jeff Bannister    Implosion Man
Phil Stone    Football Announcer
Dana Gendian    Special Child
Jaimi Gendian    Special Child

For a description of the different acting role types we use to categorize acting perfomances, see our Glossary.

Production and Technical Credits

Tobe Hooper    Director
Steven Spielberg    Producer
Frank Marshall    Producer
Steven Spielberg    Screenwriter
Michael Grais    Screenwriter
Mark Victor    Screenwriter
Steven Spielberg    Story Creator
Jerry Goldsmith    Composer
Kathleen Kennedy    Associate Producer
Pat Kehoe    Assistant Director
Dennis E. Jones    Production Manager
Thomas G. Smith    Production Supervisor
James H. Spencer    Production Designer
Cheryal Kearney    Set Decorator
Matthew F. Leonetti    Director of Photography
Richard Edlund    Visual Effects Supervisor
Bruce Nicholson    Optical Photography Supervisor
Michael Wood    Mechanical Effects Supervisor
Ann Lambert    Costume Supervisor
Michael Kahn    Editor
R. Fields    Associate Editor
Arthur Rochester    Sound Mixer
Bill Varney    Re-recording Mixer
Steve Maslow    Re-recording Mixer
Kevin O'Connell    Re-recording Mixer
Stephen Hunter Flick    Supervising Sound Editor
Richard L. Anderson    Supervising Sound Editor
Mark Mangini    Sound Effects Editor
John Chih Chao Dunn    Sound Effects Editor
Bonnie Koehler    Dialogue Editor
Warren Hamilton, Jr.    Dialogue Editor
Kenneth Hall    Music Editor
Craig Reardon    Special Make-up Effects
Harry V. Lojewski    Music Supervisor
Mike Fenton    Casting Director
Jane Feinberg    Casting Director
Marci Liroff    Casting Director
Glenn H. Randall Jr.    Stunt Coordinator

The bold credits above the line are the "above-the-line" credits, the other the "below-the-line" credits.


  1. Summary
  2. News
  3. Box Office
  4. International
  5. Video Sales
  6. Cast & Crew
  7. Trailer

Metrics

Opening Weekend:$6,896,612 (9.2% of total gross)
Legs:10.83 (domestic box office/biggest weekend)
Domestic Share:61.4% (domestic box office/worldwide)
Production Budget:$10,700,000 (worldwide box office is 11.4 times production budget)
Theater counts:890 opening theaters/1,060 max. theaters, 15.9 weeks average run per theater
Infl. Adj. Dom. BO $273,922,064

Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists

RecordRankAmount
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 1,101-1,200) 1,163 $74,706,019
All Time International Box Office (Rank 2,001-2,100) 2,074 $47,000,000
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 1,501-1,600) 1,529 $121,706,019

See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.


Watch Now On

iTunes:iTunes
Google Play:Google Play, Google Play

Movie Details

Domestic Releases: June 4th, 1982 (Wide) by MGM
October 6th, 2022 (Limited) by Fathom Events (40th Anniversary)
International Releases: August 6th, 1982 (Wide) (Australia)
October 21st, 2022 (Limited), released as Poltergeist (40th Anniversary 4K Restoration) (United Kingdom)
Video Release: April 8th, 1997 by Turner Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 114 minutes
Franchise: Poltergeist
Comparisons: vs. The Exorcist
Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Haunting, Supernatural, Supernatural Horror
Source:Original Screenplay
Genre:Horror
Production Method:Live Action
Creative Type:Fantasy
Production/Financing Companies: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
Production Countries: United States
Languages: English

Ranking on other Records and Milestones

RecordRankAmountChart
Date
Days In
Release
Biggest Domestic 22nd Weekend 41 $1,003,019 Oct 29, 1982 150
Independence Day (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 187 $16,364,796 Jul 2, 1982 31

Leading Cast

Heather O'Rourke    Carol Anne Freeling

Supporting Cast

JoBeth Williams    Diane Freeling
Craig T. Nelson    Steve Freeling
Beatrice Straight    Dr. Lesh
Dominique Dunne    Dana Freeling
Oliver Robins    Robbie Freeling
Michael McManus    Ben Tuthill
Virginia Kiser    Mrs. Tuthill
Martin Casella    Marty
Richard Lawson    Ryan
Zelda Rubinstein    Tangina
James Karen    Mr. Teague
Lou Perry    Pugsley
Clair Leucart    Bulldozer Driver
Dirk Blocker    Jeff Shaw
Allan Graf    Neighbor
Joseph R. Walsh    Neighbor
Helen Baron    Woman Buyer
Noel Conlon    Husband
Robert Broyles    Pool Worker
Sonny Landham    Pool Worker
Jeff Bannister    Implosion Man
Phil Stone    Football Announcer
Dana Gendian    Special Child
Jaimi Gendian    Special Child

For a description of the different acting role types we use to categorize acting perfomances, see our Glossary.

Production and Technical Credits

Tobe Hooper    Director
Steven Spielberg    Producer
Frank Marshall    Producer
Steven Spielberg    Screenwriter
Michael Grais    Screenwriter
Mark Victor    Screenwriter
Steven Spielberg    Story Creator
Jerry Goldsmith    Composer
Kathleen Kennedy    Associate Producer
Pat Kehoe    Assistant Director
Dennis E. Jones    Production Manager
Thomas G. Smith    Production Supervisor
James H. Spencer    Production Designer
Cheryal Kearney    Set Decorator
Matthew F. Leonetti    Director of Photography
Richard Edlund    Visual Effects Supervisor
Bruce Nicholson    Optical Photography Supervisor
Michael Wood    Mechanical Effects Supervisor
Ann Lambert    Costume Supervisor
Michael Kahn    Editor
R. Fields    Associate Editor
Arthur Rochester    Sound Mixer
Bill Varney    Re-recording Mixer
Steve Maslow    Re-recording Mixer
Kevin O'Connell    Re-recording Mixer
Stephen Hunter Flick    Supervising Sound Editor
Richard L. Anderson    Supervising Sound Editor
Mark Mangini    Sound Effects Editor
John Chih Chao Dunn    Sound Effects Editor
Bonnie Koehler    Dialogue Editor
Warren Hamilton, Jr.    Dialogue Editor
Kenneth Hall    Music Editor
Craig Reardon    Special Make-up Effects
Harry V. Lojewski    Music Supervisor
Mike Fenton    Casting Director
Jane Feinberg    Casting Director
Marci Liroff    Casting Director
Glenn H. Randall Jr.    Stunt Coordinator

The bold credits above the line are the "above-the-line" credits, the other the "below-the-line" credits.

Compare this performance with other movies…

Domestic Cumulative Box Office Records

Weekend Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Jun 4, 1982 3 $6,896,612   890 $7,749   $6,896,612 1
Jun 11, 1982 4 $5,379,673 -22% 890 $6,045   $15,840,440 2
Jun 18, 1982 6 $4,709,044 -12% 911 $5,169   $24,296,134 3
Jun 25, 1982 7 $4,103,235 -13% 911 $4,504   $31,328,050 4
Jul 2, 1982 7 $4,257,743 +4% 1,060 $4,017   $37,957,743 5
Jul 9, 1982 5 $3,246,527 -24% 1,030 $3,152   $42,746,527 6
Jul 16, 1982 7 $2,648,700 -18% 1,030 $2,572   $47,448,700 7
Jul 23, 1982 8 $2,125,435 -20% 926 $2,295   $51,285,055 8
Jul 30, 1982 9 $1,847,018 -13% 867 $2,130   $54,890,000 9
Aug 6, 1982 9 $1,903,479 +3% 805 $2,365   $58,137,711 10
Aug 13, 1982 12 $1,425,480 -25% 699 $2,039   $60,647,035 11
Aug 20, 1982 14 $1,279,800 -10% 739 $1,732   $62,285,580 12
Aug 27, 1982 17 $920,500 -28% 681 $1,352   $64,190,575 13
Sep 3, 1982 19 $1,083,726 +18% 596 $1,818   $65,697,180 14
Sep 10, 1982 9 $1,065,523 -2% 680 $1,567   $66,918,281 15
Sep 17, 1982 13 $738,292 -31% 530 $1,393   $67,938,442 16
Sep 24, 1982 13 $720,000 -2% 440 $1,636   $68,899,175 17
Oct 1, 1982 19 $414,721 -42% 368 $1,127   $69,572,921 18
Oct 8, 1982 20 $389,180 -6% 308 $1,264   $70,526,405 19
Oct 15, 1982 22 $206,183 -47% 246 $838   $71,322,433 20
Oct 22, 1982 18 $183,308 -11% 171 $1,072   $71,617,409 21
Oct 29, 1982 9 $1,003,019 +447% 879 $1,141   $72,700,529 22
Nov 5, 1982 12 $385,617 -62% 323 $1,194   $73,485,501 23
Nov 12, 1982 13 $223,190 -42% 288 $775   $73,876,020 24
Nov 19, 1982 16 $186,670 -16% 211 $885   $74,122,020 25
Nov 26, 1982 15 $290,945 +56% 213 $1,366   $74,508,431 26
Dec 3, 1982 15 $143,331 -51% 193 $743   $74,706,019 27

Daily Box Office Performance

Weekly Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Jun 4, 1982 3 $10,460,767   890 $11,754   $10,460,767 1
Jun 11, 1982 4 $9,126,323 -13% 890 $10,254   $19,587,090 2
Jun 18, 1982 6 $7,637,725 -16% 911 $8,384   $27,224,815 3
Jun 25, 1982 7 $6,475,185 -15% 911 $7,108   $33,700,000 4
Jul 2, 1982 6 $5,800,000 -10% 1,060 $5,472   $39,500,000 5
Jul 9, 1982 6 $5,300,000 -9% 1,030 $5,146   $44,800,000 6
Jul 16, 1982 6 $4,359,620 -18% 1,030 $4,233   $49,159,620 7
Jul 23, 1982 7 $3,883,362 -11% 926 $4,194   $53,042,982 8
Jul 30, 1982 8 $3,191,250 -18% 867 $3,681   $56,234,232 9
Aug 6, 1982 10 $2,987,323 -6% 805 $3,711   $59,221,555 10
Aug 13, 1982 14 $1,784,225 -40% 699 $2,553   $61,005,780 11
Aug 20, 1982 12 $2,264,295 +27% 739 $3,064   $63,270,075 12
Aug 27, 1982 20 $1,343,379 -41% 681 $1,973   $64,613,454 13
Sep 3, 1982 16 $1,239,304 -8% 596 $2,079   $65,852,758 14
Sep 10, 1982 9 $1,347,392 +9% 680 $1,981   $67,200,150 15
Sep 17, 1982 12 $979,025 -27% 530 $1,847   $68,179,175 16
Sep 24, 1982 11 $979,025 n/c 440 $2,225   $69,158,200 17
Oct 1, 1982 10 $979,025 n/c 368 $2,660   $70,137,225 18
Oct 8, 1982 9 $979,025 n/c 308 $3,179   $71,116,250 19
Oct 15, 1982 14 $317,851 -68% 246 $1,292   $71,434,101 20
Oct 22, 1982 15 $263,409 -17% 171 $1,540   $71,697,510 21
Oct 29, 1982 9 $1,402,374 +432% 879 $1,595   $73,099,884 22
Nov 5, 1982 9 $552,946 -61% 323 $1,712   $73,652,830 23
Nov 12, 1982 12 $282,520 -49% 288 $981   $73,935,350 24
Nov 19, 1982 14 $282,136 n/c 211 $1,337   $74,217,486 25
Nov 26, 1982 15 $345,202 +22% 213 $1,621   $74,562,688 26

Box Office Summary Per Territory

Territory Release
Date
Opening
Weekend
Opening
Weekend
Screens
Maximum
Screens
Theatrical
Engagements
Total
Box Office
Report
Date
Australia 8/6/1982 $0 0 2 4 $0
United Kingdom 10/21/2022 $52,617 103 103 103 $52,617 11/12/2022
 
Rest of World $46,947,383
 
International Total$47,000,000 11/12/2022

International Cumulative Box Office Records


Worldwide Cumulative Box Office Records


Weekly US Blu-ray Sales

DateRankUnits
this
Week
% ChangeTotal
Units
Spending
this
Week
Total
Spending
Weeks
in
Release
Sep 25, 2022813,838 13,838$270,533$270,5331,329

Our DVD and Blu-ray sales estimates are based on weekly retail surveys, which we use to build a weekly market share estimate for each title we are tracking. The market share is converted into a weekly sales estimate based on industry reports on the overall size of the market, including reports published in Media Play News.

For example, if our weekly retail survey estimates that a particular title sold 1% of all units that week, and the industry reports sales of 1,500,000 units in total, we will estimate 15,000 units were sold of that title. The consumer spending estimate is based on the average sales price for the title in the retailers we survey.

We refine our estimates from week to week as more data becomes available. In particular, we adjust weekly sales figures for the quarter once the total market estimates are published by the Digital Entertainment Group. Figures will therefore fluctuate each week, and totals for individual titles can go up or down as we update our estimates.

Because sales figures are estimated based on sampling, they will be more accurate for higher-selling titles.