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
| 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 |
2
| Jaws 2 |
| Director: Jeannot Szwarc |
| Lead Roles: Roy Scheider as Police chief Martin Brody, Lorraine Gary as Ellen Brody, Murray Hamilton as Mayor Larry Vaughn |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 16, 1978 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Animals Gone Bad, Visual Effects, Nature Horror |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Horror, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $102,922,376 |
|
International BO: $105,978,000 |
3
| Good Guys Wear Black |
| Director: Ted Post |
| Lead Roles: Chuck Norris as John T. Booker |
| Initial Theatrical Release: 1978 (Wide) by American Cinema Releasing |
| Keywords: Martial Arts, Action Thriller, 1970s, Vietnam War, POW, Rescue, C.I.A., Government Corruption |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $18,300,000 |
4
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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 |
5
| The Lord of the Rings |
| Director: Ralph Bakshi |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 15, 1978 (Limited) by United Artists |
| Keywords: Lord of the Rings, Heroic Adventure |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Rotoscoping |
|
Domestic BO: $27,000,000 |
6
| 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 |
7
| 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 |
8
| 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, released as National Lampoon's Animal House |
| 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 |
9
| 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 |
10
| Eyes of Laura Mars |
| Director: Irvin Kershner |
| Lead Roles: Faye Dunaway as Laura Mars |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 2, 1978 (Wide) by Columbia |
| Keywords: Crime Thriller, Psychics, Serial Killer, Police Detective, Police Shooting, Murder Mystery, Mental Illness, Multiple Personality, Film Noir, Photography, Models, Erotic Thriller |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Thriller/Suspense, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $18,900,000 |
11
| Uncle Joe Shannon |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 15, 1978 (Limited) by United Artists |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action |
|
Domestic BO: $3,697 |
12
| A Little Night Music |
| Director: Harold Prince |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March 8, 1978 (Limited) by New World |
| Classification: Musical, Live Action |
13
| Ice Castles |
| Director: Donald Wrye |
| Lead Roles: Robby Benson as Nick Peterson, Lynn-Holly Johnson as Alexis Winston |
| Initial Theatrical Release: 1978 (Wide) by Columbia |
| Keywords: Romantic Drama, Romance, Figure Skating, Blindness, Remade |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $18,000,000 |
14
| Northern Lights |
| Director: John Hanson, Rob Nilsson |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 17, 1978 (Limited) |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $9,453 |
15
| The Bad News Bears Go To Japan |
| Director: John Berry |
| Lead Roles: Tony Curtis as Marvin Lazar, Jackie Earle Haley as Kelly Leak |
| Initial Theatrical Release: 1978 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Baseball, Sports Comedy, Set in Japan, Culture Clash, Bad Role Models, Sequels Without Their Original Stars, Underdog, Romance, Cross-Culture Romance |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $14,000,000 |
16
| Avalanche |
| Director: Corey Allen |
| Initial Theatrical Release: September 29, 1978 (Limited) |
| Keywords: Disaster, Skiing, Relationships Gone Wrong, Figure Skating |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
17
| Brass Target |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 22, 1978 (Wide) by MGM |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action |
|
Domestic BO: $354,797 |
18
| 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 |
19
| I Wanna Hold Your Hand |
| Director: Robert Zemeckis |
| Lead Roles: Nancy Allen as Pam Mitchell, Marc McClure as Larry Dubois, Susan Kendall Newman as Janis Goldman, Wendie Jo Sperber as Rosie Petrofsky |
| Initial Theatrical Release: 1978 (Wide) by Universal |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Multiple Genres, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $1,900,000 |
20
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| Le evase — Storie di sesso e di violenze |
| Director: Giovanni Brusadori |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 18, 1978 (Wide) (Italy) |
| Classification: Action, Live Action |
21
| Casey's Shadow |
| Director: Martin Ritt |
| Initial Theatrical Release: 1978 (Wide) by Columbia |
| Keywords: Miscellaneous Sports, Sports Drama, Father’s Footsteps, Animal Lead, Horse Racing, Death of a Pet, Professional Rivalry |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $8,000,000 |
22
| House Calls |
| Director: Howard Zieff |
| Lead Roles: Walter Matthau as Dr. Charley Nichols, Glenda Jackson as Ann Atkinson |
| Initial Theatrical Release: 1978 (Wide) by Universal |
|
Domestic BO: $29,000,000 |
23
| Big Wednesday |
| Director: John Milius |
| Initial Theatrical Release: May 26, 1978 (Limited) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Coming of Age, Set in California, Surfing, Vietnam War, Autobiographical, 1960s, 1970s, Returning Soldiers |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
24
| 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 |
25
| Rush It |
| Director: Gary Youngman |
| Lead Roles: Tom Berenger as Richard Moore, John Heard as Byron |
| Initial Theatrical Release: May 29, 1978 (Wide), released as Snabba ryck (Sweden) |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |