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
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
| 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 |
3
| 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 |
4
| 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 |
5
| 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 |
6
| 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 |
7
| The Wild Geese |
| Director: Andrew V. McLaglen |
| Lead Roles: Richard Burton as Colonel Allen Faulkner, Roger Moore as Lieutenant Shawn Fynn, Richard Harris as Captain Rafer Janders, Hardy Krüger as Lieutenant Pieter Coetzee |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 28, 1978 (Wide) (South Africa) |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
8
| Renaldo and Clara |
| Director: Bob Dylan |
| Lead Roles: Bob Dylan as Renaldo, Sara Dylan as Clara |
| Initial Theatrical Release: January 25, 1978 (Limited) |
| Classification: Compilation, Drama, Live Action, Factual |
9
| Watership Down |
| Director: Martin Rosen |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 14, 1978 (Wide), released as Den långa flykten (Sweden) |
| Keywords: Animal Lead, Talking Animals |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Adventure, Hand Animation, Fantasy |
10
| 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 |
11
| American Hot Wax |
| Director: Floyd Mutrux |
| Lead Roles: Tim McIntire as Alan Freed |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March 17, 1978 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Biographical Drama, Biography, 1950s, Radio Industry, Rock 'n' Roll, Censorship, Epilogue, Gratuitous Cameos |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Dramatization |
|
Domestic BO: $11,000,000 |
12
| 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 |
13
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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 |
14
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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 |
15
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| Holocaust 2000 |
| Director: Alberto De Martino |
| Lead Roles: Kirk Douglas as Robert Caine, Agostina Belli as Sara Golan |
| Initial Theatrical Release: April 19, 1978 (Limited) by Embassy |
| Classification: Horror, Live Action |
16
| The Deer Hunter |
| Director: Michael Cimino |
| Lead Roles: Robert De Niro as Michael |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 8, 1978 (Limited) by Universal |
| Keywords: Returning Soldiers, Vietnam War, War, War Drama, 1979 Oscars Best Picture Nominee, Oscars Best Picture Winner |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $50,000,000 |
|
International BO: $65,119 |
17
| La ragazza dal pigiama giallo |
| Director: Flavio Mogherini |
| Lead Roles: Ray Milland, Dalila Di Lazzaro, Mel Ferrer |
| Initial Theatrical Release: January 12, 1978 (Wide) (Italy) |
| Keywords: Direct-to-Video |
| Classification: Thriller/Suspense, Live Action |
18
| L’orgia |
| Director: Francesc Bellmunt |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 27, 1978 (Limited) (Spain) |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |