| pos. | Title | Gross | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Superman II (1980) | $53,472,435 |
| 2 |  | Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) | $21,861,910 |
| 3 |  | Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981) | $20,471,382 |
| 4 |  | The Cannonball Run (1981) | $20,007,069 |
| 5 |  | For Your Eyes Only (1981) | $6,834,967 |
| 6 |  | Neighbors (1981) | $6,481,386 |
| 7 |  | Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) | $6,429,784 |
| 8 |  | Stripes (1981) | $6,130,197 |
| 9 |  | History of the World Part I (1981) | $4,792,731 |
| 10 |  | Excalibur (1981) | $4,519,706 |
| 11 |  | The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981) | $4,279,264 |
| 12 |  | Sahrky's Machine (1981) | $3,022,041 |
| 13 |  | The Great Muppet Caper (1981) | $2,968,990 |
| 14 |  | Nighthawks (1981) | $2,525,360 |
| 15 |  | Absence of Malice (1981) | $2,427,365 |
| 16 |  | Dragonslayer (1981) | $2,407,939 |
| 17 |  | Reds (1981) | $2,325,029 |
| 18 |  | Taps (1981) | $2,265,086 |
| 19 |  | Rollover (1981) | $2,260,689 |
| 20 |  | Ghost Story (1981) | $2,105,729 |