1978 in film

The year 1978 in film involved some significant events.

Highest-grossing films (U.S.)
The top ten 1978 released films by box office gross in the United States and Canada are as follows:

Events

 * February 6 – David Begelman resigns as president of Columbia Pictures.
 * March 1 – Charlie Chaplin's coffin is stolen from a Swiss cemetery three months after burial. After recovery a few weeks later, the casket is sealed in a concrete vault prior to reburial.
 * March – Leigh Brackett completes the first draft for The Empire Strikes Back, but dies only two weeks later.
 * June – Daniel Melnick becomes head of Columbia Pictures after the David Begelman scandal.
 * June 4 – Grease, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, has its world premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. It becomes the highest-grossing musical ever and Paramount Pictures' highest-grossing film.
 * July 20 – Alan Hirschfield is fired as president and CEO of Columbia Pictures. He is replaced by Francis T. Vincent.
 * August – Production begins on Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
 * September – George Lucas purchases Bulltail Ranch, on Lucas Valley Road, for the development of Skywalker Ranch.
 * October 25 – Halloween is released.
 * November 17 – Star Wars Holiday Special airs on CBS. The special gives fans their first glimpse of Boba Fett, a character from the upcoming sequel. But he was not enough for the special to avoid negative reviews upon airing.
 * December 10 – Superman premieres at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, D.C., and has a European Royal Charity Premiere at the Empire, Leicester Square in London three days later in the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Andrew.

Awards
Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival):
 * The Tree of Wooden Clogs (L'Albero degli zoccoli), directed by Ermanno Olmi, Italy

Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival):
 * Trout (Las Truchas), directed by José Luis García Sánchez, Spain
 * What Max Said (Las Palabras de Max), directed by Emilio Martínez-Lázaro, Spain

By country/region

 * List of American films of 1978
 * List of Argentine films of 1978
 * List of Australian films of 1978
 * List of Bangladeshi films of 1978
 * List of British films of 1978
 * List of Canadian films of 1978
 * List of French films of 1978
 * List of Hong Kong films of 1978
 * List of Indian films of 1978
 * List of Hindi films of 1978
 * List of Kannada films of 1978
 * List of Malayalam films of 1978
 * List of Marathi films of 1978
 * List of Tamil films of 1978
 * List of Telugu films of 1978
 * List of Japanese films of 1978
 * List of Mexican films of 1978
 * List of Pakistani films of 1978
 * List of South Korean films of 1978
 * List of Soviet films of 1978
 * List of Spanish films of 1978

By genre/medium

 * List of action films of 1978
 * List of animated feature films of 1978
 * List of avant-garde films of 1978
 * List of comedy films of 1978
 * List of drama films of 1978
 * List of horror films of 1978
 * List of science fiction films of 1978
 * List of thriller films of 1978
 * List of western films of 1978

Births

 * January 1 – Christian Tessier, Canadian actor
 * January 2
 * Raghda Khateb, Syrian voice actress
 * Megumi Toyoguchi, Japanese voice actress
 * January 3 – Kimberley Locke, American singer-songwriter and model
 * January 5
 * Clarine Harp, American voice actress
 * January Jones, American actress and model
 * America Olivo, American actress and singer
 * January 6 – Tara Spencer-Nairn, Canadian actress
 * January 8 – Scott Whyte, American actor
 * January 9 – AJ McLean, American musician, singer, dancer, actor, and entertainer
 * January 10 – Antonio Cupo, Canadian film and television actor
 * January 14 - Blake Ritson, English actor
 * January 15
 * Eddie Cahill, American actor
 * Jamie Clayton, actress, model
 * January 17
 * Pampita, Argentine model, actress, television personality
 * Takatoshi Kaneko, Japanese actor
 * Ricky Wilson, English actor, singer
 * January 20 – Omar Sy, French actor
 * January 24
 * Mark Hildreth, Canadian actor, voice actor
 * Kristen Schaal, American actress, comedian and writer
 * January 25 – Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian actor and politician
 * January 27 – Jake Pavelka, American pilot, television personality
 * January 28 – Stephen Farrelly, Irish actor, professional wrestler
 * February 7 – Ashton Kutcher, American actor
 * February 9 – A. J. Buckley, Canadian actor
 * February 10 - Don Omar, Puerto Rican singer, rapper and actor
 * February 11 - Lymari Nadal, Puerto Rican actress, producer and screenwriter
 * February 12 –
 * Paul Anderson, British actor
 * Gethin Jones, Welsh television presenter
 * February 14 – Danai Gurira, actress, playwright
 * February 17
 * Ashton Holmes, American actor
 * Rory Kinnear, English actor and playwright
 * February 20
 * Jay Hernandez, American actor
 * Julia Jentsch, German actress
 * Chelsea Peretti, American comedian, actress, television writer and singer-songwriter
 * February 23 – Kris Lemche, Canadian actor
 * February 24 – Nicole Lyn, Canadian actress
 * February 28 - Geoffrey Arend, American actor
 * March 1 – Jensen Ackles, American actor
 * March 3 – Aarti Mann, Indian-American actress
 * March 5 – Kimberly McCullough, American actress, dancer, director
 * March 8 – Nick Zano, American actor
 * March 9 – Katherine Parkinson, English actress
 * March 16 – Sophie Hunter, English actress and singer
 * March 17 – Patrick Seitz, American voice actor
 * March 21
 * Kevin Federline, American rapper, DJ, actor, television personality, professional wrestler, and fashion model
 * Rani Mukerji, Indian actress
 * March 23 – Nicholle Tom and David Tom, American actress and actor
 * March 24 – Amanda Brugel, Canadian actress
 * March 25 – Teddy Lussi-Modeste, French film director, screenwriter and literature teacher
 * March 31 - Daniel Mays, English actor
 * April 1 – Anamaria Marinca, Romanian actress
 * April 2 – Deon Richmond, American actor
 * April 3 – Matthew Goode, English actor
 * April 6 - Lauren Ridloff, deaf American actress
 * April 7
 * Duncan James, English actor, television presenter and singer
 * Scott McGillivray, Canadian television host
 * April 8
 * Paola Núñez, Mexican actress and producer
 * Rachel Roberts, Canadian model and actress
 * April 12 – Riley Smith, American actor
 * April 13 – Kyle Howard, American actor
 * April 14 - Michelle Duncan, Scottish-Canadian actress
 * April 16 – Lara Dutta, Indian actress
 * April 17 – Ido Mosseri, Israeli actor, singer and musician
 * April 19
 * James Franco, American actor
 * Joanna Gaines, American designer, businesswoman, entrepreneur, television personality
 * April 20
 * Matt Austin, Canadian actor
 * Clayne Crawford, American actor
 * April 23 – Ian Brennan, American writer, actor, producer
 * April 26
 * Stana Katic, Canadian-American actress, producer
 * Pablo Schreiber, Canadian actor
 * April 28
 * Nate Richert, American actor, musician
 * Drew Scott, Canadian actor, realtor, and entrepreneur
 * Jonathan Scott, Canadian reality television personality, contractor, illusionist, and television and film producer
 * April 29 – Tyler Labine, Canadian actor
 * April 30 – Sandra Huller, German actress
 * May 1 – James Badge Dale, American actor
 * May 2 - Kumail Nanjiani, Pakistani-American comedian, actor and screenwriter
 * May 4 – Daisuke Ono, Japanese voice actor and singer
 * May 5 – Santiago Cabrera, Venezuelan-born Chilean actor
 * May 8
 * Matthew Davis, American actor
 * Ana Maria Lombo, American musician and television personality
 * Josie Maran, American model, actress, and entrepreneur
 * May 9 – Daniel Franzese, American actor, comedian and activist
 * May 10
 * Corri English, American actress
 * Kenan Thompson, American actor, comedian
 * May 11 – Warren Brown, English actor and former professional Thai boxer
 * May 12
 * Aaron Abrams, Canadian actor, writer
 * Malin Åkerman, Swedish-Canadian actress
 * Jason Biggs, American actor
 * May 13 - Patrick Hughes, Australian director and screenwriter
 * May 15
 * Caroline Dhavernas, Canadian actress
 * David Krumholtz, American actor
 * May 16 – Jim Sturgess, English actor
 * May 17
 * Gabriel Hogan, Canadian-born American actor
 * Kat Foster, American actress
 * May 18 – Chad Donella, Canadian actor
 * May 21 – Chris Santos, American actor
 * May 22 – Ginnifer Goodwin, American actress
 * May 24 – Bryan Greenberg, American actor
 * May 25 – Brian Urlacher, former American football linebacker
 * May 26 – Laurence Fox, English actor, singer-songwriter, and guitarist
 * May 28 – Jake Johnson, actor, comedian
 * May 29 – Adam Rickitt, English actor, singer and model
 * June 2
 * Dominic Cooper, English actor
 * Nikki Cox, American actress
 * Justin Long, American actor
 * June 4
 * Josh McDermitt, American film and television actor and comedian
 * Robin Lord Taylor, American actor
 * June 5
 * Nick Kroll, American actor, comedian, writer and producer
 * Jeff Schroeder, American television and online talk show host
 * June 6 - Judith Barsi, American child actress (d. 1988)
 * June 7
 * Bill Hader, American actor, comedian
 * Anna Torv, Australian actress
 * June 8 – Maria Menounos, American actress
 * June 9 – Michaela Conlin, American actress
 * June 10
 * DJ Qualls, American actor
 * Shane West, American actor
 * Marko Zaror, Chilean martial artist and actor
 * June 11 – Joshua Jackson, Canadian actor
 * June 12 - Timothy Simons, American actor and comedian
 * June 13 – Ethan Embry, American actor
 * June 14 - Diablo Cody, Canadian writer
 * June 16 – Daniel Brühl, German actor
 * June 18 – Tara Platt, American voice actress
 * June 19
 * Mía Maestro, Argentine actress and singer-songwriter
 * Zoe Saldana, American actress
 * June 20
 * Quinton Jackson, American mixed martial artist, actor and former professional wrestler
 * Mike Birbiglia, American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer
 * June 21 – Erica Durance, Canadian actress
 * June 27 – Courtney Ford, actress
 * June 28 – Ha Ji-won, South Korean actress
 * June 29 –
 * Luke Kirby, Canadian actor
 * Nicole Scherzinger, American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress and television personality
 * July 2 – Owain Yeoman, Welsh actor
 * July 3 – Ian Anthony Dale, American actor
 * July 4
 * Becki Newton, American actress
 * July 6
 * Adam Busch, American actor, film director and singer
 * Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry, American actresses
 * July 8 – Rachael Lillis, American voice actress
 * July 9 – Kyle Davis, American actor
 * July 11
 * Dustin Demri-Burns, English actor, comedian, and writer
 * Jonjo O'Neill, Irish actor
 * Thomas Stone, Hungarian pornographic actor
 * July 12
 * Topher Grace, American actor
 * Michelle Rodriguez, American actress
 * July 15 – Greg Sestero, American actor, writer
 * July 17
 * Justine Triet, French film director, screenwriter and editor
 * R. J. Williams, American actor, television host, CEO of Young Hollywood
 * July 20
 * Charlie Korsmo, American former child actor
 * Anatol Yusef, English stage, film and television actor
 * July 21
 * Justin Bartha, American actor
 * Josh Hartnett, American actor
 * July 22 – A. J. Cook, Canadian actress
 * July 23 - Pearry Reginald Teo, Singaporean filmmaker (d. 2023)
 * July 24 – Jeff Mauro, American actor, chef
 * July 29 - Paul King, British writer and director
 * August 2 – Natashia Williams, American actress, model
 * August 3
 * Tommy Dewey, American actor, producer, writer
 * Shanelle Workman, American actress, voice actress, producer and director
 * August 4 – Mick Cain, American actor
 * August 6 – Lee Ji-ah, South Korean actress
 * August 8 – Countess Vaughn, American actress
 * August 10
 * Leo Fitzpatrick, American actor
 * Alison Folland, American actress and filmmaker
 * August 18 – Andy Samberg, American actor, comedian
 * August 19 - Michelle Borth, American actress
 * August 20 – Kris Smith, English Australian model, television presenter and rugby league footballer
 * August 22 – James Corden, English singer, actor, television host
 * August 23 – Andrew Rannells, American actor, voice actor, singer
 * August 24 – Beth Riesgraf, American actress
 * August 25 – Kel Mitchell, American actor, comedian
 * August 28 – Sam Wills, New Zealand prop comic, busker, clown, and mime
 * August 30 – Gianpaolo Venuta, Canadian actor
 * August 31 – Mike Erwin, American actor
 * September 3 – Nick Wechsler, Amer(ican actor
 * September 4 – Wes Bentley, American actor
 * September 7 – Devon Sawa, Canadian actor
 * September 12 – Benjamin McKenzie, American actor
 * September 16
 * Carolina Dieckmann, Brazilian actress
 * Ebonie Smith, American former actress and model
 * September 18 – Billy Eichner, American comedian, actor, writer, and television personality
 * September 20 – Charlie Weber, American actor
 * September 21 – Paulo Costanzo, Canadian actor
 * September 22 – Daniella Alonso, American actress and fashion model
 * September 23 – Anthony Mackie, American actor
 * September 24 - Christopher Nowinski, American author, co-founder and executive director of the Concussion Legacy Foundation; as well as a former professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment
 * September 25 – Rossif Sutherland, Canadian actor
 * September 28 – Lucas Bryant, Canadian actor
 * September 29 – Nathan West, American actor
 * September 30 - Stark Sands, American actor
 * October 1 – Katie Aselton, American actress, film director and producer
 * October 3
 * Christian Coulson, English actor
 * Shannyn Sossamon, American actress
 * October 6 - Lindsey Pearlman, American actress (d. 2022)
 * October 7
 * Joe Armstrong, English actor
 * Hattie Morahan, English actress
 * October 9 – Randy Spelling, American actor
 * October 10
 * Trevor Eyster, American actor
 * Edan Gross, American former child actor
 * Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, American actress
 * October 11
 * Wes Chatham, American actor
 * Trevor Donovan, American actor
 * October 14 – Usher, American singer, actor
 * October 15
 * Devon Gummersall, American actor
 * Matt Lutz, American actor
 * October 16 – Kala Savage, American actress
 * October 18 – Wesley Jonathan, American actor
 * October 21
 * Will Estes, American actor
 * Michael McMillian, American actor
 * October 26 –
 * CM Punk, American mixed martial artist, comic book writer and retired professional wrestler
 * Anthony Carrino, American contractor, designer, developer and television personality
 * October 27 – David Walton, American actor
 * October 28
 * Gwendoline Christie, English actress and model
 * Justin Guarini, American singer and actor
 * October 30 - Matthew Morrison, American singer, actor
 * October 31 – Brian Hallisay, American actor
 * November 1 – Mary Kate Schellhardt, American actress
 * November 2
 * Oliver Chris, English actor
 * Whit Hertford, American theatre director, writer and actor
 * November 7 - Will Gluck, American director, producer, screenwriter and composer
 * November 8 – Keir O'Donnell, Australian-American actor
 * November 9 – Sisqó, American singer, actor, songwriter
 * November 10
 * David Paetkau, Canadian actor
 * Diplo, American actor, DJ, record producer, rapper, songwriter
 * November 12
 * Nicolas Giraud, French actor and filmmaker
 * Alexandra Maria Lara, Romanian-German actress
 * Ashley Williams, American actress
 * November 13 - Marit Velle Kile, Norwegian former actress
 * November 17
 * Nonso Anozie, British actor
 * Zoe Bell, New Zealand stuntwoman, actress
 * Tom Ellis, Welsh actor
 * Rachel McAdams, Canadian actress
 * November 19 – Eric Nenninger, American actor
 * November 20 - Nadine Velazquez, American actress and model
 * November 21 – Yasmine Al Massri, International actress, dancer, video artist and human rights advocate
 * November 23 – Kayvan Novak, British actor, voice actor, and comedian
 * November 24 – Katherine Heigl, American actress
 * November 25 – Taís Araújo, Brazilian actress
 * November 26 – Jun Fukuyama, Japanese voice actor and singer
 * November 28 – Jodie Resther, Canadian actress
 * November 29 – Lauren German, actress
 * November 30
 * Gael García Bernal, Mexican film actor, director, and producer
 * Nelsan Ellis, American actor (d. 2017)
 * December 1 – Stefan Kapičić, Serbian actor
 * December 7
 * Shiri Appleby, American actress
 * Kristofer Hivju, Norwegian film actor, producer and writer
 * December 8 – Ian Somerhalder, American actor
 * December 9 – Jesse Metcalfe, American actor
 * December 10 - Summer Phoenix, American actress
 * December 12 - Gbenga Akinnagbe, American actor and writer
 * December 13 – Cameron Douglas, American actor
 * December 15 – Will Wikle, American actor and reality television personality
 * December 16 – Joe Absolom, English actor
 * December 17 – Douglas Tait, American actor, stuntman, filmmaker
 * December 18
 * Josh Dallas, American actor
 * Katie Holmes, American actress
 * Ravi Patel, American actor
 * December 21
 * Charles Dera, American pornographic actor, dancer, model, martial artist, and former U.S. Marine
 * Mike Vitar, American actor
 * December 22 – Mia Tyler, American actress, model, author, visual artist, media personality, socialite, fashion designer, talent manager and music promoter
 * December 23 - Josh Cowdery, American actor
 * December 24 – Carlson Twins, American actors, models
 * December 25 – Jeremy Strong, American film, television, and stage actor
 * December 27 - Lisa Jakub, Canadian writer and former actress
 * December 28 – John Legend, American composer and actor
 * December 30 – Tyrese Gibson, American actor, singer, model
 * December 31 – Johnny Sins, pornographic actor, director, and Internet personality

Film debuts

 * Karen Allen – National Lampoon's Animal House
 * Pedro Almodóvar (director) – Folle...folle...fólleme Tim!
 * María Conchita Alonso – Savana – Sesso e diamanti
 * Tomas Arana – Blood Feud
 * Kevin Bacon – National Lampoon's Animal House
 * Jonathan Banks – Coming Home
 * Ellen Barkin – Up in Smoke
 * Frances Bay – Foul Play
 * Jim Belushi – The Fury
 * Bob Bergen – Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo
 * Michael Biehn – Coach
 * Jake Busey – Straight Time
 * Tommy Chong – Up in Smoke
 * Billy Connolly – Absolution
 * Billy Crystal – Rabbit Test
 * Jamie Lee Curtis – Halloween
 * E. G. Daily – Jukebox
 * Eddie Deezen – Laserblast
 * Julie Delpy – Guerres civiles en France
 * R. Lee Ermey – The Boys in Company C
 * Corey Feldman – Born Again
 * Tovah Feldshuh – Nunzio
 * William Forsythe – Long Shot
 * Dennis Franz – The Fury
 * Joe Grifasi – The Deer Hunter
 * Harry Hamlin – Movie Movie
 * Daryl Hannah – The Fury
 * Mark Harmon – Comes a Horseman
 * Woody Harrelson – Harper Valley PTA
 * Ed Harris – Coma
 * Phil Hartman – Stunt Rock
 * Gregg Henry – Mean Dog Blues
 * Mary Beth Hurt – Interiors
 * Laura Innes – The Fury
 * Michael Keaton – Rabbit Test
 * John Malkovich – A Wedding
 * Joe Mantegna – Towing
 * Cheech Marin – Up in Smoke
 * Laurie Metcalf – A Wedding
 * Liam Neeson – Pilgrim's Progress
 * Natalia Nogulich – Stony Island
 * Deborah Offner – Rush It
 * Michael O'Keefe – Gray Lady Down
 * Mandy Patinkin – The Big Fix
 * Roddy Piper – The One and Only
 * Tony Plana – The Boss's Son
 * Annie Potts – Corvette Summer
 * Robert Prosky – The Brink's Job
 * David Rasche – An Unmarried Woman
 * Christopher Reeve – Gray Lady Down
 * James Remar – On the Yard
 * Jean Reno – The Hypothesis of the Stolen Painting
 * Eric Roberts – King of the Gypsies
 * Diana Scarwid – Pretty Baby
 * Gary Sinise – A Wedding
 * James Spader – Team-Mates
 * Mary Steenburgen – Goin' South
 * Peter Stormare – The Score
 * Carel Struycken – Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
 * Rachel Ticotin – King of the Gypsies
 * Tom Waits – Paradise Alley
 * Alberta Watson – Power Play
 * Norbert Weisser – Midnight Express
 * George Wendt – A Wedding
 * Alfre Woodard – Remember My Name
 * Grace Zabriskie – They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way
 * Robert Zemeckis (director) – I Wanna Hold Your Hand