#1 of 4 #1 action movie of December 1986
1986 · Action, Adventure
$79.8M worldwide · 61% of the chart's total
$79.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Action box office · December 1986
Action Box Office, December 1986: Top-Grossing Releases
The Golden Child (1986) is the highest-grossing action movie released in December 1986, with $79.8M worldwide, ahead of Heartbreak Ridge (1986) at $42.7M and King Kong Lives (1986) at $4.7M. 4 action films released in December 1986 report a worldwide gross, $131M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is 7.7 times the total of November 1986, whose releases took $17M.
- December 1986 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $131M
- The Golden Child (1986), the #1
- $79.8M
- vs November 1986
- ×7.7
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of December 1986?
The Golden Child (1986) leads with $79.8M, 61% of the total. The top 4 together took $131M, almost all of what the 4 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Action Release of December 1986, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in December 1986.
- 1 Dec 12, 1986 US and Canada: $79.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $79.8M
- 2 Dec 5, 1986 US and Canada: $42.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.7M
- 3 Dec 19, 1986 US and Canada: $4.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7M
- 4 Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1986)Dec 17, 1986 US and Canada: $3.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.8M
Dec 17, 1986 · English · Mystery, Comedy, Action $3.8M worldwide
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1986?
Of the top 4, The Golden Child (1986) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1986) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $131M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Golden Child (1986) $79.8M $79.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Heartbreak Ridge (1986) $42.7M $42.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 King Kong Lives (1986) $4.7M $4.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1986) $3.8M $3.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of December 1986 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 50 (Dec 7–13) took $79.8M, led by The Golden Child (1986). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 30–Dec 6 Heartbreak Ridge (1986) $42.7M Heartbreak Ridge (1986)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 7–13 The Golden Child (1986) $79.8M The Golden Child (1986)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 14–20 King Kong Lives (1986) $8.5M King Kong Lives (1986)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 21–27 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 28–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1986 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1984 earned the most: $410.1M from 5 films, led by Beverly Hills Cop (1984). December 1986 took $131M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1977 1 film | 1 | $26.4M | – | The Gauntlet (1977) $26.4M |
| December 1978 4 films · +1406% | 4 | $397.9M | +1406% | Superman (1978) $300.5M |
| December 1979 2 films · −68% | 2 | $128.3M | −68% | 1941 (1979) $92.5M |
| December 1980 3 films · −24% | 3 | $97.9M | −24% | Any Which Way You Can (1980) $70.7M |
| December 1981 3 films · −57% | 3 | $42.5M | −57% | Sharky's Machine (1981) $35.6M |
| December 1982 1 film · +85% | 1 | $78.9M | +85% | 48 Hrs. (1982) $78.9M |
| December 1983 6 films · +131% | 6 | $182.2M | +131% | Sudden Impact (1983) $67.6M |
| December 1984 5 films · +125% | 5 | $410.1M | +125% | Beverly Hills Cop (1984) $316.4M |
| December 1985 4 films · −72% | 4 | $113.5M | −72% | The Jewel of the Nile (1985) $96.8M |
| December 1986 4 films · +15% | 4 | $131M | +15% | The Golden Child (1986) $79.8M |
Archive
Action Box Office in 1986, Month by Month
The months of 1986 with their totals: May leads with $422.3M, led by Top Gun (1986).
- January $43.1M #1 Iron Eagle (1986)
- February $39M #1 F/X (1986)
- March $10.4M #1 Highlander (1986)
- April $18.6M #1 Murphy’s Law (1986)
- May $422.3M #1 Top Gun (1986)
- June $170.6M #1 The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
- July $154.7M #1 Aliens (1986)
- August $77.3M #1 Howard the Duck (1986)
- September $4.7M #1 Avenging Force (1986)
- October $351.6K #1 Weekend Warriors (1986)
- November $17M #1 Firewalker (1986)
- December $131M #1 The Golden Child (1986)
FAQ
Action Box Office December 1986: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing action movie in December 1986?
The Golden Child (1986) leads with $79.8M worldwide, $79.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Heartbreak Ridge (1986) at $42.7M and King Kong Lives (1986) at $4.7M.
How much did action movies released in December 1986 earn?
4 action films released in December 1986 report a worldwide gross, $131M in all, or $32.8M per film on average. November 1986 releases took $17M.
How many action movies released in December 1986 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Golden Child (1986), earned $79.8M.
How is the December 1986 action box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in December 1986. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact.
How often is the December 1986 action box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.