#1 of 4 #1 action movie of April 1986
1986 · Thriller, Crime
$9.9M worldwide · 53% of the chart's total
$9.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Action box office · April 1986
Action Box Office, April 1986: Top-Grossing Releases
Murphy’s Law (1986) is the highest-grossing action movie released in April 1986, with $9.9M worldwide, ahead of Band of the Hand (1986) at $4.9M and P.O.W. The Escape (1986) at $2.5M. 4 action films released in April 1986 report a worldwide gross, $18.6M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 79% on March 1986, whose releases took $10.4M.
- April 1986 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $18.6M
- Murphy’s Law (1986), the #1
- $9.9M
- vs March 1986
- +79%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of April 1986?
Murphy’s Law (1986) leads with $9.9M, 53% of the total. The top 4 together took $18.6M, 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 April 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 April 1986.
- 1 Apr 18, 1986 US and Canada: $9.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.9M
- 2 Apr 11, 1986 US and Canada: $4.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.9M
- 3 Apr 1, 1986 US and Canada: $2.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.5M
- 4 Apr 25, 1986 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in April 1986?
Of the top 4, Murphy’s Law (1986) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $18.6M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Murphy’s Law (1986) $9.9M $9.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Band of the Hand (1986) $4.9M $4.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 P.O.W. The Escape (1986) $2.5M $2.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) $1.3M $1.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of April 1986 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 16 (Apr 13–19) took $9.9M, led by Murphy’s Law (1986). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 14 Wk 14 Mar 30–Apr 5 P.O.W. The Escape (1986) $2.5M P.O.W. The Escape (1986)
- Week 15 Wk 15 Apr 6–12 Band of the Hand (1986) $4.9M Band of the Hand (1986)
- Week 16 Wk 16 Apr 13–19 Murphy’s Law (1986) $9.9M Murphy’s Law (1986)
- Week 17 Wk 17 Apr 20–26 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) $1.3M 8 Million Ways to Die (1986)
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 27–May 3 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does April 1986 Compare With April in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, April 1982 earned the most: $52.8M from 3 films, led by The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982). April 1986 took $18.6M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1977 1 film | 1 | $33.6K | – | Crime Busters (1977) $33.6K |
| April 1978 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| April 1979 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| April 1980 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| April 1981 1 film | 1 | $19.9M | – | Nighthawks (1981) $19.9M |
| April 1982 3 films · +165% | 3 | $52.8M | +165% | The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982) $39.1M |
| April 1983 3 films · −70% | 3 | $15.9M | −70% | Lone Wolf McQuade (1983) $12.2M |
| April 1984 1 film · +10% | 1 | $17.5M | +10% | Angel (1984) $17.5M |
| April 1985 1 film · −51% | 1 | $8.5M | −51% | Stick (1985) $8.5M |
| April 1986 4 films · +119% | 4 | $18.6M | +119% | Murphy’s Law (1986) $9.9M |
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 April 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 April 1986?
Murphy’s Law (1986) leads with $9.9M worldwide, $9.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Band of the Hand (1986) at $4.9M and P.O.W. The Escape (1986) at $2.5M.
How much did action movies released in April 1986 earn?
4 action films released in April 1986 report a worldwide gross, $18.6M in all, or $4.7M per film on average. March 1986 releases took $10.4M.
How many action movies released in April 1986 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Murphy’s Law (1986), earned $9.9M.
How is the April 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 April 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 April 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.