#1 of 3 #1 action movie of December 1987
1987 · Action, Drama
$22.2M worldwide · 82% of the chart's total
$22.2M US & Canada · 100% $425 elsewhere · <1%
Action box office · December 1987
Action Box Office, December 1987: Top-Grossing Releases
Empire of the Sun (1987) is the highest-grossing action movie released in December 1987, with $22.2M worldwide, ahead of Leonard Part 6 (1987) at $4.6M and Cold Steel (1987) at $285.9K. 3 action films released in December 1987 report a worldwide gross, $27.1M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 41% on November 1987, whose releases took $46.4M.
- December 1987 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $27.1M
- Empire of the Sun (1987), the #1
- $22.2M
- vs November 1987
- −41%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of December 1987?
Empire of the Sun (1987) leads with $22.2M, 82% of the total. The top 3 together took $27.1M, almost all of what the 3 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Action Release of December 1987, 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 1987.
- 1 Dec 9, 1987 US and Canada: $22.2M Rest of the world: $425 Worldwide: $22.2M
- 2 Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6M
- 3 Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $285.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $285.9K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1987?
Of the top 3, Leonard Part 6 (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Empire of the Sun (1987) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $27.1M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Empire of the Sun (1987) $22.2M $22.2M US & Canada · 100% $425 elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Leonard Part 6 (1987) $4.6M $4.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Cold Steel (1987) $285.9K $285.9K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of December 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 50 (Dec 6–12) took $22.5M, led by Empire of the Sun (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 Empire of the Sun (1987) $22.5M Empire of the Sun (1987)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 Leonard Part 6 (1987) $4.6M Leonard Part 6 (1987)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 27–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1987 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 1987 took $27.1M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1978 4 films | 4 | $397.9M | – | 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 |
| December 1987 3 films · −79% | 3 | $27.1M | −79% | Empire of the Sun (1987) $22.2M |
Archive
Action Box Office in 1987, Month by Month
The months of 1987 with their totals: May leads with $308.5M, led by Beverly Hills Cop II (1987).
- January $13.6M #1 Wanted: Dead or Alive (1987)
- February $65.8M #1 A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
- March $123.8M #1 Lethal Weapon (1987)
- April $11.3M #1 Extreme Prejudice (1987)
- May $308.5M #1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- June $148.7M #1 Predator (1987)
- July $110.5M #1 The Living Daylights (1987)
- August $149.2M #1 Stakeout (1987)
- September $27.7M #1 The Principal (1987)
- October $15.9M #1 Fatal Beauty (1987)
- November $46.4M #1 The Running Man (1987)
- December $27.1M #1 Empire of the Sun (1987)
FAQ
Action Box Office December 1987: 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 3 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing action movie in December 1987?
Empire of the Sun (1987) leads with $22.2M worldwide, $22.2M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Leonard Part 6 (1987) at $4.6M and Cold Steel (1987) at $285.9K.
How much did action movies released in December 1987 earn?
3 action films released in December 1987 report a worldwide gross, $27.1M in all, or $9M per film on average. November 1987 releases took $46.4M.
How many action movies released in December 1987 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Empire of the Sun (1987), earned $22.2M.
How is the December 1987 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 1987. 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 1987 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.