#1 of 3 #1 action movie of March 1987
1987 · Action, Thriller
$120.2M worldwide · 97% of the chart's total
$65.2M US & Canada · 54% $55M elsewhere · 46%
Action box office · March 1987
Action Box Office, March 1987: Top-Grossing Releases
Lethal Weapon (1987) is the highest-grossing action movie released in March 1987, with $120.2M worldwide, ahead of Heat (1987) at $2.8M and The Barbarians (1987) at $800K. 3 action films released in March 1987 report a worldwide gross, $123.8M in all, 56% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 88% on February 1987, whose releases took $65.8M.
- March 1987 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $123.8M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs February 1987
- +88%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of March 1987?
Lethal Weapon (1987) leads with $120.2M, 97% of the total. The top 3 together took $123.8M, 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 March 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 March 1987.
- 1 Mar 6, 1987 US and Canada: $65.2M Rest of the world: $55M Worldwide: $120.2M
- 2 Mar 13, 1987 US and Canada: $2.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.8M
- 3 Mar 20, 1987 US and Canada: $800K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $800K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in March 1987?
Of the top 3, Heat (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Lethal Weapon (1987) made 46% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $68.8M (56%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Lethal Weapon (1987) $120.2M $65.2M US & Canada · 54% $55M elsewhere · 46%
- 2 Heat (1987) $2.8M $2.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Barbarians (1987) $800K $800K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of March 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 10 (Mar 1–7) took $120.2M, led by Lethal Weapon (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 10 Wk 10 Mar 1–7 Lethal Weapon (1987) $120.2M Lethal Weapon (1987)
- Week 11 Wk 11 Mar 8–14 Heat (1987) $2.8M Heat (1987)
- Week 12 Wk 12 Mar 15–21 The Barbarians (1987) $800K The Barbarians (1987)
- Week 13 Wk 13 Mar 22–28 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 14 Wk 14 Mar 29–Apr 4 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does March 1987 Compare With March in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, March 1984 earned the most: $141M from 6 films, led by Romancing the Stone (1984). March 1987 took $123.8M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1978 2 films | 2 | $6.8M | – | Gray Lady Down (1978) $5.4M |
| March 1979 1 film · −84% | 1 | $1.1M | −84% | The Passage (1979) $1.1M |
| March 1980 1 film · +242% | 1 | $3.8M | +242% | When Time Ran Out... (1980) $3.8M |
| March 1981 2 films · +210% | 2 | $11.7M | +210% | Thief (1981) $11.5M |
| March 1982 1 film · −88% | 1 | $1.4M | −88% | Turkey Shoot (1982) $1.4M |
| March 1983 1 film · −11% | 1 | $1.3M | −11% | Eddie Macon’s Run (1983) $1.3M |
| March 1984 6 films · +11066% | 6 | $141M | +11066% | Romancing the Stone (1984) $86.6M |
| March 1985 6 films · −58% | 6 | $59M | −58% | The Last Dragon (1985) $25.8M |
| March 1986 3 films · −82% | 3 | $10.4M | −82% | Highlander (1986) $5.9M |
| March 1987 3 films · +1093% | 3 | $123.8M | +1093% | Lethal Weapon (1987) $120.2M |
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 March 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 March 1987?
Lethal Weapon (1987) leads with $120.2M worldwide, $65.2M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Heat (1987) at $2.8M and The Barbarians (1987) at $800K.
How much did action movies released in March 1987 earn?
3 action films released in March 1987 report a worldwide gross, $123.8M in all, or $41.3M per film on average. February 1987 releases took $65.8M.
How many action movies released in March 1987 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Lethal Weapon (1987) with $120.2M.
How is the March 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 March 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 March 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.