#1 of 5 #1 action movie of May 1987
1987 · Action, Thriller
$300M worldwide · 97% of the chart's total
$153.7M US & Canada · 51% $146.3M elsewhere · 49%
Action box office · May 1987
Action Box Office, May 1987: Top-Grossing Releases
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) is the highest-grossing action movie released in May 1987, with $300M worldwide, ahead of American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987) at $4M and Malone (1987) at $3.1M. 5 action films released in May 1987 report a worldwide gross, $308.5M in all, 53% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. By language, English leads with $308.5M across 5 action releases.
- May 1987 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $308.5M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- earned in the US & Canada
- 53%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of May 1987?
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) leads with $300M, 97% of the total. The top 5 together took $308.5M, almost all of what the 5 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 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Action Release of May 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 May 1987.
- 1 May 20, 1987 US and Canada: $153.7M Rest of the world: $146.3M Worldwide: $300M
- 2 May 1, 1987 US and Canada: $4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4M
- 3 May 1, 1987 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.1M
- 4 May 8, 1987 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M
- 5 May 8, 1987 US and Canada: $159.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $159.7K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1987?
Of the top 5, American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) made 49% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $162.2M (53%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $300M $153.7M US & Canada · 51% $146.3M elsewhere · 49%
- 2 American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987) $4M $4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Malone (1987) $3.1M $3.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Steele Justice (1987) $1.3M $1.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Gor (1987) $159.7K $159.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of May 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 17–23) took $300M, led by Beverly Hills Cop II (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 26–May 2 American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987) $7.1M American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 3–9 Steele Justice (1987) $1.5M Steele Justice (1987)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 10–16 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 17–23 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $300M Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 24–30 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 31–Jun 6 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1987 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1980 earned the most: $564.7M from 2 films, led by Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980). May 1987 took $308.5M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1978 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1979 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| May 1980 2 films | 2 | $564.7M | – | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) $550M |
| May 1981 1 film · −97% | 1 | $17.4M | −97% | Outland (1981) $17.4M |
| May 1982 4 films · +481% | 4 | $101M | +481% | Conan the Barbarian (1982) $68.9M |
| May 1983 5 films · +446% | 5 | $550.8M | +446% | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M |
| May 1984 3 films · −35% | 3 | $358.8M | −35% | Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) $333.1M |
| May 1985 6 films · +10% | 6 | $393.7M | +10% | Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) $300.4M |
| May 1986 6 films · +7% | 6 | $422.3M | +7% | Top Gun (1986) $357.3M |
| May 1987 5 films · −27% | 5 | $308.5M | −27% | Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $300M |
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 May 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 5 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing action movie in May 1987?
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) leads with $300M worldwide, $153.7M of it in the US & Canada. Next come American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987) at $4M and Malone (1987) at $3.1M.
How much did action movies released in May 1987 earn?
5 action films released in May 1987 report a worldwide gross, $308.5M in all, or $61.7M per film on average.
How many action movies released in May 1987 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) with $300M.
How is the May 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 May 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 May 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.