#1 of 5 #1 action movie of September 1987
1987 · Action, Drama
$19.7M worldwide · 71% of the chart's total
$19.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Action box office · September 1987
Action Box Office, September 1987: Top-Grossing Releases
The Principal (1987) is the highest-grossing action movie released in September 1987, with $19.7M worldwide, ahead of Best Seller (1987) at $4.3M and A Prayer for the Dying (1987) at $1.4M. 5 action films released in September 1987 report a worldwide gross, $27.7M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 81% on August 1987, whose releases took $149.2M. By language, English leads with $26.8M across 4 action releases.
- September 1987 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $27.7M
- The Principal (1987), the #1
- $19.7M
- vs August 1987
- −81%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of September 1987?
The Principal (1987) leads with $19.7M, 71% of the total. The top 5 together took $27.7M, 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 September 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 September 1987.
- 1 Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $19.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.7M
- 2 Sep 25, 1987 US and Canada: $4.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.3M
- 3 Sep 11, 1987 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.4M
- 4 Sep 4, 1987 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.4M
- 5 Sep 25, 1987 US and Canada: $873.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $873.9K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in September 1987?
Of the top 5, The Principal (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Real Men (1987) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $27.7M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Principal (1987) $19.7M $19.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Best Seller (1987) $4.3M $4.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 A Prayer for the Dying (1987) $1.4M $1.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Penitentiary III (1987) $1.4M $1.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Real Men (1987) $873.9K $873.9K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of September 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 38 (Sep 13–19) took $19.7M, led by The Principal (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 36 Wk 36 Aug 30–Sep 5 Penitentiary III (1987) $1.4M Penitentiary III (1987)
- Week 37 Wk 37 Sep 6–12 A Prayer for the Dying (1987) $1.4M A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
- Week 38 Wk 38 Sep 13–19 The Principal (1987) $19.7M The Principal (1987)
- Week 39 Wk 39 Sep 20–26 Best Seller (1987) $5.2M Best Seller (1987)
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 27–Oct 3 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does September 1987 Compare With September in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, September 1987 earned the most: $27.7M from 5 films, led by The Principal (1987).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1978 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| September 1979 3 films | 3 | $24.7M | – | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) $21.7M |
| September 1980 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| September 1981 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| September 1982 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| September 1983 2 films | 2 | $14.9M | – | Revenge of the Ninja (1983) $13.2M |
| September 1984 3 films · +64% | 3 | $24.5M | +64% | The Evil That Men Do (1984) $13.1M |
| September 1985 3 films · −24% | 3 | $18.5M | −24% | Invasion U.S.A. (1985) $17.5M |
| September 1986 1 film · −75% | 1 | $4.7M | −75% | Avenging Force (1986) $4.7M |
| September 1987 5 films · +492% | 5 | $27.7M | +492% | The Principal (1987) $19.7M |
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 September 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 September 1987?
The Principal (1987) leads with $19.7M worldwide, $19.7M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Best Seller (1987) at $4.3M and A Prayer for the Dying (1987) at $1.4M.
How much did action movies released in September 1987 earn?
5 action films released in September 1987 report a worldwide gross, $27.7M in all, or $5.5M per film on average. August 1987 releases took $149.2M.
How many action movies released in September 1987 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Principal (1987), earned $19.7M.
How is the September 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 September 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 September 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.