#1 of 4 #1 action movie of October 1988
1988 · Action, Sci-Fi
$32.2M worldwide · 85% of the chart's total
$25.2M US & Canada · 78% $6.9M elsewhere · 22%
Action box office · October 1988
Action Box Office, October 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Alien Nation (1988) is the highest-grossing action movie released in October 1988, with $32.2M worldwide, ahead of Red Scorpion (1988) at $4.2M and Platoon Leader (1988) at $1.3M. 4 action films released in October 1988 report a worldwide gross, $37.8M in all, 82% of it from the US & Canada. That is 4.3 times the total of September 1988, whose releases took $8.8M.
- October 1988 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $37.8M
- Alien Nation (1988), the #1
- $32.2M
- vs September 1988
- ×4.3
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of October 1988?
Alien Nation (1988) leads with $32.2M, 85% of the total. The top 4 together took $37.8M, 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 October 1988, 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 October 1988.
- 1 Oct 7, 1988 US and Canada: $25.2M Rest of the world: $6.9M Worldwide: $32.2M
- 2 Oct 25, 1988 US and Canada: $4.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.2M
- 3 Oct 1, 1988 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M
- 4 Oct 12, 1988 US and Canada: $64.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $64.2K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in October 1988?
Of the top 4, Red Scorpion (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Alien Nation (1988) made 22% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $30.8M (82%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Alien Nation (1988) $32.2M $25.2M US & Canada · 78% $6.9M elsewhere · 22%
- 2 Red Scorpion (1988) $4.2M $4.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Platoon Leader (1988) $1.3M $1.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Cohen and Tate (1988) $64.2K $64.2K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of October 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 41 (Oct 2–8) took $32.2M, led by Alien Nation (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 25–Oct 1 Platoon Leader (1988) $1.3M Platoon Leader (1988)
- Week 41 Wk 41 Oct 2–8 Alien Nation (1988) $32.2M Alien Nation (1988)
- Week 42 Wk 42 Oct 9–15 Cohen and Tate (1988) $64.2K Cohen and Tate (1988)
- Week 43 Wk 43 Oct 16–22 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 44 Wk 44 Oct 23–29 Red Scorpion (1988) $4.2M Red Scorpion (1988)
- Week 45 Wk 45 Oct 30–Nov 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does October 1988 Compare With October in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, October 1982 earned the most: $125.2M from 1 film, led by First Blood (1982). October 1988 took $37.8M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1979 1 film | 1 | $8.4M | – | Meteor (1979) $8.4M |
| October 1980 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1981 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1982 1 film | 1 | $125.2M | – | First Blood (1982) $125.2M |
| October 1983 3 films · −27% | 3 | $91.5M | −27% | Never Say Never Again (1983) $55.4M |
| October 1984 4 films · −8% | 4 | $84.2M | −8% | The Terminator (1984) $78.4M |
| October 1985 3 films · −15% | 3 | $72M | −15% | Commando (1985) $57.5M |
| October 1986 1 film · −100% | 1 | $351.6K | −100% | Weekend Warriors (1986) $351.6K |
| October 1987 4 films · +4433% | 4 | $15.9M | +4433% | Fatal Beauty (1987) $12M |
| October 1988 4 films · +137% | 4 | $37.8M | +137% | Alien Nation (1988) $32.2M |
Archive
Action Box Office in 1988, Month by Month
The months of 1988 with their totals: May leads with $498.2M, led by Crocodile Dundee II (1988).
- January $6.2M #1 Braddock: Missing in Action III (1988)
- February $49.8M #1 Shoot to Kill (1988)
- March $7.4M #1 Off Limits (1988)
- April $31.9M #1 Above the Law (1988)
- May $498.2M #1 Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
- June $55.3M #1 Red Heat (1988)
- July $280.2M #1 Die Hard (1988)
- August $58.7M #1 Young Guns (1988)
- September $8.8M #1 Tougher Than Leather (1988)
- October $37.8M #1 Alien Nation (1988)
- November $13.5M #1 They Live (1988)
- December $133.1M #1 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
FAQ
Action Box Office October 1988: 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 October 1988?
Alien Nation (1988) leads with $32.2M worldwide, $25.2M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Red Scorpion (1988) at $4.2M and Platoon Leader (1988) at $1.3M.
How much did action movies released in October 1988 earn?
4 action films released in October 1988 report a worldwide gross, $37.8M in all, or $9.4M per film on average. September 1988 releases took $8.8M.
How many action movies released in October 1988 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Alien Nation (1988), earned $32.2M.
How is the October 1988 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 October 1988. 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 October 1988 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.