#1 of 3 #1 action movie of December 1988
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
1988 · Action, Comedy
$78.8M worldwide · 59% of the chart's total
$78.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Action box office · December 1988
Action Box Office, December 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) is the highest-grossing action movie released in December 1988, with $78.8M worldwide, ahead of Tequila Sunrise (1988) at $41.3M and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) at $13M. 3 action films released in December 1988 report a worldwide gross, $133.1M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada.
- December 1988 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $133.1M
- The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), the #1
- $78.8M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of December 1988?
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) leads with $78.8M, 59% of the total. The top 3 together took $133.1M, 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 $78.8M The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)$78.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
-
Number 2 -
Number 3
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Action Release of December 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 December 1988.
- 1 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)Dec 2, 1988 US and Canada: $78.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $78.8M
Dec 2, 1988 · English · Action, Comedy, Romance $78.8M worldwide - 2 Dec 2, 1988 US and Canada: $41.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $41.3M
- 3 Dec 14, 1988 US and Canada: $13M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1988?
Of the top 3, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $133.1M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) $78.8M $78.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Tequila Sunrise (1988) $41.3M $41.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) $13M $13M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of December 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 49 (Nov 27–Dec 3) took $120M, led by The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 27–Dec 3 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) $120M The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 4–10 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 11–17 I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) $13M I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 18–24 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 25–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1988 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 1988 took $133.1M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1979 2 films | 2 | $128.3M | – | 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 |
| December 1988 3 films · +390% | 3 | $133.1M | +390% | The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) $78.8M |
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 December 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 3 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing action movie in December 1988?
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) leads with $78.8M worldwide, $78.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Tequila Sunrise (1988) at $41.3M and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) at $13M.
How much did action movies released in December 1988 earn?
3 action films released in December 1988 report a worldwide gross, $133.1M in all, or $44.4M per film on average.
How many action movies released in December 1988 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), earned $78.8M.
How is the December 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 December 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 December 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.