#1 of 8 #1 action movie of May 1988
1988 · Action, Adventure
$239.6M worldwide · 48% of the chart's total
$109.3M US & Canada · 46% $130.3M elsewhere · 54%
Action box office · May 1988
Action Box Office, May 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Crocodile Dundee II (1988) is the highest-grossing action movie released in May 1988, with $239.6M worldwide, ahead of Rambo III (1988) at $189M and Willow (1988) at $57.3M. 8 action films released in May 1988 report a worldwide gross, $498.2M in all, 47% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 15.6 times the total of April 1988, whose releases took $31.9M. By language, English leads with $498.2M across 8 action releases.
- May 1988 releases with a gross
- 8
- combined worldwide
- $498.2M
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- vs April 1988
- ×15.6
#1 of 8 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of May 1988?
Crocodile Dundee II (1988) leads with $239.6M, 48% of the total. The top 5 together took $497.1M, almost all of what the 8 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 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 May 1988.
- 1 May 25, 1988 US and Canada: $109.3M Rest of the world: $130.3M Worldwide: $239.6M
- 2 May 25, 1988 US and Canada: $53.7M Rest of the world: $135.3M Worldwide: $189M
- 3 May 20, 1988 US and Canada: $57.3M Rest of the world: $2.4K Worldwide: $57.3M
- 4 May 6, 1988 US and Canada: $10.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.1M
- 5 May 13, 1988 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.2M
- 6
May 13, 1988 US and Canada: $671.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $671.4K - 7
May 17, 1988 US and Canada: $191.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $191.1K - 8
May 18, 1988 US and Canada: $189K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $189K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1988?
Of the top 8, Shakedown (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Rambo III (1988) made 72% of its gross abroad. Across all 8 films, $232.6M (47%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Crocodile Dundee II (1988) $239.6M $109.3M US & Canada · 46% $130.3M elsewhere · 54%
- 2 Rambo III (1988) $189M $53.7M US & Canada · 28% $135.3M elsewhere · 72%
- 3 Willow (1988) $57.3M $57.3M US & Canada · 100% $2.4K elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Shakedown (1988) $10.1M $10.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 The Wrong Guys (1988) $1.2M $1.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Maniac Cop (1988) $671.4K $671.4K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 For Queen & Country (1988) $191.1K $191.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Miles from Home (1988) $189K $189K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of May 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 22 (May 22–28) took $428.6M, led by Crocodile Dundee II (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 1–7 Shakedown (1988) $10.1M Shakedown (1988)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 8–14 The Wrong Guys (1988) $1.8M The Wrong Guys (1988)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 15–21 Willow (1988) $57.7M Willow (1988)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 22–28 Crocodile Dundee II (1988) $428.6M Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 29–Jun 4 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1988 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 1988 took $498.2M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| May 1988 8 films · +61% | 8 | $498.2M | +61% | Crocodile Dundee II (1988) $239.6M |
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 May 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 8 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing action movie in May 1988?
Crocodile Dundee II (1988) leads with $239.6M worldwide, $109.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Rambo III (1988) at $189M and Willow (1988) at $57.3M.
How much did action movies released in May 1988 earn?
8 action films released in May 1988 report a worldwide gross, $498.2M in all, or $62.3M per film on average. April 1988 releases took $31.9M.
How many action movies released in May 1988 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by Crocodile Dundee II (1988) with $239.6M.
How is the May 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 May 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 May 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.