#1 of 55 #1 action movie of 1989
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
1989 · Action, Adventure
$474.2M worldwide · 26% of the chart's total
$197.2M US & Canada · 42% $277M elsewhere · 58%
Action box office · 1989
Action Box Office 1989: Highest-Grossing Action Movies
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) is the highest-grossing action movie released in 1989, with $474.2M worldwide, ahead of Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) at $227.9M and Ghostbusters II (1989) at $215.4M. 55 action films released in 1989 report a worldwide gross, $1.8B in all, 59% of it from the US & Canada. 5 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 54% on 1988, whose releases took $1.2B. By language, English leads with $1.8B across 51 action releases.
- 1989 releases with a gross
- 55
- combined worldwide
- $1.8B
- films crossed $100M
- 5
- vs 1988
- +54%
#1 of 55 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of 1989?
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) leads with $474.2M, 26% of the total. The top 5 together took $1.2B, 66% of what all 55 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 1989, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 55. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1989.
- 1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)May 24, 1989 US and Canada: $197.2M Rest of the world: $277M Worldwide: $474.2M
May 24, 1989 · English · Action, Adventure $474.2M worldwide - 2 Jul 7, 1989 US and Canada: $147.3M Rest of the world: $80.6M Worldwide: $227.9M
- 3 Jun 16, 1989 US and Canada: $112.5M Rest of the world: $102.9M Worldwide: $215.4M
- 4 Jul 14, 1989 US and Canada: $34.7M Rest of the world: $121.5M Worldwide: $156.2M
- 5 Sep 22, 1989 US and Canada: $46.2M Rest of the world: $88M Worldwide: $134.2M
- 6
Aug 9, 1989 US and Canada: $55M Rest of the world: $35.5M Worldwide: $90.5M - 7
Apr 28, 1989 US and Canada: $43.2M Rest of the world: $35M Worldwide: $78.2M - 8
Dec 22, 1989 US and Canada: $63.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $63.4M - 9
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)Jun 9, 1989 US and Canada: $52.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $52.2M Jun 9, 1989 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $52.2M worldwide - 10
Jan 27, 1989 US and Canada: $40.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $40.6M - 11
Jun 30, 1989 US and Canada: $39M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $39M - 12
May 19, 1989 US and Canada: $30.1M Rest of the world: $2.1K Worldwide: $30.1M - 13
Aug 4, 1989 US and Canada: $22.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.1M - 14
Oct 6, 1989 US and Canada: $20M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20M - 15
Jun 2, 1989 US and Canada: $16.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.1M - 16
Oct 20, 1989 US and Canada: $15.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.9M - 17
Sep 8, 1989 US and Canada: $14.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.7M - 18
May 26, 1989 US and Canada: $12.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.1M - 19
Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $10.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.6M - 20
Apr 7, 1989 US and Canada: $10.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.2M - 21
Nov 8, 1989 US and Canada: $10.2M Rest of the world: $112 Worldwide: $10.2M - 22
May 1, 1989 US and Canada: $9.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.1M - 23
Jun 2, 1989 US and Canada: $9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9M - 24
Jan 13, 1989 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M - 25
Mar 24, 1989 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M - 26
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989)Mar 10, 1989 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M Mar 10, 1989 · English · Action, Adventure, Drama $8.1M worldwide - 27
Apr 14, 1989 US and Canada: $7.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.7M - 28
Aug 18, 1989 US and Canada: $5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5M - 29
Jan 13, 1989 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6M - 30
Feb 17, 1989 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6M - 31
Sep 13, 1989 US and Canada: $3.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.6M - 32
Feb 3, 1989 US and Canada: $3.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.4M - 33
Apr 21, 1989 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.1M - 34
Jan 13, 1989 US and Canada: $2.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.8M - 35
Mar 17, 1989 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2M - 36
Oct 13, 1989 US and Canada: $1.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.9M - 37
Sep 22, 1989 US and Canada: $1.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.8M - 38
Oct 1, 1989 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M - 39
Feb 24, 1989 US and Canada: $902.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $902.2K - 40
Oct 19, 1989 US and Canada: $882.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $882.3K - 41
Nov 10, 1989 US and Canada: $862.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $862.6K - 42
Sep 1, 1989 US and Canada: $618.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $618.2K - 43
Jul 15, 1989 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $579K - 44
The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie (1989)Nov 24, 1989 US and Canada: $363.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $363.6K Nov 24, 1989 · English · Sci-Fi, Action, Horror $363.6K worldwide - 45
Oct 27, 1989 US and Canada: $283.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $283.7K - 46
The Return of Swamp Thing (1989)May 12, 1989 US and Canada: $192.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $192.8K May 12, 1989 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $192.8K worldwide - 47
Jul 7, 1989 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $181K - 48
Jan 13, 1989 US and Canada: $169.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $169.2K - 49
Mobile Suit SD Gundam’s Counterattack (1989)Jul 15, 1989 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $150K
Jul 15, 1989 · Japanese · Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action $150K worldwide - 50
Nov 2, 1989 US and Canada: $100.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $100.3K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1989?
Of the top 10, Tango & Cash (1989) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Licence to Kill (1989) made 78% of its gross abroad. Across all 55 films, $1.1B (59%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) $474.2M $197.2M US & Canada · 42% $277M elsewhere · 58%
- 2 Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) $227.9M $147.3M US & Canada · 65% $80.6M elsewhere · 35%
- 3 Ghostbusters II (1989) $215.4M $112.5M US & Canada · 52% $102.9M elsewhere · 48%
- 4 Licence to Kill (1989) $156.2M $34.7M US & Canada · 22% $121.5M elsewhere · 78%
- 5 Black Rain (1989) $134.2M $46.2M US & Canada · 34% $88M elsewhere · 66%
- 6 The Abyss (1989) $90.5M $55M US & Canada · 61% $35.5M elsewhere · 39%
- 7 K-9 (1989) $78.2M $43.2M US & Canada · 55% $35M elsewhere · 45%
- 8 Tango & Cash (1989) $63.4M $63.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) $52.2M $52.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Three Fugitives (1989) $40.6M $40.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many 1989 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
5 of 55 films crossed $100M and took $1.2B between them, 66% of the total. 34 films, 62% of the list, earned under $10M.
66% 29%
- $1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $500M to $1B 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $100M to $500M 5 films, 9% of the list $1.2B · 66% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 16 films, 29% of the list $526M · 29% of the gross
- Under $10M 34 films, 62% of the list $89.5M · 5% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1989 Earned the Most?
May releases took the most, $525.7M from 5 films, led by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). February was the quietest month ($8.9M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Three Fugitives (1989) $56.3M Three Fugitives (1989)
- February Feb The Mighty Quinn (1989) $8.9M The Mighty Quinn (1989)
- March Mar Dead Bang (1989) $18.3M Dead Bang (1989)
- April Apr K-9 (1989) $99.2M K-9 (1989)
- May May Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) $525.7M Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- June Jun Ghostbusters II (1989) $331.7M Ghostbusters II (1989)
- July Jul Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) $384.9M Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- August Aug The Abyss (1989) $128.2M The Abyss (1989)
- September Sep Black Rain (1989) $154.9M Black Rain (1989)
- October Oct An Innocent Man (1989) $40.3M An Innocent Man (1989)
- November Nov Henry V (1989) $11.5M Henry V (1989)
- December Dec Tango & Cash (1989) $63.4M Tango & Cash (1989)
Last 10 years
How Does 1989 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1989 earned the most: $1.8B from 55 films, led by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 20 films | 20 | $1B | – | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) $550M |
| 1981 18 films · −46% | 18 | $544.5M | −46% | Superman II (1981) $216.4M |
| 1982 24 films · +20% | 24 | $653.6M | +20% | First Blood (1982) $125.2M |
| 1983 28 films · +61% | 28 | $1.1B | +61% | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M |
| 1984 37 films · +35% | 37 | $1.4B | +35% | Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) $333.1M |
| 1985 46 films · −34% | 46 | $931.7M | −34% | Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) $300.4M |
| 1986 47 films · +17% | 47 | $1.1B | +17% | Top Gun (1986) $357.3M |
| 1987 52 films · −4% | 52 | $1B | −4% | Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $300M |
| 1988 44 films · +13% | 44 | $1.2B | +13% | Crocodile Dundee II (1988) $239.6M |
| 1989 55 films · +54% | 55 | $1.8B | +54% | Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) $474.2M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Action Movies Speak in 1989?
English-language action films took $1.8B across 51 films, 100% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language action films ($729K) and Malayalam-language action films ($181K).
Archive
Action Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1924 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2017 leads with $20.6B, led by Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017).
2020s 7 years · $61.4B
- 2026 so far $6B #1 Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
- 2025 $11.9B #1 Zootopia 2 (2025)
- 2024 $8.7B #1 Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
- 2023 $10B #1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
- 2022 $11.2B #1 Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- 2021 $10.3B #1 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
- 2020 $3.4B #1 The Eight Hundred (2020)
2010s 10 years · $152.6B
- 2019 $16.5B #1 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- 2018 $19.7B #1 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- 2017 $20.6B #1 Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
- 2016 $16.5B #1 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- 2015 $16.7B #1 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
- 2014 $16.1B #1 Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014)
- 2013 $12.5B #1 Iron Man 3 (2013)
- 2012 $13.8B #1 The Avengers (2012)
- 2011 $10.7B #1 Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
- 2010 $9.3B #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (2010)
2000s 10 years · $73.2B
- 2009 $12.5B #1 Avatar (2009)
- 2008 $9.7B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $7.5B #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
- 2006 $6.7B #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
- 2005 $5.5B #1 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- 2004 $6.8B #1 Spider-Man 2 (2004)
- 2003 $8.7B #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- 2002 $5.6B #1 Spider-Man (2002)
- 2001 $5.5B #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
- 2000 $4.7B #1 Mission: Impossible II (2000)
1990s 10 years · $32.6B
- 1999 $4.4B #1 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- 1998 $4.3B #1 Armageddon (1998)
- 1997 $5.1B #1 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
- 1996 $4.2B #1 Independence Day (1996)
- 1995 $3.6B #1 Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
- 1994 $2.9B #1 True Lies (1994)
- 1993 $1.6B #1 The Fugitive (1993)
- 1992 $2B #1 The Bodyguard (1992)
- 1991 $2.1B #1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- 1990 $2.5B #1 Total Recall (1990)
1980s 10 years · $10.7B
- 1989 $1.8B #1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- 1988 $1.2B #1 Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
- 1987 $1B #1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- 1986 $1.1B #1 Top Gun (1986)
- 1985 $931.7M #1 Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- 1984 $1.4B #1 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- 1983 $1.1B #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- 1982 $653.6M #1 First Blood (1982)
- 1981 $544.5M #1 Superman II (1981)
- 1980 $1B #1 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
1970s 10 years · $2.8B
- 1979 $524.3M #1 Moonraker (1979)
- 1978 $509.4M #1 Superman (1978)
- 1977 $1B #1 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- 1976 $104.8M #1 Silver Streak (1976)
- 1975 $28.9M #1 The Eiger Sanction (1975)
- 1974 $238.7M #1 The Towering Inferno (1974)
- 1973 $84.1M #1 Magnum Force (1973)
- 1972 $94.5M #1 The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
- 1971 $112.6M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $119.5M #1 Airport (1970)
1960s 10 years · $286.3M
- 1969 $30.7M #1 On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
- 1968 $3.6M #1 Coogan’s Bluff (1968)
- 1967 $49.1M #1 You Only Live Twice (1967)
- 1966 $31.4K #1 Django (1966)
- 1965 $115.3M #1 Thunderball (1965)
- 1964 $24.8M #1 From Russia with Love (1964)
- 1963 $62.5M #1 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
- 1962 $88.9K #1 Sanjuro (1962)
- 1961 $88.8K #1 Yojimbo (1961)
- 1960 $13.1K #1 Exodus (1960)
1950s 7 years · $3.2M
1940s 2 years · $2.3M
1930s 2 years · $5.8K
1920s 2 years · $1.8K
FAQ
Action Box Office 1989: 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 55 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing action movie in 1989?
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) leads with $474.2M worldwide, $197.2M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) at $227.9M and Ghostbusters II (1989) at $215.4M.
How much did action movies released in 1989 earn?
55 action films released in 1989 report a worldwide gross, $1.8B in all, or $33.2M per film on average. 1988 releases took $1.2B.
How many action movies released in 1989 made $1 billion?
None. 5 films crossed $100 million, led by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) with $474.2M.
How is the 1989 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 1989. 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 1989 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.