#1 of 4 #1 action movie of August 1989
1989 · Action, Adventure
$90.5M worldwide · 71% of the chart's total
$55M US & Canada · 61% $35.5M elsewhere · 39%
Action box office · August 1989
Action Box Office, August 1989: Top-Grossing Releases
The Abyss (1989) is the highest-grossing action movie released in August 1989, with $90.5M worldwide, ahead of Lock Up (1989) at $22.1M and The Package (1989) at $10.6M. 4 action films released in August 1989 report a worldwide gross, $128.2M in all, 72% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 67% on July 1989, whose releases took $384.9M.
- August 1989 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $128.2M
- The Abyss (1989), the #1
- $90.5M
- vs July 1989
- −67%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of August 1989?
The Abyss (1989) leads with $90.5M, 71% of the total. The top 4 together took $128.2M, 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 August 1989, 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 August 1989.
- 1 Aug 9, 1989 US and Canada: $55M Rest of the world: $35.5M Worldwide: $90.5M
- 2 Aug 4, 1989 US and Canada: $22.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.1M
- 3 Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $10.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.6M
- 4 Aug 18, 1989 US and Canada: $5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in August 1989?
Of the top 4, Lock Up (1989) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Abyss (1989) made 39% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $92.7M (72%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Abyss (1989) $90.5M $55M US & Canada · 61% $35.5M elsewhere · 39%
- 2 Lock Up (1989) $22.1M $22.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Package (1989) $10.6M $10.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Let It Ride (1989) $5M $5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of August 1989 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 32 (Aug 6–12) took $90.5M, led by The Abyss (1989). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 31 Wk 31 Jul 30–Aug 5 Lock Up (1989) $22.1M Lock Up (1989)
- Week 32 Wk 32 Aug 6–12 The Abyss (1989) $90.5M The Abyss (1989)
- Week 33 Wk 33 Aug 13–19 Let It Ride (1989) $5M Let It Ride (1989)
- Week 34 Wk 34 Aug 20–26 The Package (1989) $10.6M The Package (1989)
- Week 35 Wk 35 Aug 27–Sep 2 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does August 1989 Compare With August in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, August 1987 earned the most: $149.2M from 10 films, led by Stakeout (1987). August 1989 took $128.2M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1980 4 films | 4 | $118M | – | Smokey and the Bandit II (1980) $66.1M |
| August 1981 2 films · −89% | 2 | $12.6M | −89% | The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) $12.6M |
| August 1982 2 films · +179% | 2 | $35.2M | +179% | Things Are Tough All Over (1982) $21.1M |
| August 1983 2 films · −63% | 2 | $13.1M | −63% | Hercules (1983) $10.7M |
| August 1984 3 films · +314% | 3 | $54.4M | +314% | Red Dawn (1984) $38.4M |
| August 1985 5 films · −31% | 5 | $37.5M | −31% | Year of the Dragon (1985) $18.7M |
| August 1986 9 films · +106% | 9 | $77.3M | +106% | Howard the Duck (1986) $38M |
| August 1987 10 films · +93% | 10 | $149.2M | +93% | Stakeout (1987) $65.7M |
| August 1988 4 films · −61% | 4 | $58.7M | −61% | Young Guns (1988) $45.7M |
| August 1989 4 films · +118% | 4 | $128.2M | +118% | The Abyss (1989) $90.5M |
Archive
Action Box Office in 1989, Month by Month
The months of 1989 with their totals: May leads with $525.7M, led by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
- January $56.3M #1 Three Fugitives (1989)
- February $8.9M #1 The Mighty Quinn (1989)
- March $18.3M #1 Dead Bang (1989)
- April $99.2M #1 K-9 (1989)
- May $525.7M #1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- June $331.7M #1 Ghostbusters II (1989)
- July $384.9M #1 Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- August $128.2M #1 The Abyss (1989)
- September $154.9M #1 Black Rain (1989)
- October $40.3M #1 An Innocent Man (1989)
- November $11.5M #1 Henry V (1989)
- December $63.4M #1 Tango & Cash (1989)
FAQ
Action Box Office August 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 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing action movie in August 1989?
The Abyss (1989) leads with $90.5M worldwide, $55M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Lock Up (1989) at $22.1M and The Package (1989) at $10.6M.
How much did action movies released in August 1989 earn?
4 action films released in August 1989 report a worldwide gross, $128.2M in all, or $32.1M per film on average. July 1989 releases took $384.9M.
How many action movies released in August 1989 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Abyss (1989), earned $90.5M.
How is the August 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 August 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 August 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.