#1 of 3 #1 action movie of December 1990
1990 · Action, Thriller
$202M worldwide · 56% of the chart's total
$91.5M US & Canada · 45% $110.5M elsewhere · 55%
Action box office · December 1990
Action Box Office, December 1990: Top-Grossing Releases
Kindergarten Cop (1990) is the highest-grossing action movie released in December 1990, with $202M worldwide, ahead of The Godfather: Part III (1990) at $136.9M and The Rookie (1990) at $21.6M. 3 action films released in December 1990 report a worldwide gross, $360.5M in all, 50% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion.
- December 1990 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $360.5M
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- earned in the US & Canada
- 50%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Action Hits of December 1990?
Kindergarten Cop (1990) leads with $202M, 56% of the total. The top 3 together took $360.5M, 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
-
Number 2 -
Number 3
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Action Release of December 1990, 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 1990.
- 1 Dec 21, 1990 US and Canada: $91.5M Rest of the world: $110.5M Worldwide: $202M
- 2 Dec 25, 1990 US and Canada: $66.8M Rest of the world: $70.1M Worldwide: $136.9M
- 3 Dec 7, 1990 US and Canada: $21.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.6M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1990?
Of the top 3, The Rookie (1990) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Kindergarten Cop (1990) made 55% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $179.9M (50%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Kindergarten Cop (1990) $202M $91.5M US & Canada · 45% $110.5M elsewhere · 55%
- 2 The Godfather: Part III (1990) $136.9M $66.8M US & Canada · 49% $70.1M elsewhere · 51%
- 3 The Rookie (1990) $21.6M $21.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of December 1990 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 16–22) took $202M, led by Kindergarten Cop (1990). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 48 Wk 48 Nov 25–Dec 1 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 49 Wk 49 Dec 2–8 The Rookie (1990) $21.6M The Rookie (1990)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 9–15 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 16–22 Kindergarten Cop (1990) $202M Kindergarten Cop (1990)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 23–29 The Godfather: Part III (1990) $136.9M The Godfather: Part III (1990)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 30–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1990 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 1990 took $360.5M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1981 3 films | 3 | $42.5M | – | 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 |
| December 1989 2 films · −52% | 2 | $63.4M | −52% | Tango & Cash (1989) $63.4M |
| December 1990 3 films · +468% | 3 | $360.5M | +468% | Kindergarten Cop (1990) $202M |
Archive
Action Box Office in 1990, Month by Month
The months of 1990 with their totals: June leads with $781.2M, led by Total Recall (1990).
- January $16.7M #1 Ski Patrol (1990)
- February $85.5M #1 Hard to Kill (1990)
- March $414.5M #1 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
- April No grosses
- May $159.9M #1 Bird on a Wire (1990)
- June $781.2M #1 Total Recall (1990)
- July $286.5M #1 Die Hard 2 (1990)
- August $149.4M #1 Darkman (1990)
- September $31.3M #1 Death Warrant (1990)
- October $111.5M #1 Marked for Death (1990)
- November $57.7M #1 Predator 2 (1990)
- December $360.5M #1 Kindergarten Cop (1990)
FAQ
Action Box Office December 1990: 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 1990?
Kindergarten Cop (1990) leads with $202M worldwide, $91.5M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Godfather: Part III (1990) at $136.9M and The Rookie (1990) at $21.6M.
How much did action movies released in December 1990 earn?
3 action films released in December 1990 report a worldwide gross, $360.5M in all, or $120.2M per film on average.
How many action movies released in December 1990 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by Kindergarten Cop (1990) with $202M.
How is the December 1990 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 1990. 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 1990 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.