#1 of 10 #1 comedy movie of May 1987
1987 · Action, Thriller
$300M worldwide · 85% of the chart's total
$153.7M US & Canada · 51% $146.3M elsewhere · 49%
Comedy box office · May 1987
Comedy Box Office, May 1987: Top-Grossing Releases
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) is the highest-grossing comedy movie released in May 1987, with $300M worldwide, ahead of Ernest Goes to Camp (1987) at $23.5M and Ishtar (1987) at $14.4M. 10 comedy films released in May 1987 report a worldwide gross, $354.2M in all, 59% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 115% on April 1987, whose releases took $165M. By language, English leads with $354.1M across 9 comedy releases.
- May 1987 releases with a gross
- 10
- combined worldwide
- $354.2M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs April 1987
- +115%
#1 of 10 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Comedy Hits of May 1987?
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) leads with $300M, 85% of the total. The top 5 together took $348.9M, 98% of what all 10 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 Comedy Release of May 1987, 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 1987.
- 1 May 20, 1987 US and Canada: $153.7M Rest of the world: $146.3M Worldwide: $300M
- 2 May 22, 1987 US and Canada: $23.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.5M
- 3 May 15, 1987 US and Canada: $14.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.4M
- 4 May 9, 1987 US and Canada: $6.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.8M
- 5 May 8, 1987 US and Canada: $4.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.2M
- 6
May 1, 1987 US and Canada: $2.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.7M - 7
May 1, 1987 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.4M - 8
May 19, 1987 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1M - 9
May 18, 1987 US and Canada: $138.6K Rest of the world: $43 Worldwide: $138.7K - 10
May 17, 1987 US and Canada: $61.8K Rest of the world: $23.2K Worldwide: $85K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1987?
Of the top 10, Ernest Goes to Camp (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) made 49% of its gross abroad. Across all 10 films, $207.9M (59%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $300M $153.7M US & Canada · 51% $146.3M elsewhere · 49%
- 2 Ernest Goes to Camp (1987) $23.5M $23.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Ishtar (1987) $14.4M $14.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The Chipmunk Adventure (1987) $6.8M $6.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Hot Pursuit (1987) $4.2M $4.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 The Allnighter (1987) $2.7M $2.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing (1987) $1.4M $1.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Aria (1987) $1M $1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Intervista (1987) $138.7K $138.6K US & Canada · 100% $43 elsewhere · <1%
- 10 King Lear (1987) $85K $61.8K US & Canada · 73% $23.2K elsewhere · 27%
Gross bands
How Many May 1987 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 10 films crossed $100M and took $300M between them, 85% of the total. 7 films, 70% of the list, earned under $10M.
85% 11%
- $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 1 film, 10% of the list $300M · 85% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 2 films, 20% of the list $37.9M · 11% of the gross
- Under $10M 7 films, 70% of the list $16.4M · 5% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of May 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 17–23) took $324.7M, led by Beverly Hills Cop II (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 26–May 2 The Allnighter (1987) $4.1M The Allnighter (1987)
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 3–9 The Chipmunk Adventure (1987) $11M The Chipmunk Adventure (1987)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 10–16 Ishtar (1987) $14.4M Ishtar (1987)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 17–23 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $324.7M Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 24–30 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 31–Jun 6 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1987 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1987 earned the most: $354.2M from 10 films, led by Beverly Hills Cop II (1987).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1978 2 films | 2 | $44.9M | – | The End (1978) $44.9M |
| May 1979 4 films · −51% | 4 | $22M | −51% | La Cage aux Folles (1979) $20.4M |
| May 1980 5 films · +6% | 5 | $23.3M | +6% | The Nude Bomb (1980) $14.7M |
| May 1981 4 films · +250% | 4 | $81.7M | +250% | The Four Seasons (1981) $50.4M |
| May 1982 4 films · −73% | 4 | $22.3M | −73% | Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) $18.2M |
| May 1983 2 films · +16% | 2 | $25.9M | +16% | Still Smokin (1983) $15.5M |
| May 1984 7 films · +208% | 7 | $79.8M | +208% | Breakin' (1984) $38.7M |
| May 1985 10 films · +68% | 10 | $134.4M | +68% | Fletch (1985) $59.6M |
| May 1986 5 films · −51% | 5 | $65.3M | −51% | Short Circuit (1986) $40.7M |
| May 1987 10 films · +442% | 10 | $354.2M | +442% | Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $300M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Comedy Movies Speak in May 1987?
English-language comedy films took $354.1M across 9 films, 100% of the total, ahead of Italian-language comedy films ($138.7K).
Archive
Comedy Box Office in 1987, Month by Month
The months of 1987 with their totals: May leads with $354.2M, led by Beverly Hills Cop II (1987).
- January $112M #1 Outrageous Fortune (1987)
- February $59.7M #1 Mannequin (1987)
- March $123.2M #1 Blind Date (1987)
- April $165M #1 The Secret of My Succe$s (1987)
- May $354.2M #1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- June $263.2M #1 Dragnet (1987)
- July $139.7M #1 Summer School (1987)
- August $157.6M #1 Stakeout (1987)
- September $48.1M #1 The Princess Bride (1987)
- October $88.1M #1 Like Father Like Son (1987)
- November $260.9M #1 3 Men and a Baby (1987)
- December $353.8M #1 Moonstruck (1987)
FAQ
Comedy Box Office May 1987: 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 10 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing comedy movie in May 1987?
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) leads with $300M worldwide, $153.7M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Ernest Goes to Camp (1987) at $23.5M and Ishtar (1987) at $14.4M.
How much did comedy movies released in May 1987 earn?
10 comedy films released in May 1987 report a worldwide gross, $354.2M in all, or $35.4M per film on average. April 1987 releases took $165M.
How many comedy movies released in May 1987 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) with $300M.
How is the May 1987 comedy 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 1987. 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 1987 comedy 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.