#1 of 10 #1 comedy movie of October 1988
1988 · Drama, Comedy
$21M worldwide · 42% of the chart's total
$21M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Comedy box office · October 1988
Comedy Box Office, October 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Punchline (1988) is the highest-grossing comedy movie released in October 1988, with $21M worldwide, ahead of Mystic Pizza (1988) at $12.8M and Torch Song Trilogy (1988) at $4.9M. 10 comedy films released in October 1988 report a worldwide gross, $50.4M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 74% on September 1988, whose releases took $29M. By language, English leads with $50.4M across 9 comedy releases.
- October 1988 releases with a gross
- 10
- combined worldwide
- $50.4M
- Punchline (1988), the #1
- $21M
- vs September 1988
- +74%
#1 of 10 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Comedy Hits of October 1988?
Punchline (1988) leads with $21M, 42% of the total. The top 5 together took $46.5M, 92% 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 October 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 October 1988.
- 1 Oct 7, 1988 US and Canada: $21M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21M
- 2 Oct 14, 1988 US and Canada: $12.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.8M
- 3 Oct 25, 1988 US and Canada: $4.9M Rest of the world: $4.9K Worldwide: $4.9M
- 4 Oct 7, 1988 US and Canada: $4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4M
- 5 Oct 28, 1988 US and Canada: $3.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.8M
- 6
Oct 21, 1988 US and Canada: $3.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.5M - 7
Oct 21, 1988 US and Canada: $343.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $343.8K - 8
Oct 26, 1988 US and Canada: $30.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $30.9K - 9
Oct 10, 1988 US and Canada: $5.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.4K - 10
Oct 1, 1988 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $688
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in October 1988?
Of the top 10, Punchline (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Torch Song Trilogy (1988) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 10 films, $50.4M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 10 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Punchline (1988) $21M $21M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Mystic Pizza (1988) $12.8M $12.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Torch Song Trilogy (1988) $4.9M $4.9M US & Canada · 100% $4.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Memories of Me (1988) $4M $4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Feds (1988) $3.8M $3.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Things Change (1988) $3.5M $3.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Tapeheads (1988) $343.8K $343.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Checking Out (1988) $30.9K $30.9K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988) $5.4K $5.4K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Zerograd (1988) $688 No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many October 1988 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 10 films reached $100M. 8 films, 80% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $50.4M total.
67% 33%
- $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 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $10M to $100M 2 films, 20% of the list $33.8M · 67% of the gross
- Under $10M 8 films, 80% of the list $16.6M · 33% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of October 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 41 (Oct 2–8) took $25M, led by Punchline (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 25–Oct 1 Zerograd (1988) $688 Zerograd (1988)
- Week 41 Wk 41 Oct 2–8 Punchline (1988) $25M Punchline (1988)
- Week 42 Wk 42 Oct 9–15 Mystic Pizza (1988) $12.8M Mystic Pizza (1988)
- Week 43 Wk 43 Oct 16–22 Things Change (1988) $3.9M Things Change (1988)
- Week 44 Wk 44 Oct 23–29 Torch Song Trilogy (1988) $8.7M Torch Song Trilogy (1988)
- Week 45 Wk 45 Oct 30–Nov 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does October 1988 Compare With October in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, October 1986 earned the most: $128.2M from 11 films, led by Peggy Sue Got Married (1986). October 1988 took $50.4M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1979 2 films | 2 | $110.5M | – | 10 (1979) $74.9M |
| October 1980 6 films · −11% | 6 | $98.6M | −11% | Private Benjamin (1980) $69.8M |
| October 1981 6 films · −81% | 6 | $19M | −81% | Paternity (1981) $18.8M |
| October 1982 6 films · +93% | 6 | $36.6M | +93% | My Favorite Year (1982) $20.1M |
| October 1983 2 films · −37% | 2 | $23M | −37% | Richard Pryor: Here and Now (1983) $16.2M |
| October 1984 7 films · +71% | 7 | $39.3M | +71% | Teachers (1984) $27.8M |
| October 1985 5 films · −4% | 5 | $37.8M | −4% | Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) $14.4M |
| October 1986 11 films · +240% | 11 | $128.2M | +240% | Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) $41.4M |
| October 1987 10 films · −31% | 10 | $88.1M | −31% | Like Father Like Son (1987) $34.4M |
| October 1988 10 films · −43% | 10 | $50.4M | −43% | Punchline (1988) $21M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Comedy Movies Speak in October 1988?
English-language comedy films took $50.4M across 9 films, 100% of the total, ahead of Russian-language comedy films ($688).
Archive
Comedy Box Office in 1988, Month by Month
The months of 1988 with their totals: June leads with $966.3M, led by Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).
- January $162.3M #1 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988)
- February $76.2M #1 Action Jackson (1988)
- March $219.6M #1 Beetlejuice (1988)
- April $25.4M #1 Casual Sex? (1988)
- May $241.5M #1 Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
- June $966.3M #1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
- July $381.2M #1 Cocktail (1988)
- August $91.7M #1 Young Guns (1988)
- September $29M #1 Moon Over Parador (1988)
- October $50.4M #1 Punchline (1988)
- November $204.2M #1 Oliver & Company (1988)
- December $535.8M #1 Twins (1988)
FAQ
Comedy Box Office October 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 10 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing comedy movie in October 1988?
Punchline (1988) leads with $21M worldwide, $21M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Mystic Pizza (1988) at $12.8M and Torch Song Trilogy (1988) at $4.9M.
How much did comedy movies released in October 1988 earn?
10 comedy films released in October 1988 report a worldwide gross, $50.4M in all, or $5M per film on average. September 1988 releases took $29M.
How many comedy movies released in October 1988 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Punchline (1988), earned $21M.
How is the October 1988 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 October 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 October 1988 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.