#1 of 8 #1 comedy movie of December 1988
1988 · Comedy
$216.6M worldwide · 40% of the chart's total
$111.9M US & Canada · 52% $104.7M elsewhere · 48%
Comedy box office · December 1988
Comedy Box Office, December 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Twins (1988) is the highest-grossing comedy movie released in December 1988, with $216.6M worldwide, ahead of Working Girl (1988) at $103M and The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) at $78.8M. 8 comedy films released in December 1988 report a worldwide gross, $535.8M in all, 73% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 162% on November 1988, whose releases took $204.2M. By language, English leads with $535.8M across 8 comedy releases.
- December 1988 releases with a gross
- 8
- combined worldwide
- $535.8M
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- vs November 1988
- +162%
#1 of 8 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Comedy Hits of December 1988?
Twins (1988) leads with $216.6M, 40% of the total. The top 5 together took $497.4M, 93% of what all 8 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 $78.8M The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)$78.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0% -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Comedy Release of December 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 December 1988.
- 1 Dec 9, 1988 US and Canada: $111.9M Rest of the world: $104.7M Worldwide: $216.6M
- 2 Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $63.8M Rest of the world: $39.2M Worldwide: $103M
- 3 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)Dec 2, 1988 US and Canada: $78.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $78.8M
Dec 2, 1988 · English · Action, Comedy, Romance $78.8M worldwide - 4 Dec 21, 1988 US and Canada: $57M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $57M
- 5 Dec 14, 1988 US and Canada: $42M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42M
- 6
Dec 9, 1988 US and Canada: $13.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.9M - 7
Dec 14, 1988 US and Canada: $13M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13M - 8
Dec 15, 1988 US and Canada: $11.5M Rest of the world: $1.3K Worldwide: $11.5M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1988?
Of the top 8, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Twins (1988) made 48% of its gross abroad. Across all 8 films, $392M (73%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Twins (1988) $216.6M $111.9M US & Canada · 52% $104.7M elsewhere · 48%
- 2 Working Girl (1988) $103M $63.8M US & Canada · 62% $39.2M elsewhere · 38%
- 3 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) $78.8M $78.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Beaches (1988) $57M $57M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) $42M $42M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988) $13.9M $13.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) $13M $13M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Young Einstein (1988) $11.5M $11.5M US & Canada · 100% $1.3K elsewhere · <1%
By release week
Which Week of December 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 50 (Dec 4–10) took $230.5M, led by Twins (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 27–Dec 3 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) $78.8M The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 4–10 Twins (1988) $230.5M Twins (1988)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 11–17 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) $66.6M Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 18–24 Working Girl (1988) $160M Working Girl (1988)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 25–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1988 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1988 earned the most: $535.8M from 8 films, led by Twins (1988).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1979 6 films | 6 | $298.3M | – | 1941 (1979) $92.5M |
| December 1980 7 films · +31% | 7 | $391.3M | +31% | 9 to 5 (1980) $103.3M |
| December 1981 5 films · −85% | 5 | $58.5M | −85% | Neighbors (1981) $29.9M |
| December 1982 8 films · +578% | 8 | $396.5M | +578% | Tootsie (1982) $177.2M |
| December 1983 4 films · −84% | 4 | $63.8M | −84% | Two of a Kind (1983) $23.6M |
| December 1984 7 films · +626% | 7 | $463.1M | +626% | Beverly Hills Cop (1984) $316.4M |
| December 1985 7 films · −52% | 7 | $220M | −52% | The Jewel of the Nile (1985) $96.8M |
| December 1986 7 films · −2% | 7 | $216.6M | −2% | The Golden Child (1986) $79.8M |
| December 1987 8 films · +63% | 8 | $353.8M | +63% | Moonstruck (1987) $80.6M |
| December 1988 8 films · +51% | 8 | $535.8M | +51% | Twins (1988) $216.6M |
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 December 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 8 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing comedy movie in December 1988?
Twins (1988) leads with $216.6M worldwide, $111.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Working Girl (1988) at $103M and The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) at $78.8M.
How much did comedy movies released in December 1988 earn?
8 comedy films released in December 1988 report a worldwide gross, $535.8M in all, or $67M per film on average. November 1988 releases took $204.2M.
How many comedy movies released in December 1988 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by Twins (1988) with $216.6M.
How is the December 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 December 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 December 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.