#1 of 9 #1 comedy movie of January 1997
1997 · Action, Comedy
$31.5M worldwide · 34% of the chart's total
$31.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Comedy box office · January 1997
Comedy Box Office, January 1997: Top-Grossing Releases
Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) is the highest-grossing comedy movie released in January 1997, with $31.5M worldwide, ahead of Mother (1997) at $19.1M and Mr. Nice Guy (1997) at $18.8M. 9 comedy films released in January 1997 report a worldwide gross, $91.9M in all, 93% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 87% on December 1996, whose releases took $713.2M. By language, English leads with $54M across 7 comedy releases.
- January 1997 releases with a gross
- 9
- combined worldwide
- $91.9M
- Beverly Hills Ninja (1997), the #1
- $31.5M
- vs December 1996
- −87%
#1 of 9 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Comedy Hits of January 1997?
Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) leads with $31.5M, 34% of the total. The top 5 together took $84.4M, 92% of what all 9 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 January 1997, 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 January 1997.
- 1 Jan 17, 1997 US and Canada: $31.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.5M
- 2 Jan 24, 1997 US and Canada: $19.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.1M
- 3 Jan 31, 1997 US and Canada: $12.7M Rest of the world: $6.1M Worldwide: $18.8M
- 4 Jan 24, 1997 US and Canada: $9.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.4M
- 5 Jan 29, 1997 US and Canada: $5.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.6M
- 6
Jan 31, 1997 US and Canada: $4.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.1M - 7
Jan 31, 1997 US and Canada: $2.9M Rest of the world: $1.2K Worldwide: $2.9M - 8
Jan 16, 1997 US and Canada: $543.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $543.7K - 9
Jan 17, 1997 US and Canada: $9.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.1K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in January 1997?
Of the top 9, Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Mr. Nice Guy (1997) made 32% of its gross abroad. Across all 9 films, $85.8M (93%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) $31.5M $31.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Mother (1997) $19.1M $19.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Mr. Nice Guy (1997) $18.8M $12.7M US & Canada · 68% $6.1M elsewhere · 32%
- 4 Fierce Creatures (1997) $9.4M $9.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Gridlock’d (1997) $5.6M $5.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Meet Wally Sparks (1997) $4.1M $4.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Waiting for Guffman (1997) $2.9M $2.9M US & Canada · 100% $1.2K elsewhere · <1%
- 8 Dream with the Fishes (1997) $543.7K $543.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Eight Days a Week (1997) $9.1K $9.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of January 1997 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 3 (Jan 12–18) took $32M, led by Beverly Hills Ninja (1997). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 1 Wk 1 Jan 1–4 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 2 Wk 2 Jan 5–11 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 3 Wk 3 Jan 12–18 Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) $32M Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)
- Week 4 Wk 4 Jan 19–25 Mother (1997) $28.5M Mother (1997)
- Week 5 Wk 5 Jan 26–Feb 1 Mr. Nice Guy (1997) $31.4M Mr. Nice Guy (1997)
Earlier years
How Does January 1997 Compare With January in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, January 1988 earned the most: $162.3M from 7 films, led by Good Morning, Vietnam (1988). January 1997 took $91.9M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1988 7 films | 7 | $162.3M | – | Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) $123.9M |
| January 1989 4 films · −72% | 4 | $46.2M | −72% | Three Fugitives (1989) $40.6M |
| January 1990 7 films · −36% | 7 | $29.7M | −36% | Tremors (1990) $16.7M |
| January 1991 4 films · +66% | 4 | $49.3M | +66% | Green Card (1991) $29.9M |
| January 1992 7 films · −30% | 7 | $34.4M | −30% | Kuffs (1992) $21.1M |
| January 1993 5 films · −37% | 5 | $21.7M | −37% | Chaplin (1993) $9.5M |
| January 1994 4 films · +30% | 4 | $28.3M | +30% | The Air Up There (1994) $21M |
| January 1995 9 films · +170% | 9 | $76.6M | +170% | Nobody's Fool (1995) $39.5M |
| January 1996 7 films · −26% | 7 | $57M | −26% | Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996) $20.9M |
| January 1997 9 films · +61% | 9 | $91.9M | +61% | Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) $31.5M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Comedy Movies Speak in January 1997?
English-language comedy films took $54M across 7 films, 59% of the total, ahead of Cantonese-language comedy films ($18.8M).
January 1997 Comedy Box Office by Language
-
English $54M7 films · #1 Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) -
Cantonese $18.8M1 film · #1 Mr. Nice Guy (1997)
Archive
Comedy Box Office in 1997, Month by Month
The months of 1997 with their totals: July leads with $883M, led by Men in Black (1997).
- January $91.9M #1 Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)
- February $117.1M #1 Vegas Vacation (1997)
- March $409.9M #1 Liar Liar (1997)
- April $119.5M #1 Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)
- May $151.9M #1 Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
- June $309.7M #1 My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)
- July $883M #1 Men in Black (1997)
- August $373.7M #1 The Full Monty (1997)
- September $110.7M #1 In & Out (1997)
- October $52.9M #1 An American Werewolf in Paris (1997)
- November $429.5M #1 Bean (1997)
- December $570.3M #1 As Good as It Gets (1997)
FAQ
Comedy Box Office January 1997: 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 9 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing comedy movie in January 1997?
Beverly Hills Ninja (1997) leads with $31.5M worldwide, $31.5M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Mother (1997) at $19.1M and Mr. Nice Guy (1997) at $18.8M.
How much did comedy movies released in January 1997 earn?
9 comedy films released in January 1997 report a worldwide gross, $91.9M in all, or $10.2M per film on average. December 1996 releases took $713.2M.
How many comedy movies released in January 1997 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Beverly Hills Ninja (1997), earned $31.5M.
How is the January 1997 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 January 1997. 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 January 1997 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.