#1 of 9 #1 crime movie of September 1988
1988 · Crime, Music
$3.6M worldwide · 25% of the chart's total
$3.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Crime box office · September 1988
Crime Box Office, September 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Tougher Than Leather (1988) is the highest-grossing crime movie released in September 1988, with $3.6M worldwide, ahead of Messenger of Death (1988) at $3.1M and Running on Empty (1988) at $2.8M. 9 crime films released in September 1988 report a worldwide gross, $14.4M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 85% on August 1988, whose releases took $98.3M. By language, English leads with $14.4M across 9 crime releases.
- September 1988 releases with a gross
- 9
- combined worldwide
- $14.4M
- Tougher Than Leather (1988), the #1
- $3.6M
- vs August 1988
- −85%
#1 of 9 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Crime Hits of September 1988?
Tougher Than Leather (1988) leads with $3.6M, 25% of the total. The top 5 together took $13.1M, 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 Crime Release of September 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 September 1988.
- 1 Sep 26, 1988 US and Canada: $3.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.6M
- 2 Sep 16, 1988 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.1M
- 3 Sep 9, 1988 US and Canada: $2.8M Rest of the world: $12.8K Worldwide: $2.8M
- 4 Sep 23, 1988 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.4M
- 5 Sep 1, 1988 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.2M
- 6
Sep 16, 1988 US and Canada: $540K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $540K - 7
Sep 10, 1988 US and Canada: $424.8K Rest of the world: $53.1K Worldwide: $477.8K - 8
Sep 16, 1988 US and Canada: $177.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $177.8K - 9
Sep 1, 1988 US and Canada: $12.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.8K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in September 1988?
Of the top 9, Tougher Than Leather (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Drowning by Numbers (1988) made 11% of its gross abroad. Across all 9 films, $14.3M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Tougher Than Leather (1988) $3.6M $3.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Messenger of Death (1988) $3.1M $3.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Running on Empty (1988) $2.8M $2.8M US & Canada · 100% $12.8K elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Kansas (1988) $2.4M $2.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 The Thin Blue Line (1988) $1.2M $1.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Buster (1988) $540K $540K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Drowning by Numbers (1988) $477.8K $424.8K US & Canada · 89% $53.1K elsewhere · 11%
- 8 Seven Hours to Judgment (1988) $177.8K $177.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Just Ask for Diamond (1988) $12.8K $12.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of September 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 38 (Sep 11–17) took $3.8M, led by Messenger of Death (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 36 Wk 36 Aug 28–Sep 3 The Thin Blue Line (1988) $1.2M The Thin Blue Line (1988)
- Week 37 Wk 37 Sep 4–10 Running on Empty (1988) $3.3M Running on Empty (1988)
- Week 38 Wk 38 Sep 11–17 Messenger of Death (1988) $3.8M Messenger of Death (1988)
- Week 39 Wk 39 Sep 18–24 Kansas (1988) $2.4M Kansas (1988)
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 25–Oct 1 Tougher Than Leather (1988) $3.6M Tougher Than Leather (1988)
Earlier years
How Does September 1988 Compare With September in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, September 1987 earned the most: $44.3M from 10 films, led by The Principal (1987). September 1988 took $14.4M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1979 4 films | 4 | $10.6M | – | The Onion Field (1979) $9.9M |
| September 1980 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| September 1981 3 films | 3 | $12.9M | – | True Confessions (1981) $12.9M |
| September 1982 1 film · −100% | 1 | $42.9K | −100% | Hammett (1982) $42.9K |
| September 1983 1 film · +30585% | 1 | $13.2M | +30585% | Revenge of the Ninja (1983) $13.2M |
| September 1984 2 films · −63% | 2 | $4.9M | −63% | Exterminator 2 (1984) $3.7M |
| September 1985 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| September 1986 3 films | 3 | $9.3M | – | The Name of the Rose (1986) $7.2M |
| September 1987 10 films · +376% | 10 | $44.3M | +376% | The Principal (1987) $19.7M |
| September 1988 9 films · −68% | 9 | $14.4M | −68% | Tougher Than Leather (1988) $3.6M |
Archive
Crime Box Office in 1988, Month by Month
The months of 1988 with their totals: June leads with $385.1M, led by Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).
- January No grosses
- February $73.2M #1 Shoot to Kill (1988)
- March $27.1M #1 Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988)
- April $71.3M #1 Colors (1988)
- May $14.9M #1 Shakedown (1988)
- June $385.1M #1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
- July $325.7M #1 Die Hard (1988)
- August $98.3M #1 Young Guns (1988)
- September $14.4M #1 Tougher Than Leather (1988)
- October $39.6M #1 Alien Nation (1988)
- November No grosses
- December $163.1M #1 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
FAQ
Crime Box Office September 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 9 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing crime movie in September 1988?
Tougher Than Leather (1988) leads with $3.6M worldwide, $3.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Messenger of Death (1988) at $3.1M and Running on Empty (1988) at $2.8M.
How much did crime movies released in September 1988 earn?
9 crime films released in September 1988 report a worldwide gross, $14.4M in all, or $1.6M per film on average. August 1988 releases took $98.3M.
How many crime movies released in September 1988 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Tougher Than Leather (1988), earned $3.6M.
How is the September 1988 crime 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 September 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 September 1988 crime 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.