#1 of 9 #1 crime movie of December 2008
2008 · Action, Drama
$39.2M worldwide · 43% of the chart's total
$19.8M US & Canada · 51% $19.4M elsewhere · 49%
Crime box office · December 2008
Crime Box Office, December 2008: Top-Grossing Releases
The Spirit (2008) is the highest-grossing crime movie released in December 2008, with $39.2M worldwide, ahead of K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces (2008) at $21.4M and Max Manus: Man of War (2008) at $15.4M. 9 crime films released in December 2008 report a worldwide gross, $91.4M in all, 31% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 23% on November 2008, whose releases took $118.2M. By language, English leads with $50.8M across 6 crime releases.
- December 2008 releases with a gross
- 9
- combined worldwide
- $91.4M
- The Spirit (2008), the #1
- $39.2M
- vs November 2008
- −23%
#1 of 9 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Crime Hits of December 2008?
The Spirit (2008) leads with $39.2M, 43% of the total. The top 5 together took $90M, 98% 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 December 2008, 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 2008.
- 1 Dec 25, 2008 US and Canada: $19.8M Rest of the world: $19.4M Worldwide: $39.2M
- 2 K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces (2008)Dec 20, 2008 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $21.4M
Dec 20, 2008 · Japanese · Adventure, Action, Crime $21.4M worldwide - 3 Dec 18, 2008 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $15.4M
- 4 Dec 5, 2008 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: $2.1M Worldwide: $10.2M
- 5 Dec 23, 2008 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.9M
- 6
Dec 5, 2008 US and Canada: $540.4K Rest of the world: $10.4K Worldwide: $550.8K - 7
Dec 12, 2008 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $498.1K - 8
Dec 19, 2008 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $347K - 9
Dec 12, 2008 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $44.9K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 2008?
Of the top 9, Nobel Son (2008) earned the biggest share at home (98% in the US & Canada), while The Spirit (2008) made 49% of its gross abroad. Across all 9 films, $28.4M (31%) came from the US & Canada. 6 films of the top 9 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Spirit (2008) $39.2M $19.8M US & Canada · 51% $19.4M elsewhere · 49%
- 2 K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces (2008) $21.4M No US & Canada figure reported
- 3 Max Manus: Man of War (2008) $15.4M No US & Canada figure reported
- 4 Punisher: War Zone (2008) $10.2M $8.1M US & Canada · 79% $2.1M elsewhere · 21%
- 5 Lady Cop & Papa Crook (2008) $3.9M No US & Canada figure reported
- 6 Nobel Son (2008) $550.8K $540.4K US & Canada · 98% $10.4K elsewhere · 2%
- 7 While She Was Out (2008) $498.1K No US & Canada figure reported
- 8 Stone of Destiny (2008) $347K No US & Canada figure reported
- 9 What Doesn't Kill You (2008) $44.9K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of December 2008 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 52 (Dec 21–27) took $43M, led by The Spirit (2008). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 30–Dec 6 Punisher: War Zone (2008) $10.7M Punisher: War Zone (2008)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 7–13 While She Was Out (2008) $543K While She Was Out (2008)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 14–20 K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces (2008) $37.2M K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces (2008)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 21–27 The Spirit (2008) $43M The Spirit (2008)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 28–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 2008 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 2002 earned the most: $753.9M from 15 films, led by Catch Me If You Can (2002). December 2008 took $91.4M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1999 3 films | 3 | $426.1M | – | The Green Mile (1999) $286.8M |
| December 2000 6 films · +16% | 6 | $493.8M | +16% | Miss Congeniality (2000) $212.8M |
| December 2001 4 films · −5% | 4 | $468M | −5% | Ocean's Eleven (2001) $450.7M |
| December 2002 15 films · +61% | 15 | $753.9M | +61% | Catch Me If You Can (2002) $352.1M |
| December 2003 5 films · −92% | 5 | $61.7M | −92% | Monster (2003) $58.5M |
| December 2004 9 films · +510% | 9 | $376.5M | +510% | Ocean's Twelve (2004) $362.7M |
| December 2005 10 films · +23% | 10 | $462.1M | +23% | Fun with Dick and Jane (2005) $204.7M |
| December 2006 3 films · −97% | 3 | $14.9M | −97% | Confession of Pain (2006) $14.2M |
| December 2007 7 films · +82% | 7 | $27M | +82% | For Love and Honor (2007) $14.8M |
| December 2008 9 films · +238% | 9 | $91.4M | +238% | The Spirit (2008) $39.2M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Crime Movies Speak in December 2008?
English-language crime films took $50.8M across 6 films, 56% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language crime films ($21.4M) and Norwegian-language crime films ($15.4M).
Archive
Crime Box Office in 2008, Month by Month
The months of 2008 with their totals: July leads with $1.7B, led by The Dark Knight (2008).
- January $185.2M #1 Untraceable (2008)
- February $233.1M #1 Vantage Point (2008)
- March $106.3M #1 The Bank Job (2008)
- April $163M #1 Street Kings (2008)
- May $11.4M #1 Cleaner (2008)
- June $28.2M #1 Public Enemy Returns (2008)
- July $1.7B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- August $141.3M #1 Pineapple Express (2008)
- September $428.7M #1 Burn After Reading (2008)
- October $335.4M #1 Saw V (2008)
- November $118.2M #1 Transporter 3 (2008)
- December $91.4M #1 The Spirit (2008)
FAQ
Crime Box Office December 2008: 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 December 2008?
The Spirit (2008) leads with $39.2M worldwide, $19.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come K-20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces (2008) at $21.4M and Max Manus: Man of War (2008) at $15.4M.
How much did crime movies released in December 2008 earn?
9 crime films released in December 2008 report a worldwide gross, $91.4M in all, or $10.2M per film on average. November 2008 releases took $118.2M.
How many crime movies released in December 2008 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Spirit (2008), earned $39.2M.
How is the December 2008 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 December 2008. 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 2008 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.