#1 of 88 #1 drama movie of 1985
1985 · Drama, Sport
$300.5M worldwide · 20% of the chart's total
$127.9M US & Canada · 43% $172.6M elsewhere · 57%
Drama box office · 1985
Drama Box Office 1985: Highest-Grossing Drama Movies
Rocky IV (1985) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in 1985, with $300.5M worldwide, ahead of Out of Africa (1985) at $227.5M and The Color Purple (1985) at $98.5M. 88 drama films released in 1985 report a worldwide gross, $1.5B in all, 78% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 8% on 1984, whose releases took $1.4B. By language, English leads with $1.5B across 76 drama releases.
- 1985 releases with a gross
- 88
- combined worldwide
- $1.5B
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- vs 1984
- +8%
#1 of 88 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of 1985?
Rocky IV (1985) leads with $300.5M, 20% of the total. The top 5 together took $746.7M, 49% of what all 88 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 Drama Release of 1985, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 88. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1985.
- 1 Nov 27, 1985 US and Canada: $127.9M Rest of the world: $172.6M Worldwide: $300.5M
- 2 Dec 20, 1985 US and Canada: $87.1M Rest of the world: $140.4M Worldwide: $227.5M
- 3 Dec 18, 1985 US and Canada: $98.5M Rest of the world: $239 Worldwide: $98.5M
- 4 Feb 8, 1985 US and Canada: $68.7M Rest of the world: $466 Worldwide: $68.7M
- 5 Feb 15, 1985 US and Canada: $45.9M Rest of the world: $5.7M Worldwide: $51.5M
- 6
Mar 8, 1985 US and Canada: $48.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $48.2M - 7
Nov 22, 1985 US and Canada: $42.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.2M - 8
Oct 4, 1985 US and Canada: $40.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $40.5M - 9
Jun 28, 1985 US and Canada: $37.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $37.8M - 10
Feb 1, 1985 US and Canada: $34.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.7M - 11
Feb 1, 1985 US and Canada: $27.2M Rest of the world: $5.8M Worldwide: $33M - 12
Dec 25, 1985 US and Canada: $30.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $30.9M - 13
Apr 12, 1985 US and Canada: $27.4M Rest of the world: $1K Worldwide: $27.4M - 14
Jun 14, 1985 US and Canada: $26.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.7M - 15
Mar 22, 1985 US and Canada: $25.8M Rest of the world: $993 Worldwide: $25.8M - 16
Sep 27, 1985 US and Canada: $25.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.6M - 17
Jun 22, 1985 US and Canada: $24.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $24.5M - 18
May 3, 1985 US and Canada: $20.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.3M - 19
Aug 16, 1985 US and Canada: $18.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.7M - 20
Apr 12, 1985 US and Canada: $18.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.4M - 21
Mar 1, 1985 US and Canada: $18.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.1M - 22
Nov 1, 1985 US and Canada: $17.3M Rest of the world: $4.7K Worldwide: $17.3M - 23
The Falcon and the Snowman (1985)Feb 8, 1985 US and Canada: $17.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.1M
Feb 8, 1985 · English · Biography, Drama, Thriller $17.1M worldwide - 24
Jul 26, 1985 US and Canada: $17M Rest of the world: $4.4K Worldwide: $17M - 25
Nov 1, 1985 US and Canada: $16.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.1M - 26
Dec 9, 1985 US and Canada: $14.2M Rest of the world: $1.1K Worldwide: $14.2M - 27
Feb 15, 1985 US and Canada: $13M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13M - 28
Jun 7, 1985 US and Canada: $12.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.9M - 29
Aug 30, 1985 US and Canada: $12.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.5M - 30
Dec 20, 1985 US and Canada: $12.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.3M - 31
Oct 25, 1985 US and Canada: $11.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.1M - 32
May 2, 1985 US and Canada: $10.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.6M - 33
Dec 18, 1985 US and Canada: $9.9M Rest of the world: $23.5K Worldwide: $10M - 34
Jan 11, 1985 US and Canada: $9.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.4M - 35
Oct 11, 1985 US and Canada: $9.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.1M - 36
Nov 8, 1985 US and Canada: $9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9M - 37
Nov 8, 1985 US and Canada: $8.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.6M - 38
Apr 26, 1985 US and Canada: $8.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.5M - 39
Mar 22, 1985 US and Canada: $8.4M Rest of the world: $1.1K Worldwide: $8.4M - 40
Nov 8, 1985 US and Canada: $8.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.4M - 41
Sep 20, 1985 US and Canada: $6.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.1M - 42
Feb 8, 1985 US and Canada: $6.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.1M - 43
Mar 29, 1985 US and Canada: $5.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.1M - 44
Apr 19, 1985 US and Canada: $4.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.4M - 45
Dec 20, 1985 US and Canada: $4.3M Rest of the world: $41.1K Worldwide: $4.3M - 46
Jan 18, 1985 US and Canada: $3.9M Rest of the world: $411.8K Worldwide: $4.3M - 47
Feb 15, 1985 US and Canada: $3.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.6M - 48
Jul 19, 1985 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.1M - 49
May 10, 1985 US and Canada: $2.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.9M - 50
Feb 15, 1985 US and Canada: $2.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.8M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1985?
Of the top 10, Mask (1985) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Out of Africa (1985) made 62% of its gross abroad. Across all 88 films, $1.2B (78%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Rocky IV (1985) $300.5M $127.9M US & Canada · 43% $172.6M elsewhere · 57%
- 2 Out of Africa (1985) $227.5M $87.1M US & Canada · 38% $140.4M elsewhere · 62%
- 3 The Color Purple (1985) $98.5M $98.5M US & Canada · 100% $239 elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Witness (1985) $68.7M $68.7M US & Canada · 100% $466 elsewhere · <1%
- 5 The Breakfast Club (1985) $51.5M $45.9M US & Canada · 89% $5.7M elsewhere · 11%
- 6 Mask (1985) $48.2M $48.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 White Nights (1985) $42.2M $42.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Jagged Edge (1985) $40.5M $40.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 St. Elmo's Fire (1985) $37.8M $37.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 The Killing Fields (1985) $34.7M $34.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many 1985 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
2 of 88 films crossed $100M and took $528M between them, 35% of the total. 56 films, 64% of the list, earned under $10M.
35% 56% 9%
- $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 2 films, 2% of the list $528M · 35% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 30 films, 34% of the list $845.7M · 56% of the gross
- Under $10M 56 films, 64% of the list $137.2M · 9% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1985 Earned the Most?
November releases took the most, $403.5M from 12 films, led by Rocky IV (1985). January was the quietest month ($14M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Tuff Turf (1985) $14M Tuff Turf (1985)
- February Feb Witness (1985) $231.8M Witness (1985)
- March Mar Mask (1985) $111.9M Mask (1985)
- April Apr Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) $58.8M Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
- May May Code of Silence (1985) $37M Code of Silence (1985)
- June Jun St. Elmo's Fire (1985) $101.9M St. Elmo's Fire (1985)
- July Jul Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) $20.1M Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
- August Aug Year of the Dragon (1985) $34.6M Year of the Dragon (1985)
- September Sep Agnes of God (1985) $36.5M Agnes of God (1985)
- October Oct Jagged Edge (1985) $61.9M Jagged Edge (1985)
- November Nov Rocky IV (1985) $403.5M Rocky IV (1985)
- December Dec Out of Africa (1985) $398.8M Out of Africa (1985)
Last 10 years
How Does 1985 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1985 earned the most: $1.5B from 88 films, led by Rocky IV (1985).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 27 films | 27 | $378.6M | – | Rocky (1976) $117.3M |
| 1977 41 films · +120% | 41 | $832.1M | +120% | Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) $306.9M |
| 1978 50 films · −30% | 50 | $585M | −30% | Jaws 2 (1978) $187.9M |
| 1979 58 films · +57% | 58 | $919.3M | +57% | Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) $106.3M |
| 1980 63 films · −27% | 63 | $674.6M | −27% | Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) $67.2M |
| 1981 67 films · +32% | 67 | $889.5M | +32% | On Golden Pond (1981) $119.3M |
| 1982 86 films · +43% | 86 | $1.3B | +43% | Tootsie (1982) $177.2M |
| 1983 77 films · −11% | 77 | $1.1B | −11% | Terms of Endearment (1983) $108.4M |
| 1984 90 films · +23% | 90 | $1.4B | +23% | Beverly Hills Cop (1984) $316.4M |
| 1985 88 films · +8% | 88 | $1.5B | +8% | Rocky IV (1985) $300.5M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in 1985?
English-language drama films took $1.5B across 76 films, 98% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language drama films ($4.4M) and French-language drama films ($1.1M).
1985 Drama Box Office by Language
- English $1.5B76 films · #1 Rocky IV (1985)
-
Japanese $4.4M3 films · #1 Ran (1985) -
French $1.1M1 film · #1 Rendez-vous (1985) -
Spanish $69.8K1 film · #1 The Official Story (1985) -
Chinese $35.3K1 film · #1 Taipei Story (1985) -
Serbo-Croatian $34.8K1 film · #1 When Father Was Away on Business (1985) -
Italian $4K1 film · #1 The Mass Is Ended (1985) -
German $2.4K1 film · #1 Colonel Redl (1985)
Archive
Drama Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1919 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $13.9B, led by The Lion King (2019).
2020s 7 years · $50.1B
2010s 10 years · $113.6B
- 2019 $13.9B #1 The Lion King (2019)
- 2018 $12.7B #1 Black Panther (2018)
- 2017 $12.5B #1 Wolf Warrior 2 (2017)
- 2016 $11.1B #1 The Jungle Book (2016)
- 2015 $11.6B #1 Inside Out (2015)
- 2014 $10.3B #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)
- 2013 $12.1B #1 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
- 2012 $12B #1 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
- 2011 $7.8B #1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
- 2010 $9.6B #1 Inception (2010)
2000s 10 years · $70.7B
- 2009 $9.9B #1 2012 (2009)
- 2008 $10.6B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $7.6B #1 I Am Legend (2007)
- 2006 $7.5B #1 The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
- 2005 $8.1B #1 War of the Worlds (2005)
- 2004 $6.4B #1 The Passion of the Christ (2004)
- 2003 $5B #1 Bruce Almighty (2003)
- 2002 $5.2B #1 Signs (2002)
- 2001 $4.6B #1 Pearl Harbor (2001)
- 2000 $5.8B #1 Gladiator (2000)
1990s 10 years · $42.3B
- 1999 $5.2B #1 The Sixth Sense (1999)
- 1998 $4.9B #1 Saving Private Ryan (1998)
- 1997 $5.9B #1 Titanic (1997)
- 1996 $4.5B #1 Twister (1996)
- 1995 $4.8B #1 Apollo 13 (1995)
- 1994 $4.3B #1 The Lion King (1994)
- 1993 $4.7B #1 Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- 1992 $2.9B #1 The Bodyguard (1992)
- 1991 $2.4B #1 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
- 1990 $2.7B #1 Ghost (1990)
1980s 10 years · $14.2B
- 1989 $2B #1 Dead Poets Society (1989)
- 1988 $2.1B #1 Rain Man (1988)
- 1987 $1.7B #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- 1986 $1.4B #1 Top Gun (1986)
- 1985 $1.5B #1 Rocky IV (1985)
- 1984 $1.4B #1 Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
- 1983 $1.1B #1 Terms of Endearment (1983)
- 1982 $1.3B #1 Tootsie (1982)
- 1981 $889.5M #1 On Golden Pond (1981)
- 1980 $674.6M #1 Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
1970s 10 years · $5B
- 1979 $919.3M #1 Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
- 1978 $585M #1 Jaws 2 (1978)
- 1977 $832.1M #1 Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
- 1976 $378.6M #1 Rocky (1976)
- 1975 $303.6M #1 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
- 1974 $439.5M #1 The Towering Inferno (1974)
- 1973 $869.6M #1 The Exorcist (1973)
- 1972 $337M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- 1971 $133.4M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $229.2M #1 Airport (1970)
1960s 10 years · $865.1M
- 1969 $164M #1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- 1968 $59.2M #1 Funny Girl (1968)
- 1967 $166.8M #1 The Graduate (1967)
- 1966 $29.7M #1 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
- 1965 $272.6M #1 The Sound of Music (1965)
- 1964 $74.9M #1 My Fair Lady (1964)
- 1963 $63.5M #1 Cleopatra (1963)
- 1962 $6M #1 The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
- 1961 $6.5M #1 Mother and a Guest (1961)
- 1960 $21.9M #1 The Apartment (1960)
1950s 10 years · $438.7M
- 1959 $75M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- 1958 $3.3M #1 Touch of Evil (1958)
- 1957 $32.5M #1 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- 1956 $119.9M #1 The Ten Commandments (1956)
- 1955 $95.8M #1 Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- 1954 $32.7M #1 The Caine Mutiny (1954)
- 1953 $36.8M #1 The Robe (1953)
- 1952 $36.5M #1 The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
- 1951 $4.5M #1 Ace in the Hole (1951)
- 1950 $1.5M #1 Shadow on the Wall (1950)
1940s 10 years · $775.9M
- 1949 $164.2K #1 Stray Dog (1949)
- 1948 $6.2M #1 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
- 1947 $11.1M #1 It's a Wonderful Life (1947)
- 1946 $54.6M #1 The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
- 1945 $22M #1 The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945)
- 1944 $102.5K #1 Henry V (1944)
- 1943 $4.9M #1 Casablanca (1943)
- 1942 $270.1M #1 Bambi (1942)
- 1941 $1.8M #1 Citizen Kane (1941)
- 1940 $404.9M #1 Gone with the Wind (1940)
1930s 10 years · $2.8M
- 1939 $1.1M #1 Wuthering Heights (1939)
- 1938 $47.4K #1 Port of Shadows (1938)
- 1937 $19.3K #1 Stage Door (1937)
- 1936 $536.4K #1 Modern Times (1936)
- 1935 $516K #1 Sylvia Scarlett (1935)
- 1934 $13.2K #1 L’Atalante (1934)
- 1933 $451.3K #1 Baby Face (1933)
- 1932 $47.1K #1 The Old Dark House (1932)
- 1931 $46.6K #1 M (1931)
- 1930 $5.1K #1 The Blue Angel (1930)
1920s 8 years · $10.4M
- 1929 $89.2K #1 Pandora’s Box (1929)
- 1928 $40.9K #1 The Air Circus (1928)
- 1927 $161.5K #1 Sunrise (1927)
- 1926 $720.7K #1 Flesh and the Devil (1926)
- 1925 $82.5K #1 The Gold Rush (1925)
- 1923 $12.9K #1 A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923)
- 1921 $9.2M #1 The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)
- 1920 $9.3K #1 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
1910s 1 year · $160
FAQ
Drama Box Office 1985: 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 88 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in 1985?
Rocky IV (1985) leads with $300.5M worldwide, $127.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Out of Africa (1985) at $227.5M and The Color Purple (1985) at $98.5M.
How much did drama movies released in 1985 earn?
88 drama films released in 1985 report a worldwide gross, $1.5B in all, or $17.2M per film on average. 1984 releases took $1.4B.
How many drama movies released in 1985 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by Rocky IV (1985) with $300.5M.
How is the 1985 drama 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 1985. 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 1985 drama 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.