#1 of 106 #1 drama movie of 1986
1986 · Action, Drama
$357.3M worldwide · 25% of the chart's total
$180.3M US & Canada · 50% $177M elsewhere · 50%
Drama box office · 1986
Drama Box Office 1986: Highest-Grossing Drama Movies
Top Gun (1986) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in 1986, with $357.3M worldwide, ahead of Platoon (1986) at $138.5M and An American Tail (1986) at $84.5M. 106 drama films released in 1986 report a worldwide gross, $1.4B in all, 84% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 7% on 1985, whose releases took $1.5B. By language, English leads with $1.3B across 78 drama releases.
- 1986 releases with a gross
- 106
- combined worldwide
- $1.4B
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- vs 1985
- −7%
#1 of 106 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of 1986?
Top Gun (1986) leads with $357.3M, 25% of the total. The top 5 together took $686.2M, 49% of what all 106 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 1986, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 106. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1986.
- 1 May 16, 1986 US and Canada: $180.3M Rest of the world: $177M Worldwide: $357.3M
- 2 Dec 19, 1986 US and Canada: $138.5M Rest of the world: $15.7K Worldwide: $138.5M
- 3 Nov 21, 1986 US and Canada: $47.5M Rest of the world: $37.1M Worldwide: $84.5M
- 4 Aug 22, 1986 US and Canada: $52.3M Rest of the world: $1.2M Worldwide: $53.5M
- 5 Oct 17, 1986 US and Canada: $52.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $52.3M
- 6
Dec 5, 1986 US and Canada: $42.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.7M - 7
Oct 10, 1986 US and Canada: $41.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $41.4M - 8
Feb 28, 1986 US and Canada: $40.5M Rest of the world: $9K Worldwide: $40.5M - 9
Feb 1, 1986 US and Canada: $40.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $40.1M - 10
Jul 2, 1986 US and Canada: $38.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $38.7M - 11
Mar 14, 1986 US and Canada: $36.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $36.6M - 12
Jul 30, 1986 US and Canada: $32.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $32.3M - 13
Oct 3, 1986 US and Canada: $31.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.9M - 14
Nov 14, 1986 US and Canada: $28.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $28.6M - 15
Jul 25, 1986 US and Canada: $25.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.3M - 16
Apr 1, 1986 US and Canada: $21M Rest of the world: $95.4K Worldwide: $21.1M - 17
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)May 2, 1986 US and Canada: $18M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18M
May 2, 1986 · English · Drama, Comedy, Fantasy $18M worldwide - 18
Feb 14, 1986 US and Canada: $17.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.8M - 19
Oct 31, 1986 US and Canada: $17.2M Rest of the world: $286.8K Worldwide: $17.5M - 20
Jan 31, 1986 US and Canada: $15.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.4M - 21
Nov 26, 1986 US and Canada: $14.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.3M - 22
Aug 22, 1986 US and Canada: $13.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.4M - 23
Dec 19, 1986 US and Canada: $12.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.3M - 24
Nov 12, 1986 US and Canada: $10.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.3M - 25
Jul 2, 1986 US and Canada: $10.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.1M - 26
Oct 10, 1986 US and Canada: $9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9M - 27
Sep 19, 1986 US and Canada: $8.6M Rest of the world: $121.3K Worldwide: $8.7M - 28
Nov 7, 1986 US and Canada: $8.4M Rest of the world: $463 Worldwide: $8.4M - 29
Mar 28, 1986 US and Canada: $8.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.2M - 30
Jan 31, 1986 US and Canada: $7.8M Rest of the world: $26.4K Worldwide: $7.8M - 31
Jan 17, 1986 US and Canada: $7.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.7M - 32
Feb 14, 1986 US and Canada: $7.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.6M - 33
Jan 24, 1986 US and Canada: $7.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.5M - 34
Aug 15, 1986 US and Canada: $7.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.2M - 35
Sep 24, 1986 US and Canada: $7.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.2M - 36
May 2, 1986 US and Canada: $6.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.9M - 37
Mar 21, 1986 US and Canada: $6.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.4M - 38
Mar 14, 1986 US and Canada: $5.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.8M - 39
Jun 13, 1986 US and Canada: $5.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.8M - 40
Nov 7, 1986 US and Canada: $5.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.2M - 41
Jul 25, 1986 US and Canada: $5.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.1M - 42
Aug 2, 1986 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5M - 43
Aug 27, 1986 US and Canada: $4.9M Rest of the world: $1.6K Worldwide: $4.9M - 44
Apr 11, 1986 US and Canada: $4.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.9M - 45
Apr 4, 1986 US and Canada: $4.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7M - 46
Sep 12, 1986 US and Canada: $4.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7M - 47
May 2, 1986 US and Canada: $4.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7M - 48
Nov 7, 1986 US and Canada: $4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4M - 49
Nov 19, 1986 US and Canada: $3.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.9M - 50
Jan 31, 1986 US and Canada: $3.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.8M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1986?
Of the top 10, The Color of Money (1986) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Top Gun (1986) made 50% of its gross abroad. Across all 106 films, $1.2B (84%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Top Gun (1986) $357.3M $180.3M US & Canada · 50% $177M elsewhere · 50%
- 2 Platoon (1986) $138.5M $138.5M US & Canada · 100% $15.7K elsewhere · <1%
- 3 An American Tail (1986) $84.5M $47.5M US & Canada · 56% $37.1M elsewhere · 44%
- 4 Stand by Me (1986) $53.5M $52.3M US & Canada · 98% $1.2M elsewhere · 2%
- 5 The Color of Money (1986) $52.3M $52.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Heartbreak Ridge (1986) $42.7M $42.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) $41.4M $41.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Pretty in Pink (1986) $40.5M $40.5M US & Canada · 100% $9K elsewhere · <1%
- 9 Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) $40.1M $40.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 About Last Night... (1986) $38.7M $38.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many 1986 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
2 of 106 films crossed $100M and took $495.8M between them, 35% of the total. 81 films, 76% of the list, earned under $10M.
35% 50% 15%
- $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 $495.8M · 35% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 23 films, 22% of the list $698.7M · 50% of the gross
- Under $10M 81 films, 76% of the list $215.4M · 15% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1986 Earned the Most?
May releases took the most, $387.3M from 5 films, led by Top Gun (1986). June was the quietest month ($7M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Youngblood (1986) $44.9M Youngblood (1986)
- February Feb Pretty in Pink (1986) $107.4M Pretty in Pink (1986)
- March Mar Gung Ho (1986) $67.3M Gung Ho (1986)
- April Apr A Room with a View (1986) $39.7M A Room with a View (1986)
- May May Top Gun (1986) $387.3M Top Gun (1986)
- June Jun Mona Lisa (1986) $7M Mona Lisa (1986)
- July Jul About Last Night... (1986) $111.5M About Last Night... (1986)
- August Aug Stand by Me (1986) $101M Stand by Me (1986)
- September Sep Blue Velvet (1986) $25.6M Blue Velvet (1986)
- October Oct The Color of Money (1986) $152.4M The Color of Money (1986)
- November Nov An American Tail (1986) $171.1M An American Tail (1986)
- December Dec Platoon (1986) $194.9M Platoon (1986)
Last 10 years
How Does 1986 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1985 earned the most: $1.5B from 88 films, led by Rocky IV (1985). 1986 took $1.4B.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 41 films | 41 | $832.1M | – | 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 |
| 1986 106 films · −7% | 106 | $1.4B | −7% | Top Gun (1986) $357.3M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in 1986?
English-language drama films took $1.3B across 78 films, 91% of the total, ahead of French-language drama films ($29.5M) and Norwegian-language drama films ($7.2M).
1986 Drama Box Office by Language
- English $1.3B78 films · #1 Top Gun (1986)
-
French $29.5M11 films · #1 Disorder (1986) -
Norwegian $7.2M1 film · #1 The Boy Who Could Fly (1986) -
Cantonese $5.5M2 films · #1 A Better Tomorrow (1986) -
Italian $546.9K1 film · #1 Devil in the Flesh (1986) -
Dutch $512.4K1 film · #1 The Assault (1986) -
Swedish $318.8K1 film · #1 The Sacrifice (1986) -
Spanish $286.1K1 film · #1 Matador (1986) -
Russian $20.2K1 film · #1 Courier (1986) -
Korean $2862 films · #1 Ticket (1986)
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 1986: 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 106 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in 1986?
Top Gun (1986) leads with $357.3M worldwide, $180.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Platoon (1986) at $138.5M and An American Tail (1986) at $84.5M.
How much did drama movies released in 1986 earn?
106 drama films released in 1986 report a worldwide gross, $1.4B in all, or $13.3M per film on average. 1985 releases took $1.5B.
How many drama movies released in 1986 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by Top Gun (1986) with $357.3M.
How is the 1986 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 1986. 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 1986 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.