#1 of 129 #1 drama movie of 1987
1987 · Drama, Thriller
$320.1M worldwide · 19% of the chart's total
$156.6M US & Canada · 49% $163.5M elsewhere · 51%
Drama box office · 1987
Drama Box Office 1987: Highest-Grossing Drama Movies
Fatal Attraction (1987) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in 1987, with $320.1M worldwide, ahead of Dirty Dancing (1987) at $214.6M and 3 Men and a Baby (1987) at $167.8M. 129 drama films released in 1987 report a worldwide gross, $1.7B in all, 80% of it from the US & Canada. 3 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 21% on 1986, whose releases took $1.4B. By language, English leads with $1.6B across 105 drama releases.
- 1987 releases with a gross
- 129
- combined worldwide
- $1.7B
- films crossed $100M
- 3
- vs 1986
- +21%
#1 of 129 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of 1987?
Fatal Attraction (1987) leads with $320.1M, 19% of the total. The top 5 together took $859.4M, 50% of what all 129 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 1987, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 129. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1987.
- 1 Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $156.6M Rest of the world: $163.5M Worldwide: $320.1M
- 2 Aug 25, 1987 US and Canada: $64.6M Rest of the world: $150M Worldwide: $214.6M
- 3 Nov 25, 1987 US and Canada: $167.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $167.8M
- 4 Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $80.6M Rest of the world: $5.9K Worldwide: $80.6M
- 5 Jun 3, 1987 US and Canada: $76.3M Rest of the world: $1.9K Worldwide: $76.3M
- 6
Dec 16, 1987 US and Canada: $51.2M Rest of the world: $16.1M Worldwide: $67.3M - 7
Jul 24, 1987 US and Canada: $54.2M Rest of the world: $3.2K Worldwide: $54.2M - 8
Jun 26, 1987 US and Canada: $46.4M Rest of the world: $3.8M Worldwide: $50.2M - 9
Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $44M Rest of the world: $47.3K Worldwide: $44M - 10
Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $43.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $43.8M - 11
Aug 14, 1987 US and Canada: $35.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.5M - 12
Aug 14, 1987 US and Canada: $31.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.6M - 13
Nov 20, 1987 US and Canada: $31M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31M - 14
Oct 7, 1987 US and Canada: $26.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.7M - 15
Mar 13, 1987 US and Canada: $25.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.4M - 16
Feb 6, 1987 US and Canada: $25.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.2M - 17
Jan 23, 1987 US and Canada: $22.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.9M - 18
Dec 9, 1987 US and Canada: $22.2M Rest of the world: $425 Worldwide: $22.2M - 19
Apr 17, 1987 US and Canada: $18.5M Rest of the world: $3.1M Worldwide: $21.6M - 20
Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $19.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.7M - 21
Oct 23, 1987 US and Canada: $18.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.8M - 22
Jun 10, 1987 US and Canada: $18.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.8M - 23
Feb 27, 1987 US and Canada: $18.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.6M - 24
Aug 21, 1987 US and Canada: $17.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.7M - 25
Feb 13, 1987 US and Canada: $16.1M Rest of the world: $350 Worldwide: $16.1M - 26
Nov 20, 1987 US and Canada: $15.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.2M - 27
Aug 28, 1987 US and Canada: $13.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.8M - 28
Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $13.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.3M - 29
Nov 6, 1987 US and Canada: $12.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.4M - 30
Apr 24, 1987 US and Canada: $11.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.3M - 31
Feb 6, 1987 US and Canada: $10.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.5M - 32
Oct 9, 1987 US and Canada: $10.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.3M - 33
Feb 6, 1987 US and Canada: $9.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.5M - 34
Nov 6, 1987 US and Canada: $7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7M - 35
Nov 6, 1987 US and Canada: $6.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.9M - 36
Nov 6, 1987 US and Canada: $5.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.9M - 37
Jan 2, 1987 US and Canada: $5.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.7M - 38
Oct 7, 1987 US and Canada: $5.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.4M - 39
May 5, 1987 US and Canada: $5.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.3M - 40
May 8, 1987 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6M - 41
Nov 6, 1987 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6M - 42
Feb 20, 1987 US and Canada: $4.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.5M - 43
Sep 3, 1987 US and Canada: $4.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.4M - 44
Sep 25, 1987 US and Canada: $4.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.3M - 45
May 1, 1987 US and Canada: $4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4M - 46
Aug 14, 1987 US and Canada: $3.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.8M - 47
Oct 2, 1987 US and Canada: $3.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.4M - 48
Oct 3, 1987 US and Canada: $3.4M Rest of the world: $321 Worldwide: $3.4M - 49
Jul 24, 1987 US and Canada: $3.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.3M - 50
Oct 16, 1987 US and Canada: $3.2M Rest of the world: $206 Worldwide: $3.2M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1987?
Of the top 10, 3 Men and a Baby (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Dirty Dancing (1987) made 70% of its gross abroad. Across all 129 films, $1.4B (80%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Fatal Attraction (1987) $320.1M $156.6M US & Canada · 49% $163.5M elsewhere · 51%
- 2 Dirty Dancing (1987) $214.6M $64.6M US & Canada · 30% $150M elsewhere · 70%
- 3 3 Men and a Baby (1987) $167.8M $167.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Moonstruck (1987) $80.6M $80.6M US & Canada · 100% $5.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 5 The Untouchables (1987) $76.3M $76.3M US & Canada · 100% $1.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 6 Broadcast News (1987) $67.3M $51.2M US & Canada · 76% $16.1M elsewhere · 24%
- 7 La Bamba (1987) $54.2M $54.2M US & Canada · 100% $3.2K elsewhere · <1%
- 8 Full Metal Jacket (1987) $50.2M $46.4M US & Canada · 92% $3.8M elsewhere · 8%
- 9 The Last Emperor (1987) $44M $44M US & Canada · 100% $47.3K elsewhere · <1%
- 10 Wall Street (1987) $43.8M $43.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many 1987 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
3 of 129 films crossed $100M and took $702.5M between them, 41% of the total. 97 films, 75% of the list, earned under $10M.
41% 50% 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 3 films, 2% of the list $702.5M · 41% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 29 films, 22% of the list $855M · 50% of the gross
- Under $10M 97 films, 75% of the list $153.4M · 9% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1987 Earned the Most?
September releases took the most, $374.9M from 19 films, led by Fatal Attraction (1987). May was the quietest month ($20.9M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Crimes of the Heart (1987) $28.6M Crimes of the Heart (1987)
- February Feb Black Widow (1987) $92M Black Widow (1987)
- March Mar Tin Men (1987) $31.4M Tin Men (1987)
- April Apr Project X (1987) $34.4M Project X (1987)
- May May Gardens of Stone (1987) $20.9M Gardens of Stone (1987)
- June Jun The Untouchables (1987) $148M The Untouchables (1987)
- July Jul La Bamba (1987) $57.9M La Bamba (1987)
- August Aug Dirty Dancing (1987) $320.7M Dirty Dancing (1987)
- September Sep Fatal Attraction (1987) $374.9M Fatal Attraction (1987)
- October Oct Baby Boom (1987) $80.6M Baby Boom (1987)
- November Nov 3 Men and a Baby (1987) $259.5M 3 Men and a Baby (1987)
- December Dec Moonstruck (1987) $262M Moonstruck (1987)
Last 10 years
How Does 1987 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1987 earned the most: $1.7B from 129 films, led by Fatal Attraction (1987).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 50 films | 50 | $585M | – | 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 |
| 1987 129 films · +21% | 129 | $1.7B | +21% | Fatal Attraction (1987) $320.1M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in 1987?
English-language drama films took $1.6B across 105 films, 92% of the total, ahead of Spanish-language drama films ($76.4M) and French-language drama films ($4.7M).
1987 Drama Box Office by Language
-
English $1.6B105 films · #1 Fatal Attraction (1987) -
Spanish $76.4M2 films · #1 The Untouchables (1987) -
French $4.7M6 films · #1 Maurice (1987) -
Russian $2.3M3 films · #1 Dark Eyes (1987) -
Danish $2.1M2 films · #1 Pelle the Conqueror (1987) -
Italian $322.4K2 films · #1 Good Morning, Babylon (1987) -
Persian $14.4K1 film · #1 Where Is the Friend’s House? (1987) -
German $12.7K1 film · #1 Cobra Verde (1987) -
Turkish $12.3K1 film · #1 Motherland Hotel (1987) -
Chinese $2.6K1 film · #1 Daughter of the Nile (1987)
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 1987: 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 129 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in 1987?
Fatal Attraction (1987) leads with $320.1M worldwide, $156.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Dirty Dancing (1987) at $214.6M and 3 Men and a Baby (1987) at $167.8M.
How much did drama movies released in 1987 earn?
129 drama films released in 1987 report a worldwide gross, $1.7B in all, or $13.3M per film on average. 1986 releases took $1.4B.
How many drama movies released in 1987 made $1 billion?
None. 3 films crossed $100 million, led by Fatal Attraction (1987) with $320.1M.
How is the 1987 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 1987. 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 1987 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.