#1 of 11 #1 drama movie of December 1987
1987 · Drama, Comedy
$80.6M worldwide · 31% of the chart's total
$80.6M US & Canada · 100% $5.9K elsewhere · <1%
Drama box office · December 1987
Drama Box Office, December 1987: Top-Grossing Releases
Moonstruck (1987) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in December 1987, with $80.6M worldwide, ahead of Broadcast News (1987) at $67.3M and The Last Emperor (1987) at $44M. 11 drama films released in December 1987 report a worldwide gross, $262M in all, 94% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 1% on November 1987, whose releases took $259.5M. By language, English leads with $259.9M across 8 drama releases.
- December 1987 releases with a gross
- 11
- combined worldwide
- $262M
- Moonstruck (1987), the #1
- $80.6M
- vs November 1987
- +1%
#1 of 11 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of December 1987?
Moonstruck (1987) leads with $80.6M, 31% of the total. The top 5 together took $258.1M, 99% of what all 11 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 December 1987, 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 1987.
- 1 Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $80.6M Rest of the world: $5.9K Worldwide: $80.6M
- 2 Dec 16, 1987 US and Canada: $51.2M Rest of the world: $16.1M Worldwide: $67.3M
- 3 Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $44M Rest of the world: $47.3K Worldwide: $44M
- 4 Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $43.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $43.8M
- 5 Dec 9, 1987 US and Canada: $22.2M Rest of the world: $425 Worldwide: $22.2M
- 6
Dec 13, 1987 US and Canada: $2.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.1M - 7
Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1M - 8
Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $486.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $486.4K - 9
Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $285.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $285.9K - 10
Dec 3, 1987 US and Canada: $12.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.7K - 11
Dec 13, 1987 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.5K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1987?
Of the top 10, Wall Street (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Broadcast News (1987) made 24% of its gross abroad. Across all 11 films, $245.8M (94%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Moonstruck (1987) $80.6M $80.6M US & Canada · 100% $5.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Broadcast News (1987) $67.3M $51.2M US & Canada · 76% $16.1M elsewhere · 24%
- 3 The Last Emperor (1987) $44M $44M US & Canada · 100% $47.3K elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Wall Street (1987) $43.8M $43.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Empire of the Sun (1987) $22.2M $22.2M US & Canada · 100% $425 elsewhere · <1%
- 6 Pelle the Conqueror (1987) $2.1M $2.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Little Dorrit (1987) $1M $1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 September (1987) $486.4K $486.4K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Cold Steel (1987) $285.9K $285.9K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Cobra Verde (1987) $12.7K $12.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many December 1987 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 11 films reached $100M. 6 films, 55% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $262M total.
99%
- $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 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $10M to $100M 5 films, 45% of the list $258.1M · 99% of the gross
- Under $10M 6 films, 55% of the list $3.9M · 1% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of December 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 13–19) took $194.6M, led by Moonstruck (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 Cobra Verde (1987) $12.7K Cobra Verde (1987)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 Wall Street (1987) $67.4M Wall Street (1987)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 Moonstruck (1987) $194.6M Moonstruck (1987)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 27–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1987 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1984 earned the most: $427.4M from 9 films, led by Beverly Hills Cop (1984). December 1987 took $262M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1978 5 films | 5 | $82.5M | – | The Deer Hunter (1978) $49.1M |
| December 1979 7 films · +235% | 7 | $276.6M | +235% | Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) $106.3M |
| December 1980 3 films · −83% | 3 | $47.2M | −83% | The Jazz Singer (1980) $27.1M |
| December 1981 11 films · +566% | 11 | $314.5M | +566% | On Golden Pond (1981) $119.3M |
| December 1982 10 films · +26% | 10 | $394.9M | +26% | Tootsie (1982) $177.2M |
| December 1983 9 films · −58% | 9 | $167.6M | −58% | Scarface (1983) $66.4M |
| December 1984 9 films · +155% | 9 | $427.4M | +155% | Beverly Hills Cop (1984) $316.4M |
| December 1985 9 films · −7% | 9 | $398.8M | −7% | Out of Africa (1985) $227.5M |
| December 1986 6 films · −51% | 6 | $194.9M | −51% | Platoon (1986) $138.5M |
| December 1987 11 films · +34% | 11 | $262M | +34% | Moonstruck (1987) $80.6M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in December 1987?
English-language drama films took $259.9M across 8 films, 99% of the total, ahead of Danish-language drama films ($2.1M) and German-language drama films ($12.7K).
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1987, Month by Month
The months of 1987 with their totals: September leads with $374.9M, led by Fatal Attraction (1987).
- January $28.6M #1 Crimes of the Heart (1987)
- February $92M #1 Black Widow (1987)
- March $31.4M #1 Tin Men (1987)
- April $34.4M #1 Project X (1987)
- May $20.9M #1 Gardens of Stone (1987)
- June $148M #1 The Untouchables (1987)
- July $57.9M #1 La Bamba (1987)
- August $320.7M #1 Dirty Dancing (1987)
- September $374.9M #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- October $80.6M #1 Baby Boom (1987)
- November $259.5M #1 3 Men and a Baby (1987)
- December $262M #1 Moonstruck (1987)
FAQ
Drama Box Office December 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 11 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in December 1987?
Moonstruck (1987) leads with $80.6M worldwide, $80.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Broadcast News (1987) at $67.3M and The Last Emperor (1987) at $44M.
How much did drama movies released in December 1987 earn?
11 drama films released in December 1987 report a worldwide gross, $262M in all, or $23.8M per film on average. November 1987 releases took $259.5M.
How many drama movies released in December 1987 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Moonstruck (1987), earned $80.6M.
How is the December 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 December 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 December 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.