#1 of 15 #1 drama movie of August 1987
1987 · Drama, Romance
$214.6M worldwide · 67% of the chart's total
$64.6M US & Canada · 30% $150M elsewhere · 70%
Drama box office · August 1987
Drama Box Office, August 1987: Top-Grossing Releases
Dirty Dancing (1987) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in August 1987, with $214.6M worldwide, ahead of No Way Out (1987) at $35.5M and Can't Buy Me Love (1987) at $31.6M. 15 drama films released in August 1987 report a worldwide gross, $320.7M in all, 53% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 5.5 times the total of July 1987, whose releases took $57.9M. By language, English leads with $319.9M across 12 drama releases.
- August 1987 releases with a gross
- 15
- combined worldwide
- $320.7M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs July 1987
- ×5.5
#1 of 15 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of August 1987?
Dirty Dancing (1987) leads with $214.6M, 67% of the total. The top 5 together took $313.2M, 98% of what all 15 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 August 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 August 1987.
- 1 Aug 25, 1987 US and Canada: $64.6M Rest of the world: $150M Worldwide: $214.6M
- 2 Aug 14, 1987 US and Canada: $35.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.5M
- 3 Aug 14, 1987 US and Canada: $31.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.6M
- 4 Aug 21, 1987 US and Canada: $17.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.7M
- 5 Aug 28, 1987 US and Canada: $13.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.8M
- 6
Aug 14, 1987 US and Canada: $3.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.8M - 7
Aug 28, 1987 US and Canada: $1.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.7M - 8
Aug 29, 1987 US and Canada: $901.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $901.4K - 9
Aug 26, 1987 US and Canada: $823.2K Rest of the world: $1.9K Worldwide: $825.1K - 10
Aug 22, 1987 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $208.2K - 11
Aug 28, 1987 US and Canada: $25K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25K - 12
Aug 30, 1987 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $12.3K - 13
Aug 9, 1987 US and Canada: $7.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.1K - 14
Aug 22, 1987 US and Canada: $2.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.6K - 15
Aug 23, 1987 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $630
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in August 1987?
Of the top 10, No Way Out (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Dirty Dancing (1987) made 70% of its gross abroad. Across all 15 films, $170.5M (53%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 10 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Dirty Dancing (1987) $214.6M $64.6M US & Canada · 30% $150M elsewhere · 70%
- 2 No Way Out (1987) $35.5M $35.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Can't Buy Me Love (1987) $31.6M $31.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The Big Easy (1987) $17.7M $17.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Hamburger Hill (1987) $13.8M $13.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 North Shore (1987) $3.8M $3.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Matewan (1987) $1.7M $1.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Julia and Julia (1987) $901.4K $901.4K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Boyfriends and Girlfriends (1987) $825.1K $823.2K US & Canada · 100% $1.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 10 A Tiger’s Tale (1987) $208.2K No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many August 1987 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 15 films crossed $100M and took $214.6M between them, 67% of the total. 10 films, 67% of the list, earned under $10M.
67% 31%
- $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 1 film, 7% of the list $214.6M · 67% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 4 films, 27% of the list $98.7M · 31% of the gross
- Under $10M 10 films, 67% of the list $7.5M · 2% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of August 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 35 (Aug 23–29) took $231.8M, led by Dirty Dancing (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 31 Wk 31 Jul 26–Aug 1 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 32 Wk 32 Aug 2–8 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 33 Wk 33 Aug 9–15 No Way Out (1987) $71M No Way Out (1987)
- Week 34 Wk 34 Aug 16–22 The Big Easy (1987) $17.9M The Big Easy (1987)
- Week 35 Wk 35 Aug 23–29 Dirty Dancing (1987) $231.8M Dirty Dancing (1987)
- Week 36 Wk 36 Aug 30–Sep 5 Motherland Hotel (1987) $12.3K Motherland Hotel (1987)
Earlier years
How Does August 1987 Compare With August in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, August 1987 earned the most: $320.7M from 15 films, led by Dirty Dancing (1987).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1978 2 films | 2 | $10.4M | – | Interiors (1978) $10.4M |
| August 1979 7 films · +1631% | 7 | $180.7M | +1631% | Apocalypse Now (1979) $105.1M |
| August 1980 5 films · −79% | 5 | $37.2M | −79% | The Octagon (1980) $19M |
| August 1981 7 films · +64% | 7 | $60.9M | +64% | Body Heat (1981) $24.1M |
| August 1982 6 films · −5% | 6 | $58.1M | −5% | Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) $27.1M |
| August 1983 5 films · +143% | 5 | $141.2M | +143% | Mr. Mom (1983) $64.8M |
| August 1984 9 films · −46% | 9 | $76.7M | −46% | Red Dawn (1984) $38.4M |
| August 1985 5 films · −55% | 5 | $34.6M | −55% | Year of the Dragon (1985) $18.7M |
| August 1986 16 films · +192% | 16 | $101M | +192% | Stand by Me (1986) $53.5M |
| August 1987 15 films · +217% | 15 | $320.7M | +217% | Dirty Dancing (1987) $214.6M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in August 1987?
English-language drama films took $319.9M across 12 films, 100% of the total, ahead of French-language drama films ($825.1K) and Turkish-language drama films ($12.3K).
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 August 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 15 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in August 1987?
Dirty Dancing (1987) leads with $214.6M worldwide, $64.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come No Way Out (1987) at $35.5M and Can't Buy Me Love (1987) at $31.6M.
How much did drama movies released in August 1987 earn?
15 drama films released in August 1987 report a worldwide gross, $320.7M in all, or $21.4M per film on average. July 1987 releases took $57.9M.
How many drama movies released in August 1987 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Dirty Dancing (1987) with $214.6M.
How is the August 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 August 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 August 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.