#1 of 19 #1 drama movie of September 1987
1987 · Drama, Thriller
$320.1M worldwide · 85% of the chart's total
$156.6M US & Canada · 49% $163.5M elsewhere · 51%
Drama box office · September 1987
Drama Box Office, September 1987: Top-Grossing Releases
Fatal Attraction (1987) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in September 1987, with $320.1M worldwide, ahead of The Principal (1987) at $19.7M and The Pick-up Artist (1987) at $13.3M. 19 drama films released in September 1987 report a worldwide gross, $374.9M in all, 56% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 17% on August 1987, whose releases took $320.7M. By language, English leads with $372.2M across 18 drama releases.
- September 1987 releases with a gross
- 19
- combined worldwide
- $374.9M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs August 1987
- +17%
#1 of 19 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of September 1987?
Fatal Attraction (1987) leads with $320.1M, 85% of the total. The top 5 together took $361.8M, 97% of what all 19 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 September 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 September 1987.
- 1 Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $156.6M Rest of the world: $163.5M Worldwide: $320.1M
- 2 Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $19.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.7M
- 3 Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $13.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.3M
- 4 Sep 3, 1987 US and Canada: $4.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.4M
- 5 Sep 25, 1987 US and Canada: $4.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.3M
- 6
Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $2.5M Rest of the world: $159.1K Worldwide: $2.6M - 7
Sep 25, 1987 US and Canada: $1.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.7M - 8
Sep 11, 1987 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.4M - 9
Sep 4, 1987 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.4M - 10
Sep 25, 1987 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M - 11
Sep 11, 1987 US and Canada: $969.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $969.2K - 12
Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $858.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $858.3K - 13
Sep 1, 1987 US and Canada: $796.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $796.4K - 14
Sep 13, 1987 US and Canada: $743.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $743.4K - 15
Sep 4, 1987 US and Canada: $519.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $519.6K - 16
Sep 1, 1987 US and Canada: $316.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $316.2K - 17
Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $252.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $252.4K - 18
Sep 19, 1987 US and Canada: $101.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $101.8K - 19
Sep 10, 1987 US and Canada: $33.8K Rest of the world: $735 Worldwide: $34.5K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in September 1987?
Of the top 10, The Principal (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Fatal Attraction (1987) made 51% of its gross abroad. Across all 19 films, $211.2M (56%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Fatal Attraction (1987) $320.1M $156.6M US & Canada · 49% $163.5M elsewhere · 51%
- 2 The Principal (1987) $19.7M $19.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Pick-up Artist (1987) $13.3M $13.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The Dead (1987) $4.4M $4.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Best Seller (1987) $4.3M $4.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Maurice (1987) $2.6M $2.5M US & Canada · 94% $159.1K elsewhere · 6%
- 7 The Big Town (1987) $1.7M $1.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 A Prayer for the Dying (1987) $1.4M $1.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Penitentiary III (1987) $1.4M $1.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 China Girl (1987) $1.3M $1.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many September 1987 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 19 films crossed $100M and took $320.1M between them, 85% of the total. 16 films, 84% of the list, earned under $10M.
85% 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 1 film, 5% of the list $320.1M · 85% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 2 films, 11% of the list $33M · 9% of the gross
- Under $10M 16 films, 84% of the list $21.7M · 6% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of September 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 38 (Sep 13–19) took $357.8M, led by Fatal Attraction (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 36 Wk 36 Aug 30–Sep 5 The Dead (1987) $7.4M The Dead (1987)
- Week 37 Wk 37 Sep 6–12 A Prayer for the Dying (1987) $2.4M A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
- Week 38 Wk 38 Sep 13–19 Fatal Attraction (1987) $357.8M Fatal Attraction (1987)
- Week 39 Wk 39 Sep 20–26 Best Seller (1987) $7.3M Best Seller (1987)
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 27–Oct 3 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does September 1987 Compare With September in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, September 1987 earned the most: $374.9M from 19 films, led by Fatal Attraction (1987).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1978 6 films | 6 | $28.8M | – | Death on the Nile (1978) $14.6M |
| September 1979 6 films · −42% | 6 | $16.8M | −42% | The Onion Field (1979) $9.9M |
| September 1980 8 films · +478% | 8 | $97.3M | +478% | Ordinary People (1980) $54.8M |
| September 1981 6 films · −39% | 6 | $59.4M | −39% | Only When I Laugh (1981) $25.5M |
| September 1982 6 films · −86% | 6 | $8.3M | −86% | The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982) $2.3M |
| September 1983 10 films · +1036% | 10 | $94.7M | +1036% | The Big Chill (1983) $56.4M |
| September 1984 12 films · +12% | 12 | $106.2M | +12% | Amadeus (1984) $52.3M |
| September 1985 8 films · −66% | 8 | $36.5M | −66% | Agnes of God (1985) $25.6M |
| September 1986 7 films · −30% | 7 | $25.6M | −30% | Blue Velvet (1986) $8.7M |
| September 1987 19 films · +1362% | 19 | $374.9M | +1362% | Fatal Attraction (1987) $320.1M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in September 1987?
English-language drama films took $372.2M across 18 films, 99% of the total, ahead of French-language drama films ($2.6M).
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 September 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 19 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in September 1987?
Fatal Attraction (1987) leads with $320.1M worldwide, $156.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Principal (1987) at $19.7M and The Pick-up Artist (1987) at $13.3M.
How much did drama movies released in September 1987 earn?
19 drama films released in September 1987 report a worldwide gross, $374.9M in all, or $19.7M per film on average. August 1987 releases took $320.7M.
How many drama movies released in September 1987 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Fatal Attraction (1987) with $320.1M.
How is the September 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 September 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 September 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.