#1 of 139 #1 drama movie of 1988
1988 · Drama
$354.8M worldwide · 17% of the chart's total
$172.8M US & Canada · 49% $182M elsewhere · 51%
Drama box office · 1988
Drama Box Office 1988: Highest-Grossing Drama Movies
Rain Man (1988) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in 1988, with $354.8M worldwide, ahead of Coming to America (1988) at $288.8M and Big (1988) at $151.9M. 139 drama films released in 1988 report a worldwide gross, $2.1B in all, 76% of it from the US & Canada. 5 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 25% on 1987, whose releases took $1.7B. By language, English leads with $1.8B across 110 drama releases.
- 1988 releases with a gross
- 139
- combined worldwide
- $2.1B
- films crossed $100M
- 5
- vs 1987
- +25%
#1 of 139 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of 1988?
Rain Man (1988) leads with $354.8M, 17% of the total. The top 5 together took $1B, 48% of what all 139 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 1988, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 139. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1988.
- 1 Dec 16, 1988 US and Canada: $172.8M Rest of the world: $182M Worldwide: $354.8M
- 2 Jun 29, 1988 US and Canada: $128.2M Rest of the world: $160.6M Worldwide: $288.8M
- 3 Jun 3, 1988 US and Canada: $115.2M Rest of the world: $36.7M Worldwide: $151.9M
- 4 Jan 15, 1988 US and Canada: $123.9M Rest of the world: $936 Worldwide: $123.9M
- 5 Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $63.8M Rest of the world: $39.2M Worldwide: $103M
- 6
Nov 18, 1988 US and Canada: $48.5M Rest of the world: $36.4M Worldwide: $84.8M - 7
Sep 23, 1988 US and Canada: $24.7M Rest of the world: $36.4M Worldwide: $61.1M - 8
Nov 23, 1988 US and Canada: $60.3M Rest of the world: $1K Worldwide: $60.3M - 9
May 20, 1988 US and Canada: $57.3M Rest of the world: $2.4K Worldwide: $57.3M - 10
Dec 21, 1988 US and Canada: $57M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $57M - 11
Mar 25, 1988 US and Canada: $43.2M Rest of the world: $8.5M Worldwide: $51.7M - 12
Apr 15, 1988 US and Canada: $46.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $46.6M - 13
Dec 16, 1988 US and Canada: $34.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.7M - 14
Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $32.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $32.6M - 15
Oct 14, 1988 US and Canada: $32.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $32.1M - 16
Feb 12, 1988 US and Canada: $29.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $29.3M - 17
Aug 23, 1988 US and Canada: $25.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.8M - 18
Jun 3, 1988 US and Canada: $25.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.5M - 19
Oct 7, 1988 US and Canada: $21M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21M - 20
Aug 12, 1988 US and Canada: $19.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.7M - 21
Apr 1, 1988 US and Canada: $18.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.9M - 22
Apr 22, 1988 US and Canada: $18.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.9M - 23
Feb 26, 1988 US and Canada: $17.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.6M - 24
Jan 15, 1988 US and Canada: $17.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.5M - 25
Apr 1, 1988 US and Canada: $16.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.1M - 26
Feb 5, 1988 US and Canada: $16M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16M - 27
Mar 11, 1988 US and Canada: $15.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.9M - 28
Feb 12, 1988 US and Canada: $14.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.5M - 29
Mar 11, 1988 US and Canada: $14M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14M - 30
Mar 18, 1988 US and Canada: $13.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.8M - 31
Sep 29, 1988 US and Canada: $12.4M Rest of the world: $1.1M Worldwide: $13.5M - 32
Oct 14, 1988 US and Canada: $12.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.8M - 33
Nov 4, 1988 US and Canada: $12.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.6M - 34
Apr 29, 1988 US and Canada: $11.8M Rest of the world: $1.5K Worldwide: $11.8M - 35
May 6, 1988 US and Canada: $10.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.1M - 36
Feb 19, 1988 US and Canada: $10M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10M - 37
Feb 5, 1988 US and Canada: $10M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10M - 38
Sep 15, 1988 US and Canada: $10M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10M - 39
Aug 12, 1988 US and Canada: $8.4M Rest of the world: $492.8K Worldwide: $8.9M - 40
Aug 10, 1988 US and Canada: $8.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.7M - 41
Sep 23, 1988 US and Canada: $8M Rest of the world: $688 Worldwide: $8M - 42
Aug 26, 1988 US and Canada: $7.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.5M - 43
Feb 12, 1988 US and Canada: $7.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.4M - 44
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)Nov 11, 1988 US and Canada: $7.3M Rest of the world: $54.1K Worldwide: $7.3M
Nov 11, 1988 · Spanish · Drama, Comedy $7.3M worldwide - 45
Mar 11, 1988 US and Canada: $7.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.2M - 46
Nov 3, 1988 US and Canada: $6.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.9M - 47
Nov 18, 1988 US and Canada: $6.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.6M - 48
Jul 26, 1988 US and Canada: $6.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.3M - 49
Aug 18, 1988 US and Canada: $6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6M - 50
Aug 5, 1988 US and Canada: $5.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.9M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1988?
Of the top 10, Beaches (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Gorillas in the Mist (1988) made 60% of its gross abroad. Across all 139 films, $1.6B (76%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Rain Man (1988) $354.8M $172.8M US & Canada · 49% $182M elsewhere · 51%
- 2 Coming to America (1988) $288.8M $128.2M US & Canada · 44% $160.6M elsewhere · 56%
- 3 Big (1988) $151.9M $115.2M US & Canada · 76% $36.7M elsewhere · 24%
- 4 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) $123.9M $123.9M US & Canada · 100% $936 elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Working Girl (1988) $103M $63.8M US & Canada · 62% $39.2M elsewhere · 38%
- 6 The Land Before Time (1988) $84.8M $48.5M US & Canada · 57% $36.4M elsewhere · 43%
- 7 Gorillas in the Mist (1988) $61.1M $24.7M US & Canada · 40% $36.4M elsewhere · 60%
- 8 Scrooged (1988) $60.3M $60.3M US & Canada · 100% $1K elsewhere · <1%
- 9 Willow (1988) $57.3M $57.3M US & Canada · 100% $2.4K elsewhere · <1%
- 10 Beaches (1988) $57M $57M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many 1988 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
5 of 139 films crossed $100M and took $1B between them, 48% of the total. 102 films, 73% of the list, earned under $10M.
48% 41% 11%
- $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 5 films, 4% of the list $1B · 48% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 32 films, 23% of the list $883.8M · 41% of the gross
- Under $10M 102 films, 73% of the list $227.6M · 11% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1988 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $590.8M from 11 films, led by Rain Man (1988). July was the quietest month ($14.3M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) $141.6M Good Morning, Vietnam (1988)
- February Feb Shoot to Kill (1988) $116M Shoot to Kill (1988)
- March Mar Biloxi Blues (1988) $113.6M Biloxi Blues (1988)
- April Apr Colors (1988) $123.7M Colors (1988)
- May May Willow (1988) $80.1M Willow (1988)
- June Jun Coming to America (1988) $466.9M Coming to America (1988)
- July Jul A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon (1988) $14.3M A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon (1988)
- August Aug Betrayed (1988) $87.6M Betrayed (1988)
- September Sep Gorillas in the Mist (1988) $116.6M Gorillas in the Mist (1988)
- October Oct The Accused (1988) $97.6M The Accused (1988)
- November Nov The Land Before Time (1988) $185M The Land Before Time (1988)
- December Dec Rain Man (1988) $590.8M Rain Man (1988)
Last 10 years
How Does 1988 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1988 earned the most: $2.1B from 139 films, led by Rain Man (1988).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 58 films | 58 | $919.3M | – | 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 |
| 1988 139 films · +25% | 139 | $2.1B | +25% | Rain Man (1988) $354.8M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in 1988?
English-language drama films took $1.8B across 110 films, 84% of the total, ahead of Italian-language drama films ($13.5M) and French-language drama films ($10.1M).
1988 Drama Box Office by Language
-
English $1.8B110 films · #1 Rain Man (1988) -
Italian $13.5M2 films · #1 Cinema Paradiso (1988) -
French $10.1M5 films · #1 Au Revoir les Enfants (1988) - Spanish $7.3M1 film · #1 Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
-
Danish $4.7M2 films · #1 Babette's Feast (1988) -
German $3.5M1 film · #1 Wings of Desire (1988) -
Hindi $2.1M1 film · #1 Salaam Bombay! (1988) -
Russian $1.3M3 films · #1 Little Vera (1988) -
Japanese $346.7K1 film · #1 The Yen Family (1988) -
Chinese $108.4K1 film · #1 Red Sorghum (1988)
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 1988: 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 139 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in 1988?
Rain Man (1988) leads with $354.8M worldwide, $172.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Coming to America (1988) at $288.8M and Big (1988) at $151.9M.
How much did drama movies released in 1988 earn?
139 drama films released in 1988 report a worldwide gross, $2.1B in all, or $15.4M per film on average. 1987 releases took $1.7B.
How many drama movies released in 1988 made $1 billion?
None. 5 films crossed $100 million, led by Rain Man (1988) with $354.8M.
How is the 1988 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 1988. 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 1988 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.