#1 of 18 #1 drama movie of October 1988
1988 · Drama
$32.1M worldwide · 33% of the chart's total
$32.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Drama box office · October 1988
Drama Box Office, October 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
The Accused (1988) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in October 1988, with $32.1M worldwide, ahead of Punchline (1988) at $21M and Mystic Pizza (1988) at $12.8M. 18 drama films released in October 1988 report a worldwide gross, $97.6M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 16% on September 1988, whose releases took $116.6M. By language, English leads with $96.2M across 15 drama releases.
- October 1988 releases with a gross
- 18
- combined worldwide
- $97.6M
- The Accused (1988), the #1
- $32.1M
- vs September 1988
- −16%
#1 of 18 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of October 1988?
The Accused (1988) leads with $32.1M, 33% of the total. The top 5 together took $76M, 78% of what all 18 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 October 1988, 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 October 1988.
- 1 Oct 14, 1988 US and Canada: $32.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $32.1M
- 2 Oct 7, 1988 US and Canada: $21M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21M
- 3 Oct 14, 1988 US and Canada: $12.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.8M
- 4 Oct 7, 1988 US and Canada: $5.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.2M
- 5 Oct 25, 1988 US and Canada: $4.9M Rest of the world: $4.9K Worldwide: $4.9M
- 6
Oct 21, 1988 US and Canada: $4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4M - 7
Oct 7, 1988 US and Canada: $4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4M - 8
Oct 14, 1988 US and Canada: $3.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.5M - 9
Oct 21, 1988 US and Canada: $3.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.5M - 10
Oct 14, 1988 US and Canada: $1.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.9M - 11
Oct 13, 1988 US and Canada: $1.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.6M - 12
Oct 1, 1988 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M - 13
Oct 1, 1988 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M - 14
Oct 21, 1988 US and Canada: $343.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $343.8K - 15
Oct 10, 1988 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $108.4K - 16
Oct 12, 1988 US and Canada: $64.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $64.2K - 17
Oct 10, 1988 US and Canada: $5.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.4K - 18
Oct 1, 1988 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $688
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in October 1988?
Of the top 10, The Accused (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Torch Song Trilogy (1988) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 18 films, $97.4M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Accused (1988) $32.1M $32.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Punchline (1988) $21M $21M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Mystic Pizza (1988) $12.8M $12.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Clara's Heart (1988) $5.2M $5.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Torch Song Trilogy (1988) $4.9M $4.9M US & Canada · 100% $4.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 6 Bat*21 (1988) $4M $4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Memories of Me (1988) $4M $4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Madame Sousatzka (1988) $3.5M $3.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Things Change (1988) $3.5M $3.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 The Kiss (1988) $1.9M $1.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many October 1988 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 18 films reached $100M. 15 films, 83% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $97.6M total.
68% 32%
- $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 3 films, 17% of the list $65.9M · 68% of the gross
- Under $10M 15 films, 83% of the list $31.6M · 32% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of October 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 42 (Oct 9–15) took $52M, led by The Accused (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 25–Oct 1 Platoon Leader (1988) $2.6M Platoon Leader (1988)
- Week 41 Wk 41 Oct 2–8 Punchline (1988) $30.2M Punchline (1988)
- Week 42 Wk 42 Oct 9–15 The Accused (1988) $52M The Accused (1988)
- Week 43 Wk 43 Oct 16–22 Bat*21 (1988) $7.8M Bat*21 (1988)
- Week 44 Wk 44 Oct 23–29 Torch Song Trilogy (1988) $4.9M Torch Song Trilogy (1988)
- Week 45 Wk 45 Oct 30–Nov 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does October 1988 Compare With October in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, October 1982 earned the most: $165.3M from 9 films, led by First Blood (1982). October 1988 took $97.6M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1979 8 films | 8 | $75.1M | – | ...and justice for all. (1979) $33.3M |
| October 1980 11 films · −34% | 11 | $49.9M | −34% | The Elephant Man (1980) $26M |
| October 1981 9 films · −6% | 9 | $47.1M | −6% | The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) $26.9M |
| October 1982 9 films · +251% | 9 | $165.3M | +251% | First Blood (1982) $125.2M |
| October 1983 7 films · −37% | 7 | $103.5M | −37% | Never Cry Wolf (1983) $29.6M |
| October 1984 10 films · −10% | 10 | $93.4M | −10% | Places in the Heart (1984) $34.9M |
| October 1985 6 films · −34% | 6 | $61.9M | −34% | Jagged Edge (1985) $40.5M |
| October 1986 8 films · +146% | 8 | $152.4M | +146% | The Color of Money (1986) $52.3M |
| October 1987 15 films · −47% | 15 | $80.6M | −47% | Baby Boom (1987) $26.7M |
| October 1988 18 films · +21% | 18 | $97.6M | +21% | The Accused (1988) $32.1M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in October 1988?
English-language drama films took $96.2M across 15 films, 99% of the total, ahead of Russian-language drama films ($1.3M) and Chinese-language drama films ($108.4K).
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1988, Month by Month
The months of 1988 with their totals: December leads with $590.8M, led by Rain Man (1988).
- January $141.6M #1 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988)
- February $116M #1 Shoot to Kill (1988)
- March $113.6M #1 Biloxi Blues (1988)
- April $123.7M #1 Colors (1988)
- May $80.1M #1 Willow (1988)
- June $466.9M #1 Coming to America (1988)
- July $14.3M #1 A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon (1988)
- August $87.6M #1 Betrayed (1988)
- September $116.6M #1 Gorillas in the Mist (1988)
- October $97.6M #1 The Accused (1988)
- November $185M #1 The Land Before Time (1988)
- December $590.8M #1 Rain Man (1988)
FAQ
Drama Box Office October 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 18 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in October 1988?
The Accused (1988) leads with $32.1M worldwide, $32.1M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Punchline (1988) at $21M and Mystic Pizza (1988) at $12.8M.
How much did drama movies released in October 1988 earn?
18 drama films released in October 1988 report a worldwide gross, $97.6M in all, or $5.4M per film on average. September 1988 releases took $116.6M.
How many drama movies released in October 1988 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Accused (1988), earned $32.1M.
How is the October 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 October 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 October 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.