#1 of 11 #1 drama movie of December 1988
1988 · Drama
$354.8M worldwide · 60% of the chart's total
$172.8M US & Canada · 49% $182M elsewhere · 51%
Drama box office · December 1988
Drama Box Office, December 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Rain Man (1988) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in December 1988, with $354.8M worldwide, ahead of Working Girl (1988) at $103M and Beaches (1988) at $57M. 11 drama films released in December 1988 report a worldwide gross, $590.8M in all, 63% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 3.2 times the total of November 1988, whose releases took $185M. By language, English leads with $551.7M across 8 drama releases.
- December 1988 releases with a gross
- 11
- combined worldwide
- $590.8M
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- vs November 1988
- ×3.2
#1 of 11 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of December 1988?
Rain Man (1988) leads with $354.8M, 60% of the total. The top 5 together took $582.1M, 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 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 December 1988.
- 1 Dec 16, 1988 US and Canada: $172.8M Rest of the world: $182M Worldwide: $354.8M
- 2 Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $63.8M Rest of the world: $39.2M Worldwide: $103M
- 3 Dec 21, 1988 US and Canada: $57M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $57M
- 4 Dec 16, 1988 US and Canada: $34.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.7M
- 5 Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $32.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $32.6M
- 6
Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $3.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.5M - 7
Dec 7, 1988 US and Canada: $3.3M Rest of the world: $595 Worldwide: $3.3M - 8
Dec 21, 1988 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.1M - 9
Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $785K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $785K - 10
Dec 22, 1988 US and Canada: $21K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21K - 11
Dec 16, 1988 US and Canada: $9.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.9K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1988?
Of the top 10, Beaches (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Rain Man (1988) made 51% of its gross abroad. Across all 11 films, $369.6M (63%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Rain Man (1988) $354.8M $172.8M US & Canada · 49% $182M elsewhere · 51%
- 2 Working Girl (1988) $103M $63.8M US & Canada · 62% $39.2M elsewhere · 38%
- 3 Beaches (1988) $57M $57M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Dangerous Liaisons (1988) $34.7M $34.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 The Accidental Tourist (1988) $32.6M $32.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Talk Radio (1988) $3.5M $3.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Camille Claudel (1988) $3.3M $3.3M US & Canada · 100% $595 elsewhere · <1%
- 8 The Little Thief (1988) $1.1M $1.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 The Boost (1988) $785K $785K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 We Think the World of You (1988) $21K $21K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many December 1988 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
2 of 11 films crossed $100M and took $457.8M between them, 77% of the total. 6 films, 55% of the list, earned under $10M.
77% 21%
- $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 2 films, 18% of the list $457.8M · 77% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 3 films, 27% of the list $124.3M · 21% of the gross
- Under $10M 6 films, 55% of the list $8.7M · 1% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of December 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 11–17) took $389.5M, led by Rain Man (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 27–Dec 3 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 4–10 Camille Claudel (1988) $3.3M Camille Claudel (1988)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 11–17 Rain Man (1988) $389.5M Rain Man (1988)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 18–24 Working Girl (1988) $198M Working Girl (1988)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 25–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1988 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1988 earned the most: $590.8M from 11 films, led by Rain Man (1988).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1979 7 films | 7 | $276.6M | – | 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 |
| December 1988 11 films · +126% | 11 | $590.8M | +126% | Rain Man (1988) $354.8M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in December 1988?
English-language drama films took $551.7M across 8 films, 93% of the total, ahead of French-language drama films ($4.4M).
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 December 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 11 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in December 1988?
Rain Man (1988) leads with $354.8M worldwide, $172.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Working Girl (1988) at $103M and Beaches (1988) at $57M.
How much did drama movies released in December 1988 earn?
11 drama films released in December 1988 report a worldwide gross, $590.8M in all, or $53.7M per film on average. November 1988 releases took $185M.
How many drama movies released in December 1988 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by Rain Man (1988) with $354.8M.
How is the December 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 December 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 December 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.