#1 of 115 #1 drama movie of 1989
1989 · Drama
$235.9M worldwide · 12% of the chart's total
$95.9M US & Canada · 41% $140M elsewhere · 59%
Drama box office · 1989
Drama Box Office 1989: Highest-Grossing Drama Movies
Dead Poets Society (1989) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in 1989, with $235.9M worldwide, ahead of Born on the Fourth of July (1989) at $161M and Driving Miss Daisy (1989) at $145.8M. 115 drama films released in 1989 report a worldwide gross, $2B in all, 78% of it from the US & Canada. 5 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 5% on 1988, whose releases took $2.1B. By language, English leads with $1.9B across 97 drama releases.
- 1989 releases with a gross
- 115
- combined worldwide
- $2B
- films crossed $100M
- 5
- vs 1988
- −5%
#1 of 115 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of 1989?
Dead Poets Society (1989) leads with $235.9M, 12% of the total. The top 5 together took $779.8M, 38% of what all 115 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 1989, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 115. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1989.
- 1 Jun 16, 1989 US and Canada: $95.9M Rest of the world: $140M Worldwide: $235.9M
- 2 Dec 20, 1989 US and Canada: $70M Rest of the world: $91M Worldwide: $161M
- 3 Dec 15, 1989 US and Canada: $106.6M Rest of the world: $39.2M Worldwide: $145.8M
- 4 Aug 2, 1989 US and Canada: $100M Rest of the world: $26.3M Worldwide: $126.3M
- 5 Sep 15, 1989 US and Canada: $58.6M Rest of the world: $52.3M Worldwide: $110.9M
- 6
Nov 22, 1989 US and Canada: $84.6M Rest of the world: $12.1M Worldwide: $96.8M - 7
Jul 12, 1989 US and Canada: $93.1M Rest of the world: $157.6K Worldwide: $93.3M - 8
Apr 21, 1989 US and Canada: $64.5M Rest of the world: $20M Worldwide: $84.5M - 9
Aug 16, 1989 US and Canada: $66.8M Rest of the world: $12.5M Worldwide: $79.3M - 10
Dec 22, 1989 US and Canada: $43.9M Rest of the world: $30.3M Worldwide: $74.1M - 11
Jul 28, 1989 US and Canada: $71.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $71.1M - 12
Nov 17, 1989 US and Canada: $60.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $60.9M - 13
Jun 30, 1989 US and Canada: $39M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $39M - 14
Jun 30, 1989 US and Canada: $27.5M Rest of the world: $9.8M Worldwide: $37.3M - 15
Jan 27, 1989 US and Canada: $34.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.6M - 16
Mar 3, 1989 US and Canada: $31.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.9M - 17
Oct 27, 1989 US and Canada: $31.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.8M - 18
Nov 10, 1989 US and Canada: $22.1M Rest of the world: $5.4M Worldwide: $27.5M - 19
Aug 4, 1989 US and Canada: $24.7M Rest of the world: $786 Worldwide: $24.7M - 20
Apr 4, 1989 US and Canada: $20.8M Rest of the world: $733.8K Worldwide: $21.5M - 21
Oct 6, 1989 US and Canada: $20M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20M - 22
Mar 3, 1989 US and Canada: $19.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.7M - 23
Dec 13, 1989 US and Canada: $19.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.1M - 24
Aug 18, 1989 US and Canada: $18.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.7M - 25
Nov 17, 1989 US and Canada: $18.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.6M - 26
Oct 13, 1989 US and Canada: $18.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.4M - 27
Oct 13, 1989 US and Canada: $18.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.3M - 28
Nov 10, 1989 US and Canada: $14.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.7M - 29
Dec 15, 1989 US and Canada: $14.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.3M - 30
Jun 30, 1989 US and Canada: $13.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.7M - 31
Dec 15, 1989 US and Canada: $12.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.2M - 32
May 26, 1989 US and Canada: $12.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.1M - 33
Oct 20, 1989 US and Canada: $11.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.6M - 34
Mar 10, 1989 US and Canada: $10.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.8M - 35
Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $10.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.6M - 36
Jul 29, 1989 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: $9.4M Worldwide: $10.4M - 37
Nov 8, 1989 US and Canada: $10.2M Rest of the world: $112 Worldwide: $10.2M - 38
Feb 12, 1989 US and Canada: $9.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.1M - 39
Jun 2, 1989 US and Canada: $9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9M - 40
Mar 3, 1989 US and Canada: $8.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.8M - 41
Feb 17, 1989 US and Canada: $8.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.7M - 42
Aug 18, 1989 US and Canada: $8.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.2M - 43
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989)Mar 10, 1989 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M
Mar 10, 1989 · English · Action, Adventure, Drama $8.1M worldwide - 44
Dec 13, 1989 US and Canada: $7.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.8M - 45
Sep 29, 1989 US and Canada: $7.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.2M - 46
Jul 21, 1989 US and Canada: $7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7M - 47
Dec 22, 1989 US and Canada: $6.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.3M - 48
Aug 30, 1989 US and Canada: $6.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.1M - 49
Oct 27, 1989 US and Canada: $5.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.9M - 50
Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $5.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.8M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1989?
Of the top 10, When Harry Met Sally... (1989) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Dead Poets Society (1989) made 59% of its gross abroad. Across all 115 films, $1.6B (78%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Dead Poets Society (1989) $235.9M $95.9M US & Canada · 41% $140M elsewhere · 59%
- 2 Born on the Fourth of July (1989) $161M $70M US & Canada · 43% $91M elsewhere · 57%
- 3 Driving Miss Daisy (1989) $145.8M $106.6M US & Canada · 73% $39.2M elsewhere · 27%
- 4 Parenthood (1989) $126.3M $100M US & Canada · 79% $26.3M elsewhere · 21%
- 5 Sea of Love (1989) $110.9M $58.6M US & Canada · 53% $52.3M elsewhere · 47%
- 6 Steel Magnolias (1989) $96.8M $84.6M US & Canada · 87% $12.1M elsewhere · 13%
- 7 When Harry Met Sally... (1989) $93.3M $93.1M US & Canada · 100% $157.6K elsewhere · <1%
- 8 Field of Dreams (1989) $84.5M $64.5M US & Canada · 76% $20M elsewhere · 24%
- 9 Uncle Buck (1989) $79.3M $66.8M US & Canada · 84% $12.5M elsewhere · 16%
- 10 Always (1989) $74.1M $43.9M US & Canada · 59% $30.3M elsewhere · 41%
Gross bands
How Many 1989 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
5 of 115 films crossed $100M and took $779.8M between them, 38% of the total. 78 films, 68% of the list, earned under $10M.
38% 52% 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 5 films, 4% of the list $779.8M · 38% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 32 films, 28% of the list $1.1B · 52% of the gross
- Under $10M 78 films, 68% of the list $186.7M · 9% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1989 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $441M from 10 films, led by Born on the Fourth of July (1989). May was the quietest month ($24.5M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Mississippi Burning (1989) $37.5M Mississippi Burning (1989)
- February Feb Tap (1989) $28.2M Tap (1989)
- March Mar Lean on Me (1989) $90.3M Lean on Me (1989)
- April Apr Field of Dreams (1989) $112.9M Field of Dreams (1989)
- May May Pink Cadillac (1989) $24.5M Pink Cadillac (1989)
- June Jun Dead Poets Society (1989) $334.9M Dead Poets Society (1989)
- July Jul When Harry Met Sally... (1989) $182.8M When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
- August Aug Parenthood (1989) $283.9M Parenthood (1989)
- September Sep Sea of Love (1989) $132.4M Sea of Love (1989)
- October Oct The Bear (1989) $121.1M The Bear (1989)
- November Nov Steel Magnolias (1989) $238.8M Steel Magnolias (1989)
- December Dec Born on the Fourth of July (1989) $441M Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Last 10 years
How Does 1989 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1988 earned the most: $2.1B from 139 films, led by Rain Man (1988). 1989 took $2B.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 63 films | 63 | $674.6M | – | 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 |
| 1989 115 films · −5% | 115 | $2B | −5% | Dead Poets Society (1989) $235.9M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in 1989?
English-language drama films took $1.9B across 97 films, 95% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language drama films ($11.2M) and French-language drama films ($4.8M).
1989 Drama Box Office by Language
- English $1.9B97 films · #1 Dead Poets Society (1989)
-
Japanese $11.2M2 films · #1 Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) -
French $4.8M4 films · #1 Too Beautiful for You (1989) -
Chinese $220.8K2 films · #1 A City of Sadness (1989) -
Malayalam $181K1 film · #1 Kireedam (1989) -
Russian $45.2K1 film · #1 The Cow (1989) - Tamil $7.6K1 film · #1 Rajathi Raja (1989)
-
Portuguese $1.4K1 film · #1 Recollections of the Yellow House (1989) -
German $4281 film · #1 The Seventh Continent (1989)
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 1989: 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 115 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in 1989?
Dead Poets Society (1989) leads with $235.9M worldwide, $95.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Born on the Fourth of July (1989) at $161M and Driving Miss Daisy (1989) at $145.8M.
How much did drama movies released in 1989 earn?
115 drama films released in 1989 report a worldwide gross, $2B in all, or $17.6M per film on average. 1988 releases took $2.1B.
How many drama movies released in 1989 made $1 billion?
None. 5 films crossed $100 million, led by Dead Poets Society (1989) with $235.9M.
How is the 1989 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 1989. 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 1989 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.