#1 of 14 #1 drama movie of August 1989
1989 · Drama, Comedy
$126.3M worldwide · 44% of the chart's total
$100M US & Canada · 79% $26.3M elsewhere · 21%
Drama box office · August 1989
Drama Box Office, August 1989: Top-Grossing Releases
Parenthood (1989) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in August 1989, with $126.3M worldwide, ahead of Uncle Buck (1989) at $79.3M and sex, lies, and videotape (1989) at $24.7M. 14 drama films released in August 1989 report a worldwide gross, $283.9M in all, 86% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 55% on July 1989, whose releases took $182.8M. By language, English leads with $259.1M across 13 drama releases.
- August 1989 releases with a gross
- 14
- combined worldwide
- $283.9M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs July 1989
- +55%
#1 of 14 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of August 1989?
Parenthood (1989) leads with $126.3M, 44% of the total. The top 5 together took $259.6M, 91% of what all 14 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 August 1989, 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 August 1989.
- 1 Aug 2, 1989 US and Canada: $100M Rest of the world: $26.3M Worldwide: $126.3M
- 2 Aug 16, 1989 US and Canada: $66.8M Rest of the world: $12.5M Worldwide: $79.3M
- 3 Aug 4, 1989 US and Canada: $24.7M Rest of the world: $786 Worldwide: $24.7M
- 4 Aug 18, 1989 US and Canada: $18.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.7M
- 5 Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $10.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.6M
- 6
Aug 18, 1989 US and Canada: $8.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.2M - 7
Aug 30, 1989 US and Canada: $6.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.1M - 8
Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $5.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.8M - 9
Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M - 10
Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.1M - 11
Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.1M - 12
Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989)Aug 18, 1989 US and Canada: $536.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $536.5K
Aug 18, 1989 · English · Thriller, Drama, Music $536.5K worldwide - 13
Aug 18, 1989 US and Canada: $216.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $216.4K - 14
Aug 1, 1989 US and Canada: $2.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.3K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in August 1989?
Of the top 10, Casualties of War (1989) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Parenthood (1989) made 21% of its gross abroad. Across all 14 films, $245.1M (86%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Parenthood (1989) $126.3M $100M US & Canada · 79% $26.3M elsewhere · 21%
- 2 Uncle Buck (1989) $79.3M $66.8M US & Canada · 84% $12.5M elsewhere · 16%
- 3 sex, lies, and videotape (1989) $24.7M $24.7M US & Canada · 100% $786 elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Casualties of War (1989) $18.7M $18.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 The Package (1989) $10.6M $10.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Cheetah (1989) $8.2M $8.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Shirley Valentine (1989) $6.1M $6.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Millennium (1989) $5.8M $5.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Romero (1989) $1.3M $1.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Heart of Dixie (1989) $1.1M $1.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many August 1989 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 14 films crossed $100M and took $126.3M between them, 44% of the total. 9 films, 64% of the list, earned under $10M.
44% 47% 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, 7% of the list $126.3M · 44% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 4 films, 29% of the list $133.3M · 47% of the gross
- Under $10M 9 films, 64% of the list $24.2M · 9% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of August 1989 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 31 (Jul 30–Aug 5) took $151M, led by Parenthood (1989). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 31 Wk 31 Jul 30–Aug 5 Parenthood (1989) $151M Parenthood (1989)
- Week 32 Wk 32 Aug 6–12 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 33 Wk 33 Aug 13–19 Uncle Buck (1989) $106.8M Uncle Buck (1989)
- Week 34 Wk 34 Aug 20–26 The Package (1989) $19.9M The Package (1989)
- Week 35 Wk 35 Aug 27–Sep 2 Shirley Valentine (1989) $6.1M Shirley Valentine (1989)
Earlier years
How Does August 1989 Compare With August in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, August 1987 earned the most: $320.7M from 15 films, led by Dirty Dancing (1987). August 1989 took $283.9M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1980 5 films | 5 | $37.2M | – | The Octagon (1980) $19M |
| August 1981 7 films · +64% | 7 | $60.9M | +64% | Body Heat (1981) $24.1M |
| August 1982 6 films · −5% | 6 | $58.1M | −5% | Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) $27.1M |
| August 1983 5 films · +143% | 5 | $141.2M | +143% | Mr. Mom (1983) $64.8M |
| August 1984 9 films · −46% | 9 | $76.7M | −46% | Red Dawn (1984) $38.4M |
| August 1985 5 films · −55% | 5 | $34.6M | −55% | Year of the Dragon (1985) $18.7M |
| August 1986 16 films · +192% | 16 | $101M | +192% | Stand by Me (1986) $53.5M |
| August 1987 15 films · +217% | 15 | $320.7M | +217% | Dirty Dancing (1987) $214.6M |
| August 1988 9 films · −73% | 9 | $87.6M | −73% | Betrayed (1988) $25.8M |
| August 1989 14 films · +224% | 14 | $283.9M | +224% | Parenthood (1989) $126.3M |
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1989, Month by Month
The months of 1989 with their totals: December leads with $441M, led by Born on the Fourth of July (1989).
- January $37.5M #1 Mississippi Burning (1989)
- February $28.2M #1 Tap (1989)
- March $90.3M #1 Lean on Me (1989)
- April $112.9M #1 Field of Dreams (1989)
- May $24.5M #1 Pink Cadillac (1989)
- June $334.9M #1 Dead Poets Society (1989)
- July $182.8M #1 When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
- August $283.9M #1 Parenthood (1989)
- September $132.4M #1 Sea of Love (1989)
- October $121.1M #1 The Bear (1989)
- November $238.8M #1 Steel Magnolias (1989)
- December $441M #1 Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
FAQ
Drama Box Office August 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 14 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in August 1989?
Parenthood (1989) leads with $126.3M worldwide, $100M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Uncle Buck (1989) at $79.3M and sex, lies, and videotape (1989) at $24.7M.
How much did drama movies released in August 1989 earn?
14 drama films released in August 1989 report a worldwide gross, $283.9M in all, or $20.3M per film on average. July 1989 releases took $182.8M.
How many drama movies released in August 1989 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Parenthood (1989) with $126.3M.
How is the August 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 August 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 August 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.