#1 of 14 #1 drama movie of August 1990
1990 · Sci-Fi, Drama
$61.5M worldwide · 38% of the chart's total
$61.5M US & Canada · 100% $373 elsewhere · <1%
Drama box office · August 1990
Drama Box Office, August 1990: Top-Grossing Releases
Flatliners (1990) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in August 1990, with $61.5M worldwide, ahead of The Exorcist III (1990) at $39M and Mo' Better Blues (1990) at $16.2M. 14 drama films released in August 1990 report a worldwide gross, $161.5M in all, 92% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 68% on July 1990, whose releases took $505.8M. By language, English leads with $144.9M across 11 drama releases.
- August 1990 releases with a gross
- 14
- combined worldwide
- $161.5M
- Flatliners (1990), the #1
- $61.5M
- vs July 1990
- −68%
#1 of 14 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of August 1990?
Flatliners (1990) leads with $61.5M, 38% of the total. The top 5 together took $142.8M, 88% 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 1990, 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 1990.
- 1 Aug 10, 1990 US and Canada: $61.5M Rest of the world: $373 Worldwide: $61.5M
- 2 Aug 17, 1990 US and Canada: $26.1M Rest of the world: $12.9M Worldwide: $39M
- 3 Aug 3, 1990 US and Canada: $16.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.2M
- 4 Aug 12, 1990 US and Canada: $14.6M Rest of the world: $25.4K Worldwide: $14.6M
- 5 Aug 22, 1990 US and Canada: $11.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.5M
- 6
Aug 10, 1990 US and Canada: $10M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10M - 7
Aug 3, 1990 US and Canada: $3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3M - 8
Aug 24, 1990 US and Canada: $2.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.7M - 9
Aug 29, 1990 US and Canada: $1.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.7M - 10
Aug 17, 1990 US and Canada: $947.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $947.3K - 11
Aug 1, 1990 US and Canada: $261.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $261.7K - 12
Aug 8, 1990 US and Canada: $59.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $59.2K - 13
Aug 28, 1990 US and Canada: $17K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17K - 14
Aug 2, 1990 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $594
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in August 1990?
Of the top 10, Mo' Better Blues (1990) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Exorcist III (1990) made 33% of its gross abroad. Across all 14 films, $148.5M (92%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Flatliners (1990) $61.5M $61.5M US & Canada · 100% $373 elsewhere · <1%
- 2 The Exorcist III (1990) $39M $26.1M US & Canada · 67% $12.9M elsewhere · 33%
- 3 Mo' Better Blues (1990) $16.2M $16.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Wild at Heart (1990) $14.6M $14.6M US & Canada · 100% $25.4K elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Pump Up the Volume (1990) $11.5M $11.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 The Two Jakes (1990) $10M $10M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Metropolitan (1990) $3M $3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 After Dark, My Sweet (1990) $2.7M $2.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 My Father’s Glory (1990) $1.7M $1.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Come See the Paradise (1990) $947.3K $947.3K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many August 1990 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 14 films reached $100M. 8 films, 57% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $161.5M total.
95%
- $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 6 films, 43% of the list $152.8M · 95% of the gross
- Under $10M 8 films, 57% of the list $8.7M · 5% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of August 1990 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 32 (Aug 5–11) took $71.6M, led by Flatliners (1990). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 31 Wk 31 Jul 29–Aug 4 Mo' Better Blues (1990) $19.4M Mo' Better Blues (1990)
- Week 32 Wk 32 Aug 5–11 Flatliners (1990) $71.6M Flatliners (1990)
- Week 33 Wk 33 Aug 12–18 The Exorcist III (1990) $54.6M The Exorcist III (1990)
- Week 34 Wk 34 Aug 19–25 Pump Up the Volume (1990) $14.2M Pump Up the Volume (1990)
- Week 35 Wk 35 Aug 26–Sep 1 My Father’s Glory (1990) $1.7M My Father’s Glory (1990)
Earlier years
How Does August 1990 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 1990 took $161.5M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1981 7 films | 7 | $60.9M | – | 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 |
| August 1990 14 films · −43% | 14 | $161.5M | −43% | Flatliners (1990) $61.5M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in August 1990?
English-language drama films took $144.9M across 11 films, 90% of the total, ahead of French-language drama films ($1.7M) and German-language drama films ($261.7K).
Archive
Drama Box Office in 1990, Month by Month
The months of 1990 with their totals: November leads with $724.1M, led by Dances with Wolves (1990).
- January $30.8M #1 Internal Affairs (1990)
- February $127.7M #1 Hard to Kill (1990)
- March $52.2M #1 Lord of the Flies (1990)
- April $66.6M #1 The Guardian (1990)
- May $8.8M #1 Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1990)
- June $313M #1 Days of Thunder (1990)
- July $505.8M #1 Ghost (1990)
- August $161.5M #1 Flatliners (1990)
- September $103.2M #1 Goodfellas (1990)
- October $198.8M #1 Marked for Death (1990)
- November $724.1M #1 Dances with Wolves (1990)
- December $407.8M #1 The Godfather: Part III (1990)
FAQ
Drama Box Office August 1990: 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 1990?
Flatliners (1990) leads with $61.5M worldwide, $61.5M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Exorcist III (1990) at $39M and Mo' Better Blues (1990) at $16.2M.
How much did drama movies released in August 1990 earn?
14 drama films released in August 1990 report a worldwide gross, $161.5M in all, or $11.5M per film on average. July 1990 releases took $505.8M.
How many drama movies released in August 1990 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Flatliners (1990), earned $61.5M.
How is the August 1990 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 1990. 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 1990 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.