#1 of 170 #1 drama movie of 1996
1996 · Action, Adventure
$494.6M worldwide · 11% of the chart's total
$241.8M US & Canada · 49% $252.8M elsewhere · 51%
Drama box office · 1996
Drama Box Office 1996: Highest-Grossing Drama Movies
Twister (1996) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in 1996, with $494.6M worldwide, ahead of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) at $325.3M and Jerry Maguire (1996) at $273.6M. 170 drama films released in 1996 report a worldwide gross, $4.5B in all, 56% of it from the US & Canada. 17 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 6% on 1995, whose releases took $4.8B. By language, English leads with $4B across 134 drama releases.
- 1996 releases with a gross
- 170
- combined worldwide
- $4.5B
- films crossed $100M
- 17
- vs 1995
- −6%
#1 of 170 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of 1996?
Twister (1996) leads with $494.6M, 11% of the total. The top 5 together took $1.6B, 34% of what all 170 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 1996, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 170. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1996.
- 1 May 10, 1996 US and Canada: $241.8M Rest of the world: $252.8M Worldwide: $494.6M
- 2 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)Jun 21, 1996 US and Canada: $100.1M Rest of the world: $225.2M Worldwide: $325.3M
Jun 21, 1996 · English · Drama, Romance, Animation $325.3M worldwide - 3 Dec 13, 1996 US and Canada: $154M Rest of the world: $119.6M Worldwide: $273.6M
- 4 Jun 21, 1996 US and Canada: $101.3M Rest of the world: $141M Worldwide: $242.3M
- 5 Nov 15, 1996 US and Canada: $78.7M Rest of the world: $153.3M Worldwide: $232M
- 6
Oct 18, 1996 US and Canada: $53.3M Rest of the world: $112.3M Worldwide: $165.6M - 7
Dec 6, 1996 US and Canada: $33M Rest of the world: $126.2M Worldwide: $159.2M - 8
Jul 24, 1996 US and Canada: $108.8M Rest of the world: $43.5M Worldwide: $152.3M - 9
Jul 3, 1996 US and Canada: $104.6M Rest of the world: $47.4M Worldwide: $152M - 10
Nov 1, 1996 US and Canada: $46.4M Rest of the world: $101.2M Worldwide: $147.6M - 11
Dec 25, 1996 US and Canada: $50M Rest of the world: $91M Worldwide: $141M - 12
Dec 25, 1996 US and Canada: $95.3M Rest of the world: $24.4M Worldwide: $119.7M - 13
Jun 28, 1996 US and Canada: $33.1M Rest of the world: $80.2M Worldwide: $113.3M - 14
Jan 19, 1996 US and Canada: $82.6M Rest of the world: $23.7M Worldwide: $106.3M - 15
Jun 14, 1996 US and Canada: $60.2M Rest of the world: $42.6M Worldwide: $102.8M - 16
Apr 3, 1996 US and Canada: $56.1M Rest of the world: $46.5M Worldwide: $102.6M - 17
Mar 1, 1996 US and Canada: $51.1M Rest of the world: $49.6M Worldwide: $100.7M - 18
Dec 20, 1996 US and Canada: $46.2M Rest of the world: $51.4M Worldwide: $97.5M - 19
Oct 11, 1996 US and Canada: $33.4M Rest of the world: $56M Worldwide: $89.5M - 20
Mar 8, 1996 US and Canada: $24.6M Rest of the world: $36M Worldwide: $60.6M - 21
Aug 2, 1996 US and Canada: $21.2M Rest of the world: $39M Worldwide: $60.2M - 22
Aug 9, 1996 US and Canada: $58.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $58.6M - 23
Apr 19, 1996 US and Canada: $21.7M Rest of the world: $35.7M Worldwide: $57.4M - 24
Aug 16, 1996 US and Canada: $53.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $53.9M - 25
Sep 20, 1996 US and Canada: $18.1M Rest of the world: $29.2M Worldwide: $47.3M - 26
Nov 6, 1996 US and Canada: $36.5M Rest of the world: $5.1M Worldwide: $41.6M - 27
Nov 15, 1996 US and Canada: $41.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $41.1M - 28
The Ghost and the Darkness (1996)Oct 11, 1996 US and Canada: $38.6M Rest of the world: $554 Worldwide: $38.6M Oct 11, 1996 · English · Adventure, Drama, Thriller $38.6M worldwide - 29
Nov 20, 1996 US and Canada: $35.9M Rest of the world: $106.8K Worldwide: $36M - 30
Oct 4, 1996 US and Canada: $25.9M Rest of the world: $8.7M Worldwide: $34.6M - 31
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco (1996)Mar 8, 1996 US and Canada: $32.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $32.8M Mar 8, 1996 · English · Family, Drama, Comedy $32.8M worldwide - 32
Jan 12, 1996 US and Canada: $26.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.9M - 33
Dec 18, 1996 US and Canada: $14.5M Rest of the world: $10.9M Worldwide: $25.4M - 34
Sep 13, 1996 US and Canada: $25.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.1M - 35
May 3, 1996 US and Canada: $24.8M Rest of the world: $5.9K Worldwide: $24.8M - 36
Nov 27, 1996 US and Canada: $24.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $24.4M - 37
Oct 4, 1996 US and Canada: $23M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23M - 38
Oct 11, 1996 US and Canada: $14.6M Rest of the world: $8M Worldwide: $22.5M - 39
Oct 4, 1996 US and Canada: $20.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.4M - 40
Feb 16, 1996 US and Canada: $20.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.3M - 41
Dec 25, 1996 US and Canada: $20.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.3M - 42
Aug 16, 1996 US and Canada: $18.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.6M - 43
Sep 27, 1996 US and Canada: $17.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.4M - 44
Jul 19, 1996 US and Canada: $16.5M Rest of the world: $501.9K Worldwide: $17M - 45
The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996)Jul 26, 1996 US and Canada: $15.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.1M Jul 26, 1996 · English · Fantasy, Adventure, Drama $15.1M worldwide - 46
Apr 19, 1996 US and Canada: $14.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.8M - 47
Sep 27, 1996 US and Canada: $13.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.4M - 48
Dec 20, 1996 US and Canada: $13.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.3M - 49
Dec 18, 1996 US and Canada: $12.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.8M - 50
Dec 5, 1996 US and Canada: $12.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.8M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1996?
Of the top 10, A Time to Kill (1996) earned the biggest share at home (71% in the US & Canada), while Daylight (1996) made 79% of its gross abroad. Across all 170 films, $2.6B (56%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Twister (1996) $494.6M $241.8M US & Canada · 49% $252.8M elsewhere · 51%
- 2 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) $325.3M $100.1M US & Canada · 31% $225.2M elsewhere · 69%
- 3 Jerry Maguire (1996) $273.6M $154M US & Canada · 56% $119.6M elsewhere · 44%
- 4 Eraser (1996) $242.3M $101.3M US & Canada · 42% $141M elsewhere · 58%
- 5 The English Patient (1996) $232M $78.7M US & Canada · 34% $153.3M elsewhere · 66%
- 6 Sleepers (1996) $165.6M $53.3M US & Canada · 32% $112.3M elsewhere · 68%
- 7 Daylight (1996) $159.2M $33M US & Canada · 21% $126.2M elsewhere · 79%
- 8 A Time to Kill (1996) $152.3M $108.8M US & Canada · 71% $43.5M elsewhere · 29%
- 9 Phenomenon (1996) $152M $104.6M US & Canada · 69% $47.4M elsewhere · 31%
- 10 Romeo + Juliet (1996) $147.6M $46.4M US & Canada · 31% $101.2M elsewhere · 69%
Gross bands
How Many 1996 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
17 of 170 films crossed $100M and took $3.1B between them, 69% of the total. 108 films, 64% of the list, earned under $10M.
69% 28%
- $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 17 films, 10% of the list $3.1B · 69% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 45 films, 26% of the list $1.3B · 28% of the gross
- Under $10M 108 films, 64% of the list $161.2M · 4% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1996 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $885.8M from 18 films, led by Jerry Maguire (1996). February was the quietest month ($66.9M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Mr. Holland's Opus (1996) $142.9M Mr. Holland's Opus (1996)
- February Feb City Hall (1996) $66.9M City Hall (1996)
- March Mar Up Close & Personal (1996) $218.8M Up Close & Personal (1996)
- April Apr Primal Fear (1996) $208.9M Primal Fear (1996)
- May May Twister (1996) $549.5M Twister (1996)
- June Jun The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) $809.4M The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
- July Jul A Time to Kill (1996) $337.7M A Time to Kill (1996)
- August Aug Chain Reaction (1996) $224.2M Chain Reaction (1996)
- September Sep Last Man Standing (1996) $129.9M Last Man Standing (1996)
- October Oct Sleepers (1996) $433.9M Sleepers (1996)
- November Nov The English Patient (1996) $537.4M The English Patient (1996)
- December Dec Jerry Maguire (1996) $885.8M Jerry Maguire (1996)
Last 10 years
How Does 1996 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1995 earned the most: $4.8B from 166 films, led by Apollo 13 (1995). 1996 took $4.5B.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 129 films | 129 | $1.7B | – | 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 |
| 1990 124 films · +33% | 124 | $2.7B | +33% | Ghost (1990) $505.7M |
| 1991 150 films · −12% | 150 | $2.4B | −12% | Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) $390.5M |
| 1992 122 films · +22% | 122 | $2.9B | +22% | The Bodyguard (1992) $411M |
| 1993 153 films · +64% | 153 | $4.7B | +64% | Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) $441.3M |
| 1994 133 films · −10% | 133 | $4.3B | −10% | The Lion King (1994) $979.2M |
| 1995 166 films · +13% | 166 | $4.8B | +13% | Apollo 13 (1995) $355.2M |
| 1996 170 films · −6% | 170 | $4.5B | −6% | Twister (1996) $494.6M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in 1996?
English-language drama films took $4B across 134 films, 89% of the total, ahead of French-language drama films ($17.5M) and Spanish-language drama films ($10.7M).
1996 Drama Box Office by Language
- English $4B134 films · #1 Twister (1996)
-
French $17.5M7 films · #1 The Eighth Day (1996) -
Spanish $10.7M3 films · #1 Under the Skin (1996) -
Czech $5.8M1 film · #1 Kolya (1996) -
Japanese $4.7M2 films · #1 Whisper of the Heart (1996) -
Russian $921.9K1 film · #1 Prisoner of the Mountains (1996) -
Georgian $686.7K1 film · #1 A Chef in Love (1996) -
Persian $532.6K1 film · #1 Gabbeh (1996) -
Vietnamese $284.7K1 film · #1 Cyclo (1996) -
Korean $8.4K1 film · #1 The Day a Pig Fell Into the Well (1996)
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 1996: 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 170 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in 1996?
Twister (1996) leads with $494.6M worldwide, $241.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) at $325.3M and Jerry Maguire (1996) at $273.6M.
How much did drama movies released in 1996 earn?
170 drama films released in 1996 report a worldwide gross, $4.5B in all, or $26.7M per film on average. 1995 releases took $4.8B.
How many drama movies released in 1996 made $1 billion?
None. 17 films crossed $100 million, led by Twister (1996) with $494.6M.
How is the 1996 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 1996. 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 1996 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.