#1 of 183 #1 drama movie of 1998
1998 · Action, Drama
$482.4M worldwide · 10% of the chart's total
$217M US & Canada · 45% $265.3M elsewhere · 55%
Drama box office · 1998
Drama Box Office 1998: Highest-Grossing Drama Movies
Saving Private Ryan (1998) is the highest-grossing drama movie released in 1998, with $482.4M worldwide, ahead of Deep Impact (1998) at $349.5M and Shakespeare in Love (1998) at $289.3M. 183 drama films released in 1998 report a worldwide gross, $4.9B in all, 56% of it from the US & Canada. 14 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 17% on 1997, whose releases took $5.9B. By language, English leads with $4.5B across 146 drama releases.
- 1998 releases with a gross
- 183
- combined worldwide
- $4.9B
- films crossed $100M
- 14
- vs 1997
- −17%
#1 of 183 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Drama Hits of 1998?
Saving Private Ryan (1998) leads with $482.4M, 10% of the total. The top 5 together took $1.6B, 34% of what all 183 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 1998, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 183. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1998.
- 1 Jul 24, 1998 US and Canada: $217M Rest of the world: $265.3M Worldwide: $482.4M
- 2 May 8, 1998 US and Canada: $140.5M Rest of the world: $209M Worldwide: $349.5M
- 3 Dec 11, 1998 US and Canada: $100.3M Rest of the world: $189M Worldwide: $289.3M
- 4 Jun 5, 1998 US and Canada: $125.6M Rest of the world: $138.5M Worldwide: $264.1M
- 5 Nov 16, 1998 US and Canada: $111.5M Rest of the world: $139.3M Worldwide: $250.8M
- 6
Oct 23, 1998 US and Canada: $57.6M Rest of the world: $172.5M Worldwide: $230.1M - 7
Dec 18, 1998 US and Canada: $101.4M Rest of the world: $117.2M Worldwide: $218.6M - 8
Dec 25, 1998 US and Canada: $135M Rest of the world: $67.3M Worldwide: $202.3M - 9
May 15, 1998 US and Canada: $75.4M Rest of the world: $111.5M Worldwide: $186.9M - 10
Mar 13, 1998 US and Canada: $57M Rest of the world: $126M Worldwide: $183M - 11
Dec 25, 1998 US and Canada: $91.1M Rest of the world: $68.6M Worldwide: $159.7M - 12
Nov 13, 1998 US and Canada: $44.6M Rest of the world: $98.3M Worldwide: $142.9M - 13
Nov 20, 1998 US and Canada: $100.5M Rest of the world: $40.4M Worldwide: $140.9M - 14
Nov 6, 1998 US and Canada: $41M Rest of the world: $75.7M Worldwide: $116.7M - 15
Jul 31, 1998 US and Canada: $65.7M Rest of the world: $32.3M Worldwide: $98M - 16
Apr 3, 1998 US and Canada: $32.9M Rest of the world: $60.2M Worldwide: $93.1M - 17
Nov 6, 1998 US and Canada: $30.1M Rest of the world: $52.1M Worldwide: $82.2M - 18
May 29, 1998 US and Canada: $60.1M Rest of the world: $21.4M Worldwide: $81.5M - 19
Nov 25, 1998 US and Canada: $18.3M Rest of the world: $50.8M Worldwide: $69.1M - 20
Dec 25, 1998 US and Canada: $56.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $56.7M - 21
Jan 30, 1998 US and Canada: $26.4M Rest of the world: $29.1M Worldwide: $55.5M - 22
Oct 2, 1998 US and Canada: $55.4M Rest of the world: $239 Worldwide: $55.4M - 23
Aug 5, 1998 US and Canada: $55M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $55M - 24
Mar 20, 1998 US and Canada: $39M Rest of the world: $13.1M Worldwide: $52.1M - 25
Oct 23, 1998 US and Canada: $40.6M Rest of the world: $9.2M Worldwide: $49.8M - 26
Apr 17, 1998 US and Canada: $29.2M Rest of the world: $17.7M Worldwide: $46.9M - 27
Jul 29, 1998 US and Canada: $44.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $44.5M - 28
Aug 14, 1998 US and Canada: $37.7M Rest of the world: $1.6M Worldwide: $39.3M - 29
Dec 11, 1998 US and Canada: $34.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.6M - 30
Jul 10, 1998 US and Canada: $30M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $30M - 31
May 19, 1998 US and Canada: $26.5M Rest of the world: $2.7M Worldwide: $29.2M - 32
Apr 17, 1998 US and Canada: $26.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.9M - 33
Sep 18, 1998 US and Canada: $23.2M Rest of the world: $3.4M Worldwide: $26.6M - 34
Jan 16, 1998 US and Canada: $25.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.2M - 35
Oct 30, 1998 US and Canada: $6.7M Rest of the world: $17.2M Worldwide: $23.9M - 36
Apr 8, 1998 US and Canada: $23M Rest of the world: $213.5K Worldwide: $23.3M - 37
Sep 11, 1998 US and Canada: $22.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.9M - 38
Oct 16, 1998 US and Canada: $22.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.9M - 39
May 1, 1998 US and Canada: $21.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.6M - 40
Jan 16, 1998 US and Canada: $19.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.9M - 41
Feb 6, 1998 US and Canada: $19.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.2M - 42
Sep 11, 1998 US and Canada: $18.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.3M - 43
Dec 11, 1998 US and Canada: $17.1M Rest of the world: $93.3K Worldwide: $17.2M - 44
Aug 28, 1998 US and Canada: $16.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.8M - 45
Dec 11, 1998 US and Canada: $16.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.3M - 46
Aug 21, 1998 US and Canada: $15.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.9M - 47
Oct 30, 1998 US and Canada: $12.9M Rest of the world: $2.7M Worldwide: $15.6M - 48
Oct 23, 1998 US and Canada: $14.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.6M - 49
May 1, 1998 US and Canada: $14.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.1M - 50
Jan 30, 1998 US and Canada: $13.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.8M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1998?
Of the top 10, Patch Adams (1998) earned the biggest share at home (67% in the US & Canada), while Life Is Beautiful (1998) made 75% of its gross abroad. Across all 183 films, $2.7B (56%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Saving Private Ryan (1998) $482.4M $217M US & Canada · 45% $265.3M elsewhere · 55%
- 2 Deep Impact (1998) $349.5M $140.5M US & Canada · 40% $209M elsewhere · 60%
- 3 Shakespeare in Love (1998) $289.3M $100.3M US & Canada · 35% $189M elsewhere · 65%
- 4 The Truman Show (1998) $264.1M $125.6M US & Canada · 48% $138.5M elsewhere · 52%
- 5 Enemy of the State (1998) $250.8M $111.5M US & Canada · 44% $139.3M elsewhere · 56%
- 6 Life Is Beautiful (1998) $230.1M $57.6M US & Canada · 25% $172.5M elsewhere · 75%
- 7 The Prince of Egypt (1998) $218.6M $101.4M US & Canada · 46% $117.2M elsewhere · 54%
- 8 Patch Adams (1998) $202.3M $135M US & Canada · 67% $67.3M elsewhere · 33%
- 9 The Horse Whisperer (1998) $186.9M $75.4M US & Canada · 40% $111.5M elsewhere · 60%
- 10 The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) $183M $57M US & Canada · 31% $126M elsewhere · 69%
Gross bands
How Many 1998 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
14 of 183 films crossed $100M and took $3.2B between them, 66% of the total. 126 films, 69% of the list, earned under $10M.
66% 29%
- $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 14 films, 8% of the list $3.2B · 66% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 43 films, 23% of the list $1.4B · 29% of the gross
- Under $10M 126 films, 69% of the list $218.1M · 4% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1998 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $1B from 18 films, led by Shakespeare in Love (1998). February was the quietest month ($39.8M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Great Expectations (1998) $125.5M Great Expectations (1998)
- February Feb The Replacement Killers (1998) $39.8M The Replacement Killers (1998)
- March Mar The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) $252.6M The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
- April Apr Mercury Rising (1998) $237.2M Mercury Rising (1998)
- May May Deep Impact (1998) $706.7M Deep Impact (1998)
- June Jun The Truman Show (1998) $287.2M The Truman Show (1998)
- July Jul Saving Private Ryan (1998) $663.2M Saving Private Ryan (1998)
- August Aug Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) $163.1M Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
- September Sep One True Thing (1998) $83.7M One True Thing (1998)
- October Oct Life Is Beautiful (1998) $443.5M Life Is Beautiful (1998)
- November Nov Enemy of the State (1998) $841.4M Enemy of the State (1998)
- December Dec Shakespeare in Love (1998) $1B Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Last 10 years
How Does 1998 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1997 earned the most: $5.9B from 169 films, led by Titanic (1997). 1998 took $4.9B.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 115 films | 115 | $2B | – | 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 |
| 1997 169 films · +29% | 169 | $5.9B | +29% | Titanic (1997) $2.3B |
| 1998 183 films · −17% | 183 | $4.9B | −17% | Saving Private Ryan (1998) $482.4M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Drama Movies Speak in 1998?
English-language drama films took $4.5B across 146 films, 92% of the total, ahead of Portuguese-language drama films ($6M) and Russian-language drama films ($2.6M).
1998 Drama Box Office by Language
-
English $4.5B146 films · #1 Saving Private Ryan (1998) -
Portuguese $6M2 films · #1 Central Station (1998) -
Russian $2.6M2 films · #1 The Barber of Siberia (1998) -
Italian $2.1M3 films · #1 Besieged (1998) -
Spanish $1.8M2 films · #1 Live Flesh (1998) -
Danish $1.7M2 films · #1 The Celebration (1998) -
Chinese $1M2 films · #1 Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl (1998) -
Japanese $777.3K4 films · #1 The Eel (1998) -
French $512.4K4 films · #1 Alice and Martin (1998) -
Swedish $316K1 film · #1 Under the Sun (1998)
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 1998: 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 183 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing drama movie in 1998?
Saving Private Ryan (1998) leads with $482.4M worldwide, $217M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Deep Impact (1998) at $349.5M and Shakespeare in Love (1998) at $289.3M.
How much did drama movies released in 1998 earn?
183 drama films released in 1998 report a worldwide gross, $4.9B in all, or $26.6M per film on average. 1997 releases took $5.9B.
How many drama movies released in 1998 made $1 billion?
None. 14 films crossed $100 million, led by Saving Private Ryan (1998) with $482.4M.
How is the 1998 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 1998. 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 1998 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.