#1 of 4 #1 horror movie of August 1985
1985 · Thriller, Horror
$24.9M worldwide · 53% of the chart's total
$24.9M US & Canada · 100% $1.6K elsewhere · <1%
Horror box office · August 1985
Horror Box Office, August 1985: Top-Grossing Releases
Fright Night (1985) is the highest-grossing horror movie released in August 1985, with $24.9M worldwide, ahead of The Return of the Living Dead (1985) at $14.2M and Godzilla 1985 (1985) at $4.1M. 4 horror films released in August 1985 report a worldwide gross, $46.8M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada.
- August 1985 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $46.8M
- Fright Night (1985), the #1
- $24.9M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Horror Hits of August 1985?
Fright Night (1985) leads with $24.9M, 53% of the total. The top 4 together took $46.8M, almost all of what the 4 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Horror Release of August 1985, 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 1985.
- 1 Aug 2, 1985 US and Canada: $24.9M Rest of the world: $1.6K Worldwide: $24.9M
- 2 The Return of the Living Dead (1985)Aug 16, 1985 US and Canada: $14.2M Rest of the world: $3.4K Worldwide: $14.2M
Aug 16, 1985 · English · Sci-Fi, Horror, Comedy $14.2M worldwide - 3 Aug 23, 1985 US and Canada: $4.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.1M
- 4 Aug 16, 1985 US and Canada: $3.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.6M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in August 1985?
Of the top 4, Godzilla 1985 (1985) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Return of the Living Dead (1985) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $46.8M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Fright Night (1985) $24.9M $24.9M US & Canada · 100% $1.6K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 The Return of the Living Dead (1985) $14.2M $14.2M US & Canada · 100% $3.4K elsewhere · <1%
- 3 Godzilla 1985 (1985) $4.1M $4.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The Bride (1985) $3.6M $3.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of August 1985 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 31 (Jul 28–Aug 3) took $24.9M, led by Fright Night (1985). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 31 Wk 31 Jul 28–Aug 3 Fright Night (1985) $24.9M Fright Night (1985)
- Week 32 Wk 32 Aug 4–10 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 33 Wk 33 Aug 11–17 The Return of the Living Dead (1985) $17.8M The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
- Week 34 Wk 34 Aug 18–24 Godzilla 1985 (1985) $4.1M Godzilla 1985 (1985)
- Week 35 Wk 35 Aug 25–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does August 1985 Compare With August in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, August 1985 earned the most: $46.8M from 4 films, led by Fright Night (1985).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1976 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1977 1 film | 1 | $47K | – | Suspiria (1977) $47K |
| August 1978 1 film · −99% | 1 | $321 | −99% | Piranha (1978) $321 |
| August 1979 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1980 1 film | 1 | $4.9M | – | He Knows You’re Alone (1980) $4.9M |
| August 1981 4 films · +808% | 4 | $44.3M | +808% | An American Werewolf in London (1981) $30.8M |
| August 1982 1 film · −17% | 1 | $36.7M | −17% | Friday the 13th Part III (1982) $36.7M |
| August 1983 1 film · −42% | 1 | $21.2M | −42% | Cujo (1983) $21.2M |
| August 1984 2 films · −21% | 2 | $16.8M | −21% | Dreamscape (1984) $12.1M |
| August 1985 4 films · +179% | 4 | $46.8M | +179% | Fright Night (1985) $24.9M |
Archive
Horror Box Office in 1985, Month by Month
The months of 1985 with their totals: November leads with $47.2M, led by A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985).
- January No grosses
- February No grosses
- March $21.9M #1 Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
- April $17.5M #1 Cat's Eye (1985)
- May No grosses
- June $11.6M #1 Lifeforce (1985)
- July $26.3M #1 The Black Cauldron (1985)
- August $46.8M #1 Fright Night (1985)
- September No grosses
- October $14.5M #1 Silver Bullet (1985)
- November $47.2M #1 A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
- December $254 #1 Vampire Hunter D (1985)
FAQ
Horror Box Office August 1985: 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 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing horror movie in August 1985?
Fright Night (1985) leads with $24.9M worldwide, $24.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Return of the Living Dead (1985) at $14.2M and Godzilla 1985 (1985) at $4.1M.
How much did horror movies released in August 1985 earn?
4 horror films released in August 1985 report a worldwide gross, $46.8M in all, or $11.7M per film on average.
How many horror movies released in August 1985 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Fright Night (1985), earned $24.9M.
How is the August 1985 horror 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 1985. 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 1985 horror 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.