#1 of 3 #1 horror movie of March 1986
1986 · Mystery, Horror
$12.9M worldwide · 85% of the chart's total
$12.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Horror box office · March 1986
Horror Box Office, March 1986: Top-Grossing Releases
April Fool's Day (1986) is the highest-grossing horror movie released in March 1986, with $12.9M worldwide, ahead of Nomads (1986) at $2.3M and Chopping Mall (1986) at $807. 3 horror films released in March 1986 report a worldwide gross, $15.2M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 31% on February 1986, whose releases took $22M.
- March 1986 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $15.2M
- April Fool's Day (1986), the #1
- $12.9M
- vs February 1986
- −31%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Horror Hits of March 1986?
April Fool's Day (1986) leads with $12.9M, 85% of the total. The top 3 together took $15.2M, almost all of what the 3 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Horror Release of March 1986, 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 March 1986.
- 1 Mar 28, 1986 US and Canada: $12.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.9M
- 2 Mar 7, 1986 US and Canada: $2.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.3M
- 3 Mar 21, 1986 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $807
By release week
Which Week of March 1986 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 13 (Mar 23–29) took $12.9M, led by April Fool's Day (1986). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 9 Wk 9 Feb 23–Mar 1 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 10 Wk 10 Mar 2–8 Nomads (1986) $2.3M Nomads (1986)
- Week 11 Wk 11 Mar 9–15 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 12 Wk 12 Mar 16–22 Chopping Mall (1986) $807 Chopping Mall (1986)
- Week 13 Wk 13 Mar 23–29 April Fool's Day (1986) $12.9M April Fool's Day (1986)
- Week 14 Wk 14 Mar 30–Apr 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does March 1986 Compare With March in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, March 1981 earned the most: $28.4M from 2 films, led by The Final Conflict (1981). March 1986 took $15.2M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1977 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| March 1978 1 film | 1 | $329 | – | The Fury (1978) $329 |
| March 1979 2 films · +828% | 2 | $3.1K | +828% | Rapture (1979) $2.7K |
| March 1980 1 film · −95% | 1 | $147 | −95% | The Changeling (1980) $147 |
| March 1981 2 films · +19291316% | 2 | $28.4M | +19291316% | The Final Conflict (1981) $20.5M |
| March 1982 2 films · −95% | 2 | $1.4M | −95% | Turkey Shoot (1982) $1.4M |
| March 1983 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| March 1984 1 film | 1 | $14.6M | – | Children of the Corn (1984) $14.6M |
| March 1985 1 film · +51% | 1 | $21.9M | +51% | Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) $21.9M |
| March 1986 3 films · −31% | 3 | $15.2M | −31% | April Fool's Day (1986) $12.9M |
Archive
Horror Box Office in 1986, Month by Month
The months of 1986 with their totals: August leads with $91.7M, led by The Fly (1986).
- January $5.5M #1 Troll (1986)
- February $22M #1 House (1986)
- March $15.2M #1 April Fool's Day (1986)
- April $15.9M #1 Critters (1986)
- May $41M #1 Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
- June $4.9M #1 Invaders from Mars (1986)
- July $12.4M #1 Maximum Overdrive (1986)
- August $91.7M #1 The Fly (1986)
- September $609.9K #1 Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
- October $10.2M #1 Deadly Friend (1986)
- November $4.4M #1 The Wraith (1986)
- December $39.1M #1 Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
FAQ
Horror Box Office March 1986: 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 3 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing horror movie in March 1986?
April Fool's Day (1986) leads with $12.9M worldwide, $12.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Nomads (1986) at $2.3M and Chopping Mall (1986) at $807.
How much did horror movies released in March 1986 earn?
3 horror films released in March 1986 report a worldwide gross, $15.2M in all, or $5.1M per film on average. February 1986 releases took $22M.
How many horror movies released in March 1986 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, April Fool's Day (1986), earned $12.9M.
How is the March 1986 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 March 1986. 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 March 1986 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.