#1 of 5 #1 horror movie of October 1987
1987 · Horror
$14.2M worldwide · 47% of the chart's total
$14.2M US & Canada · 100% $87 elsewhere · <1%
Horror box office · October 1987
Horror Box Office, October 1987: Top-Grossing Releases
Prince of Darkness (1987) is the highest-grossing horror movie released in October 1987, with $14.2M worldwide, ahead of The Hidden (1987) at $9.7M and Near Dark (1987) at $3.4M. 5 horror films released in October 1987 report a worldwide gross, $30M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 68% on September 1987, whose releases took $17.9M. By language, English leads with $30M across 5 horror releases.
- October 1987 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $30M
- Prince of Darkness (1987), the #1
- $14.2M
- vs September 1987
- +68%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Horror Hits of October 1987?
Prince of Darkness (1987) leads with $14.2M, 47% of the total. The top 5 together took $30M, almost all of what the 5 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 Horror Release of October 1987, 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 October 1987.
- 1 Oct 23, 1987 US and Canada: $14.2M Rest of the world: $87 Worldwide: $14.2M
- 2 Oct 30, 1987 US and Canada: $9.7M Rest of the world: $245 Worldwide: $9.7M
- 3 Oct 3, 1987 US and Canada: $3.4M Rest of the world: $321 Worldwide: $3.4M
- 4 Oct 16, 1987 US and Canada: $2.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.7M
- 5 Oct 2, 1987 US and Canada: $21.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.9K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in October 1987?
Of the top 5, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Near Dark (1987) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $30M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Prince of Darkness (1987) $14.2M $14.2M US & Canada · 100% $87 elsewhere · <1%
- 2 The Hidden (1987) $9.7M $9.7M US & Canada · 100% $245 elsewhere · <1%
- 3 Near Dark (1987) $3.4M $3.4M US & Canada · 100% $321 elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987) $2.7M $2.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Zombie High (1987) $21.9K $21.9K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of October 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 43 (Oct 18–24) took $14.2M, led by Prince of Darkness (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 27–Oct 3 Near Dark (1987) $3.4M Near Dark (1987)
- Week 41 Wk 41 Oct 4–10 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 42 Wk 42 Oct 11–17 Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987) $2.7M Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987)
- Week 43 Wk 43 Oct 18–24 Prince of Darkness (1987) $14.2M Prince of Darkness (1987)
- Week 44 Wk 44 Oct 25–31 The Hidden (1987) $9.7M The Hidden (1987)
Earlier years
How Does October 1987 Compare With October in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, October 1978 earned the most: $47.2M from 1 film, led by Halloween (1978). October 1987 took $30M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1978 1 film | 1 | $47.2M | – | Halloween (1978) $47.2M |
| October 1979 2 films · −55% | 2 | $21.4M | −55% | When a Stranger Calls (1979) $21.4M |
| October 1980 1 film · −70% | 1 | $6.3M | −70% | Motel Hell (1980) $6.3M |
| October 1981 5 films · +383% | 5 | $30.6M | +383% | Halloween II (1981) $25.5M |
| October 1982 3 films · −56% | 3 | $13.6M | −56% | Class Reunion (1982) $10.1M |
| October 1983 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1984 1 film | 1 | $10M | – | Terror in the Aisles (1984) $10M |
| October 1985 3 films · +45% | 3 | $14.5M | +45% | Silver Bullet (1985) $12.4M |
| October 1986 2 films · −29% | 2 | $10.2M | −29% | Deadly Friend (1986) $9M |
| October 1987 5 films · +193% | 5 | $30M | +193% | Prince of Darkness (1987) $14.2M |
Archive
Horror Box Office in 1987, Month by Month
The months of 1987 with their totals: June leads with $85M, led by The Witches of Eastwick (1987).
- January $3.6M #1 The Kindred (1987)
- February $47.2M #1 A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
- March $30.5M #1 Angel Heart (1987)
- April No grosses
- May $13.5M #1 The Gate (1987)
- June $85M #1 The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
- July $84.4M #1 Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
- August $13.4M #1 House II: The Second Story (1987)
- September $17.9M #1 Hellraiser (1987)
- October $30M #1 Prince of Darkness (1987)
- November $2.6K #1 Deadly Daphne’s Revenge (1987)
- December No grosses
FAQ
Horror Box Office October 1987: 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 5 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing horror movie in October 1987?
Prince of Darkness (1987) leads with $14.2M worldwide, $14.2M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Hidden (1987) at $9.7M and Near Dark (1987) at $3.4M.
How much did horror movies released in October 1987 earn?
5 horror films released in October 1987 report a worldwide gross, $30M in all, or $6M per film on average. September 1987 releases took $17.9M.
How many horror movies released in October 1987 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Prince of Darkness (1987), earned $14.2M.
How is the October 1987 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 October 1987. 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 October 1987 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.