#1 of 3 #1 horror movie of December 1988
Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
1988 · Thriller, Horror
$12.1M worldwide · 76% of the chart's total
$12.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Horror box office · December 1988
Horror Box Office, December 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) is the highest-grossing horror movie released in December 1988, with $12.1M worldwide, ahead of 976-EVIL (1988) at $3M and Watchers (1988) at $940.2K. 3 horror films released in December 1988 report a worldwide gross, $16M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada.
- December 1988 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $16M
- Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988), the #1
- $12.1M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Horror Hits of December 1988?
Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) leads with $12.1M, 76% of the total. The top 3 together took $16M, 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 December 1988, 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 December 1988.
- 1 Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $12.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.1M
- 2 Dec 9, 1988 US and Canada: $3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3M
- 3 Dec 2, 1988 US and Canada: $940.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $940.2K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1988?
Of the top 3, Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Watchers (1988) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $16M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) $12.1M $12.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 976-EVIL (1988) $3M $3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Watchers (1988) $940.2K $940.2K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of December 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 52 (Dec 18–24) took $12.1M, led by Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 27–Dec 3 Watchers (1988) $940.2K Watchers (1988)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 4–10 976-EVIL (1988) $3M 976-EVIL (1988)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 11–17 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 18–24 Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) $12.1M Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 25–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1988 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1986 earned the most: $39.1M from 1 film, led by Little Shop of Horrors (1986). December 1988 took $16M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1979 1 film | 1 | $549.9K | – | Beyond the Reef (1979) $549.9K |
| December 1980 1 film · +3510% | 1 | $19.9M | +3510% | Altered States (1980) $19.9M |
| December 1981 1 film · +18% | 1 | $23.4M | +18% | Ghost Story (1981) $23.4M |
| December 1982 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1983 1 film | 1 | $21M | – | Christine (1983) $21M |
| December 1984 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1985 1 film | 1 | $254 | – | Vampire Hunter D (1985) $254 |
| December 1986 1 film · +15379549% | 1 | $39.1M | +15379549% | Little Shop of Horrors (1986) $39.1M |
| December 1987 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1988 3 films | 3 | $16M | – | Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) $12.1M |
Archive
Horror Box Office in 1988, Month by Month
The months of 1988 with their totals: November leads with $57.6M, led by Child’s Play (1988).
- January $9.2M #1 Return of the Living Dead II (1988)
- February $19.7M #1 The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
- March $386.1K #1 Prison (1988)
- April $43.5M #1 The Seventh Sign (1988)
- May $20.1M #1 Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
- June $14.9M #1 Poltergeist III (1988)
- July $12.6M #1 Phantasm II (1988)
- August $57.6M #1 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
- September $7.8M #1 Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)
- October $25.2M #1 Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
- November $57.6M #1 Child’s Play (1988)
- December $16M #1 Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988)
FAQ
Horror Box Office December 1988: 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 December 1988?
Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) leads with $12.1M worldwide, $12.1M of it in the US & Canada. Next come 976-EVIL (1988) at $3M and Watchers (1988) at $940.2K.
How much did horror movies released in December 1988 earn?
3 horror films released in December 1988 report a worldwide gross, $16M in all, or $5.3M per film on average.
How many horror movies released in December 1988 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988), earned $12.1M.
How is the December 1988 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 December 1988. 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 December 1988 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.