#1 of 4 #1 horror movie of September 1988
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)
1988 · Horror, Comedy
$5.6M worldwide · 72% of the chart's total
$5.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Horror box office · September 1988
Horror Box Office, September 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) is the highest-grossing horror movie released in September 1988, with $5.6M worldwide, ahead of Apartment Zero (1988) at $1.3M and Spellbinder (1988) at $657.4K. 4 horror films released in September 1988 report a worldwide gross, $7.8M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada.
- September 1988 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $7.8M
- Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988), the #1
- $5.6M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Horror Hits of September 1988?
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) leads with $5.6M, 72% of the total. The top 4 together took $7.8M, 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 September 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 September 1988.
- 1 Sep 30, 1988 US and Canada: $5.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.6M
- 2 Sep 30, 1988 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M
- 3 Sep 23, 1988 US and Canada: $657.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $657.4K
- 4 Sep 10, 1988 US and Canada: $241.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $241.3K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in September 1988?
Of the top 4, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Paperhouse (1988) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $7.8M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) $5.6M $5.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Apartment Zero (1988) $1.3M $1.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Spellbinder (1988) $657.4K $657.4K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Paperhouse (1988) $241.3K $241.3K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of September 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 40 (Sep 25–Oct 1) took $6.9M, led by Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 36 Wk 36 Aug 28–Sep 3 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 37 Wk 37 Sep 4–10 Paperhouse (1988) $241.3K Paperhouse (1988)
- Week 38 Wk 38 Sep 11–17 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 39 Wk 39 Sep 18–24 Spellbinder (1988) $657.4K Spellbinder (1988)
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 25–Oct 1 Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) $6.9M Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)
Earlier years
How Does September 1988 Compare With September in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, September 1987 earned the most: $17.9M from 3 films, led by Hellraiser (1987). September 1988 took $7.8M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1979 1 film | 1 | $11.4M | – | The Legacy (1979) $11.4M |
| September 1980 1 film · −99% | 1 | $59.2K | −99% | Phobia (1980) $59.2K |
| September 1981 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| September 1982 1 film | 1 | $12.5M | – | Amityville II: The Possession (1982) $12.5M |
| September 1983 3 films · −20% | 3 | $10.1M | −20% | Nightmares (1983) $6.7M |
| September 1984 1 film · −72% | 1 | $2.8M | −72% | Impulse (1984) $2.8M |
| September 1985 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| September 1986 1 film | 1 | $609.9K | – | Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) $609.9K |
| September 1987 3 films · +2829% | 3 | $17.9M | +2829% | Hellraiser (1987) $14.6M |
| September 1988 4 films · −57% | 4 | $7.8M | −57% | Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) $5.6M |
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 September 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 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing horror movie in September 1988?
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) leads with $5.6M worldwide, $5.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Apartment Zero (1988) at $1.3M and Spellbinder (1988) at $657.4K.
How much did horror movies released in September 1988 earn?
4 horror films released in September 1988 report a worldwide gross, $7.8M in all, or $1.9M per film on average.
How many horror movies released in September 1988 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988), earned $5.6M.
How is the September 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 September 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 September 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.