#1 of 4 #1 musical movie of 1987
1987 · Adventure, Comedy
$14.4M worldwide · 45% of the chart's total
$14.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Musical box office · 1987
Musical Box Office 1987: Highest-Grossing Musical Movies
Ishtar (1987) is the highest-grossing musical movie released in 1987, with $14.4M worldwide, ahead of Back to the Beach (1987) at $13.1M and The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland (1987) at $2.6M. 4 musical films released in 1987 report a worldwide gross, $31.7M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 84% on 1986, whose releases took $194.9M.
- 1987 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $31.7M
- Ishtar (1987), the #1
- $14.4M
- vs 1986
- −84%
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Musical Hits of 1987?
Ishtar (1987) leads with $14.4M, 45% of the total. The top 4 together took $31.7M, 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 Musical Release of 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 1987.
- 1 May 15, 1987 US and Canada: $14.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.4M
- 2 Aug 7, 1987 US and Canada: $13.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.1M
- 3 The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland (1987)Aug 7, 1987 US and Canada: $2.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.6M
Aug 7, 1987 · English · Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy $2.6M worldwide - 4 The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987)Aug 22, 1987 US and Canada: $1.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.6M Aug 22, 1987 · English · Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy $1.6M worldwide
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1987?
Of the top 4, Ishtar (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $31.7M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Ishtar (1987) $14.4M $14.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Back to the Beach (1987) $13.1M $13.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland (1987) $2.6M $2.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987) $1.6M $1.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release month
Which Month of 1987 Earned the Most?
August releases took the most, $17.3M from 3 films, led by Back to the Beach (1987). May was the quietest month ($14.4M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May Ishtar (1987) $14.4M Ishtar (1987)
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug Back to the Beach (1987) $17.3M Back to the Beach (1987)
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Last 10 years
How Does 1987 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1978 earned the most: $437.7M from 3 films, led by Grease (1978). 1987 took $31.7M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 3 films | 3 | $437.7M | – | Grease (1978) $396.3M |
| 1979 3 films · −73% | 3 | $119.6M | −73% | The Muppet Movie (1979) $66.5M |
| 1980 3 films · −41% | 3 | $71M | −41% | Popeye (1980) $49.8M |
| 1981 2 films · −56% | 2 | $31.2M | −56% | The Great Muppet Caper (1981) $31.2M |
| 1982 7 films · +572% | 7 | $209.6M | +572% | The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) $69.7M |
| 1983 2 films · −93% | 2 | $15.6M | −93% | The Meaning of Life (1983) $14.9M |
| 1984 4 films · +866% | 4 | $151.1M | +866% | Purple Rain (1984) $70.3M |
| 1985 3 films · −69% | 3 | $46.2M | −69% | The Care Bears Movie (1985) $22.9M |
| 1986 8 films · +322% | 8 | $194.9M | +322% | An American Tail (1986) $84.5M |
| 1987 4 films · −84% | 4 | $31.7M | −84% | Ishtar (1987) $14.4M |
Archive
Musical Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1929 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $4.8B, led by The Lion King (2019).
2020s 7 years · $5.7B
2010s 10 years · $12.9B
- 2019 $4.8B #1 The Lion King (2019)
- 2018 $1.6B #1 The Grinch (2018)
- 2017 $1.9B #1 Beauty and the Beast (2017)
- 2016 $2.6B #1 The Jungle Book (2016)
- 2015 $69.5M #1 Ricki and the Flash (2015)
- 2014 $528.5M #1 Into the Woods (2014)
- 2013 $60.6M #1 The Sapphires (2013)
- 2012 $534.8M #1 Les Miserables (2012)
- 2011 $82.6M #1 Footloose (2011)
- 2010 $688.7M #1 Tangled (2010)
2000s 10 years · $3.2B
- 2009 $402.2M #1 The Princess and the Frog (2009)
- 2008 $986.7M #1 Mamma Mia! (2008)
- 2007 $839.8M #1 Enchanted (2007)
- 2006 $217.5M #1 Dreamgirls (2006)
- 2005 $99.8M #1 The Producers (2005)
- 2004 $41.4M #1 De-Lovely (2004)
- 2003 $210.1M #1 The Jungle Book 2 (2003)
- 2002 $121.5M #1 8 Women (2002)
- 2001 $188.9M #1 Moulin Rouge! (2001)
- 2000 $68M #1 Dancer in the Dark (2000)
1990s 10 years · $3.1B
- 1999 $95.1M #1 South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)
- 1998 $359.5M #1 The Prince of Egypt (1998)
- 1997 $143.4M #1 Anastasia (1997)
- 1996 $548.6M #1 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
- 1995 $381.4M #1 Pocahontas (1995)
- 1994 $979.4M #1 The Lion King (1994)
- 1993 $143.5M #1 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- 1992 $2.8M #1 Newsies (1992)
- 1991 $451.3M #1 Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- 1990 $28.6M #1 Jetsons: The Movie (1990)
1980s 10 years · $844M
- 1989 $3.9M #1 Earth Girls Are Easy (1989)
- 1988 $88.7M #1 Oliver & Company (1988)
- 1987 $31.7M #1 Ishtar (1987)
- 1986 $194.9M #1 An American Tail (1986)
- 1985 $46.2M #1 The Care Bears Movie (1985)
- 1984 $151.1M #1 Purple Rain (1984)
- 1983 $15.6M #1 The Meaning of Life (1983)
- 1982 $209.6M #1 The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)
- 1981 $31.2M #1 The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
- 1980 $71M #1 Popeye (1980)
1970s 8 years · $809.3M
- 1979 $119.6M #1 The Muppet Movie (1979)
- 1978 $437.7M #1 Grease (1978)
- 1977 $56M #1 Pete's Dragon (1977)
- 1976 $7.8M #1 That's Entertainment, Part II (1976)
- 1975 $150.1M #1 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
- 1974 $26.9M #1 That's Entertainment! (1974)
- 1972 $83.3K #1 Cabaret (1972)
- 1971 $11.1M #1 Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
1960s 7 years · $631.5M
1950s 9 years · $266.2M
- 1959 $51.6M #1 Sleeping Beauty (1959)
- 1957 $2.2K #1 Funny Face (1957)
- 1956 $21.3M #1 The King and I (1956)
- 1955 $4.2K #1 Guys and Dolls (1955)
- 1954 $7.3M #1 A Star Is Born (1954)
- 1953 $87.4M #1 Peter Pan (1953)
- 1952 $2.1M #1 Singin' in the Rain (1952)
- 1951 $1.2K #1 Alice in Wonderland (1951)
- 1950 $96.4M #1 Cinderella (1950)
1940s 7 years · $159.5M
1930s 8 years · $210.9M
1920s 1 year · $270
FAQ
Musical Box Office 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 4 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing musical movie in 1987?
Ishtar (1987) leads with $14.4M worldwide, $14.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Back to the Beach (1987) at $13.1M and The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland (1987) at $2.6M.
How much did musical movies released in 1987 earn?
4 musical films released in 1987 report a worldwide gross, $31.7M in all, or $7.9M per film on average. 1986 releases took $194.9M.
How many musical movies released in 1987 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Ishtar (1987), earned $14.4M.
How is the 1987 musical 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 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 1987 musical 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.