#1 of 4 #1 romance movie of December 1985
1985 · Biography, Drama
$227.5M worldwide · 63% of the chart's total
$87.1M US & Canada · 38% $140.4M elsewhere · 62%
Romance box office · December 1985
Romance Box Office, December 1985: Top-Grossing Releases
Out of Africa (1985) is the highest-grossing romance movie released in December 1985, with $227.5M worldwide, ahead of The Jewel of the Nile (1985) at $96.8M and Murphy’s Romance (1985) at $30.9M. 4 romance films released in December 1985 report a worldwide gross, $358.5M in all, 55% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 15.3 times the total of November 1985, whose releases took $23.5M.
- December 1985 releases with a gross
- 4
- combined worldwide
- $358.5M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs November 1985
- ×15.3
#1 of 4 Top 4
What Were the Biggest Romance Hits of December 1985?
Out of Africa (1985) leads with $227.5M, 63% of the total. The top 4 together took $358.5M, 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 Romance Release of December 1985, 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 1985.
- 1 Dec 20, 1985 US and Canada: $87.1M Rest of the world: $140.4M Worldwide: $227.5M
- 2 Dec 11, 1985 US and Canada: $76M Rest of the world: $20.8M Worldwide: $96.8M
- 3 Dec 25, 1985 US and Canada: $30.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $30.9M
- 4 Dec 4, 1985 US and Canada: $3.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.3M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1985?
Of the top 4, Murphy’s Romance (1985) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Out of Africa (1985) made 62% of its gross abroad. Across all 4 films, $197.2M (55%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Out of Africa (1985) $227.5M $87.1M US & Canada · 38% $140.4M elsewhere · 62%
- 2 The Jewel of the Nile (1985) $96.8M $76M US & Canada · 79% $20.8M elsewhere · 21%
- 3 Murphy’s Romance (1985) $30.9M $30.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Fraternity Vacation (1985) $3.3M $3.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of December 1985 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 15–21) took $227.5M, led by Out of Africa (1985). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Dec 1–7 Fraternity Vacation (1985) $3.3M Fraternity Vacation (1985)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 8–14 The Jewel of the Nile (1985) $96.8M The Jewel of the Nile (1985)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 15–21 Out of Africa (1985) $227.5M Out of Africa (1985)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 22–28 Murphy’s Romance (1985) $30.9M Murphy’s Romance (1985)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 29–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1985 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1985 earned the most: $358.5M from 4 films, led by Out of Africa (1985).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1976 2 films | 2 | $131.1M | – | A Star Is Born (1976) $80M |
| December 1977 1 film · +81% | 1 | $237.1M | +81% | Saturday Night Fever (1977) $237.1M |
| December 1978 1 film · −95% | 1 | $11M | −95% | Moment by Moment (1978) $11M |
| December 1979 4 films · +523% | 4 | $68.3M | +523% | The Electric Horseman (1979) $61.8M |
| December 1980 5 films · +106% | 5 | $141M | +106% | Popeye (1980) $49.8M |
| December 1981 5 films · −33% | 5 | $94.1M | −33% | Absence of Malice (1981) $40.7M |
| December 1982 4 films · +176% | 4 | $259.8M | +176% | Tootsie (1982) $177.2M |
| December 1983 3 films · −86% | 3 | $36M | −86% | Two of a Kind (1983) $23.6M |
| December 1984 4 films · +131% | 4 | $83.1M | +131% | Starman (1984) $28.7M |
| December 1985 4 films · +332% | 4 | $358.5M | +332% | Out of Africa (1985) $227.5M |
Archive
Romance Box Office in 1985, Month by Month
The months of 1985 with their totals: December leads with $358.5M, led by Out of Africa (1985).
- January No grosses
- February $104M #1 Witness (1985)
- March $21.4M #1 The Sure Thing (1985)
- April $17.9M #1 Just One of the Guys (1985)
- May $11.7M #1 The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
- June $97.6M #1 St. Elmo's Fire (1985)
- July $3.9M #1 The Heavenly Kid (1985)
- August $60.1M #1 Teen Wolf (1985)
- September $16.2M #1 Plenty (1985)
- October $24.7M #1 Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)
- November $23.5M #1 King Solomon's Mines (1985)
- December $358.5M #1 Out of Africa (1985)
FAQ
Romance Box Office December 1985: 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 romance movie in December 1985?
Out of Africa (1985) leads with $227.5M worldwide, $87.1M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Jewel of the Nile (1985) at $96.8M and Murphy’s Romance (1985) at $30.9M.
How much did romance movies released in December 1985 earn?
4 romance films released in December 1985 report a worldwide gross, $358.5M in all, or $89.6M per film on average. November 1985 releases took $23.5M.
How many romance movies released in December 1985 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Out of Africa (1985) with $227.5M.
How is the December 1985 romance 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 1985. 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 1985 romance 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.