#1 of 9 #1 romance movie of December 1988
1988 · Drama, Comedy
$103M worldwide · 35% of the chart's total
$63.8M US & Canada · 62% $39.2M elsewhere · 38%
Romance box office · December 1988
Romance Box Office, December 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Working Girl (1988) is the highest-grossing romance movie released in December 1988, with $103M worldwide, ahead of The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) at $78.8M and Tequila Sunrise (1988) at $41.3M. 9 romance films released in December 1988 report a worldwide gross, $295.5M in all, 87% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 6 times the total of November 1988, whose releases took $49.5M. By language, English leads with $256.4M across 6 romance releases.
- December 1988 releases with a gross
- 9
- combined worldwide
- $295.5M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs November 1988
- ×6
#1 of 9 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Romance Hits of December 1988?
Working Girl (1988) leads with $103M, 35% of the total. The top 5 together took $290.3M, 98% of what all 9 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 $78.8M The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)$78.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0% -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Romance 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: $63.8M Rest of the world: $39.2M Worldwide: $103M
- 2 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)Dec 2, 1988 US and Canada: $78.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $78.8M
Dec 2, 1988 · English · Action, Comedy, Romance $78.8M worldwide - 3 Dec 2, 1988 US and Canada: $41.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $41.3M
- 4 Dec 16, 1988 US and Canada: $34.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.7M
- 5 Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $32.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $32.6M
- 6
Dec 7, 1988 US and Canada: $3.3M Rest of the world: $595 Worldwide: $3.3M - 7
Dec 21, 1988 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.1M - 8
Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $785K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $785K - 9
Dec 16, 1988 US and Canada: $9.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.9K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1988?
Of the top 9, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Working Girl (1988) made 38% of its gross abroad. Across all 9 films, $256.3M (87%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Working Girl (1988) $103M $63.8M US & Canada · 62% $39.2M elsewhere · 38%
- 2 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) $78.8M $78.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Tequila Sunrise (1988) $41.3M $41.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Dangerous Liaisons (1988) $34.7M $34.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 The Accidental Tourist (1988) $32.6M $32.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Camille Claudel (1988) $3.3M $3.3M US & Canada · 100% $595 elsewhere · <1%
- 7 The Little Thief (1988) $1.1M $1.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 The Boost (1988) $785K $785K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Haunted Summer (1988) $9.9K $9.9K 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 $137.4M, led by Working Girl (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 27–Dec 3 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) $120M The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 4–10 Camille Claudel (1988) $3.3M Camille Claudel (1988)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 11–17 Dangerous Liaisons (1988) $34.7M Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 18–24 Working Girl (1988) $137.4M Working Girl (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 1985 earned the most: $358.5M from 4 films, led by Out of Africa (1985). December 1988 took $295.5M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1979 4 films | 4 | $68.3M | – | 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 |
| December 1986 3 films · −90% | 3 | $37.5M | −90% | The Morning After (1986) $25.1M |
| December 1987 4 films · +369% | 4 | $175.7M | +369% | Moonstruck (1987) $80.6M |
| December 1988 9 films · +68% | 9 | $295.5M | +68% | Working Girl (1988) $103M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Romance Movies Speak in December 1988?
English-language romance films took $256.4M across 6 films, 87% of the total, ahead of French-language romance films ($4.4M).
Archive
Romance Box Office in 1988, Month by Month
The months of 1988 with their totals: June leads with $491.6M, led by Coming to America (1988).
- January $18.1M #1 For Keeps? (1988)
- February $51.1M #1 She's Having a Baby (1988)
- March $24.3M #1 Masquerade (1988)
- April $16.3M #1 Casual Sex? (1988)
- May $62.8M #1 Willow (1988)
- June $491.6M #1 Coming to America (1988)
- July $216.8M #1 Cocktail (1988)
- August $58.8M #1 Married to the Mob (1988)
- September $54.8M #1 Cinema Paradiso (1988)
- October $40.1M #1 Punchline (1988)
- November $49.5M #1 Cocoon: The Return (1988)
- December $295.5M #1 Working Girl (1988)
FAQ
Romance 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 9 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing romance movie in December 1988?
Working Girl (1988) leads with $103M worldwide, $63.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) at $78.8M and Tequila Sunrise (1988) at $41.3M.
How much did romance movies released in December 1988 earn?
9 romance films released in December 1988 report a worldwide gross, $295.5M in all, or $32.8M per film on average. November 1988 releases took $49.5M.
How many romance movies released in December 1988 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Working Girl (1988) with $103M.
How is the December 1988 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 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 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.