#1 of 5 #1 romance movie of May 1988
1988 · Action, Adventure
$57.3M worldwide · 91% of the chart's total
$57.3M US & Canada · 100% $2.4K elsewhere · <1%
Romance box office · May 1988
Romance Box Office, May 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Willow (1988) is the highest-grossing romance movie released in May 1988, with $57.3M worldwide, ahead of Wings of Desire (1988) at $3.5M and A Handful of Dust (1988) at $1.6M. 5 romance films released in May 1988 report a worldwide gross, $62.8M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is 3.9 times the total of April 1988, whose releases took $16.3M. By language, English leads with $59.3M across 4 romance releases.
- May 1988 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $62.8M
- Willow (1988), the #1
- $57.3M
- vs April 1988
- ×3.9
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Romance Hits of May 1988?
Willow (1988) leads with $57.3M, 91% of the total. The top 5 together took $62.8M, almost all of what the 5 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 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Romance Release of May 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 May 1988.
- 1 May 20, 1988 US and Canada: $57.3M Rest of the world: $2.4K Worldwide: $57.3M
- 2 May 6, 1988 US and Canada: $3.3M Rest of the world: $184.6K Worldwide: $3.5M
- 3 May 14, 1988 US and Canada: $1.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.6M
- 4 May 13, 1988 US and Canada: $259K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $259K
- 5 My Best Friend Is a Vampire (1988)May 6, 1988 US and Canada: $174.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $174.4K
May 6, 1988 · English · Horror, Comedy, Romance $174.4K worldwide
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1988?
Of the top 5, A Handful of Dust (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Wings of Desire (1988) made 5% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $62.6M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Willow (1988) $57.3M $57.3M US & Canada · 100% $2.4K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Wings of Desire (1988) $3.5M $3.3M US & Canada · 95% $184.6K elsewhere · 5%
- 3 A Handful of Dust (1988) $1.6M $1.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Illegally Yours (1988) $259K $259K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 My Best Friend Is a Vampire (1988) $174.4K $174.4K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of May 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 21 (May 15–21) took $57.3M, led by Willow (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 1–7 Wings of Desire (1988) $3.7M Wings of Desire (1988)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 8–14 A Handful of Dust (1988) $1.8M A Handful of Dust (1988)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 15–21 Willow (1988) $57.3M Willow (1988)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 22–28 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 23 Wk 23 May 29–Jun 4 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does May 1988 Compare With May in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, May 1986 earned the most: $357.3M from 1 film, led by Top Gun (1986). May 1988 took $62.8M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1979 2 films | 2 | $1.5M | – | Last Embrace (1979) $1.5M |
| May 1980 1 film · −98% | 1 | $38.5K | −98% | My American Uncle (1980) $38.5K |
| May 1981 1 film · +131000% | 1 | $50.4M | +131000% | The Four Seasons (1981) $50.4M |
| May 1982 3 films · −89% | 3 | $5.6M | −89% | Paradise (1982) $5.6M |
| May 1983 2 films · +262% | 2 | $20.2M | +262% | Breathless (1983) $19.9M |
| May 1984 7 films · +272% | 7 | $75.3M | +272% | Breakin' (1984) $38.7M |
| May 1985 2 films · −84% | 2 | $11.7M | −84% | The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) $10.6M |
| May 1986 1 film · +2956% | 1 | $357.3M | +2956% | Top Gun (1986) $357.3M |
| May 1987 6 films · −98% | 6 | $7M | −98% | The Allnighter (1987) $2.7M |
| May 1988 5 films · +795% | 5 | $62.8M | +795% | Willow (1988) $57.3M |
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 May 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 5 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing romance movie in May 1988?
Willow (1988) leads with $57.3M worldwide, $57.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Wings of Desire (1988) at $3.5M and A Handful of Dust (1988) at $1.6M.
How much did romance movies released in May 1988 earn?
5 romance films released in May 1988 report a worldwide gross, $62.8M in all, or $12.6M per film on average. April 1988 releases took $16.3M.
How many romance movies released in May 1988 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Willow (1988), earned $57.3M.
How is the May 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 May 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 May 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.