#1 of 10 #1 romance movie of December 1996
1996 · Drama, Sport
$273.6M worldwide · 50% of the chart's total
$154M US & Canada · 56% $119.6M elsewhere · 44%
Romance box office · December 1996
Romance Box Office, December 1996: Top-Grossing Releases
Jerry Maguire (1996) is the highest-grossing romance movie released in December 1996, with $273.6M worldwide, ahead of Michael (1996) at $119.7M and One Fine Day (1996) at $97.5M. 10 romance films released in December 1996 report a worldwide gross, $548.1M in all, 62% of it from the US & Canada. 2 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 9% on November 1996, whose releases took $504M. By language, English leads with $422.7M across 7 romance releases.
- December 1996 releases with a gross
- 10
- combined worldwide
- $548.1M
- films crossed $100M
- 2
- vs November 1996
- +9%
#1 of 10 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Romance Hits of December 1996?
Jerry Maguire (1996) leads with $273.6M, 50% of the total. The top 5 together took $528.9M, 97% of what all 10 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 December 1996, 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 1996.
- 1 Dec 13, 1996 US and Canada: $154M Rest of the world: $119.6M Worldwide: $273.6M
- 2 Dec 25, 1996 US and Canada: $95.3M Rest of the world: $24.4M Worldwide: $119.7M
- 3 Dec 20, 1996 US and Canada: $46.2M Rest of the world: $51.4M Worldwide: $97.5M
- 4 Dec 18, 1996 US and Canada: $14.5M Rest of the world: $10.9M Worldwide: $25.4M
- 5 Dec 5, 1996 US and Canada: $12.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.8M
- 6
Dec 6, 1996 US and Canada: $9.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.8M - 7
Dec 13, 1996 US and Canada: $498.2K Rest of the world: $4.1M Worldwide: $4.6M - 8
Dec 24, 1996 US and Canada: $3.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.7M - 9
Dec 25, 1996 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1M - 10
Dec 10, 1996 US and Canada: $50.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $50.8K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1996?
Of the top 10, The Evening Star (1996) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Whisper of the Heart (1996) made 89% of its gross abroad. Across all 10 films, $337.7M (62%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Jerry Maguire (1996) $273.6M $154M US & Canada · 56% $119.6M elsewhere · 44%
- 2 Michael (1996) $119.7M $95.3M US & Canada · 80% $24.4M elsewhere · 20%
- 3 One Fine Day (1996) $97.5M $46.2M US & Canada · 47% $51.4M elsewhere · 53%
- 4 In Love and War (1996) $25.4M $14.5M US & Canada · 57% $10.9M elsewhere · 43%
- 5 The Evening Star (1996) $12.8M $12.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Everyone Says I Love You (1996) $9.8M $9.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Whisper of the Heart (1996) $4.6M $498.2K US & Canada · 11% $4.1M elsewhere · 89%
- 8 The Portrait of a Lady (1996) $3.7M $3.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Thieves (1996) $1M $1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Johns (1996) $50.8K $50.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many December 1996 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
2 of 10 films crossed $100M and took $393.3M between them, 72% of the total. 5 films, 50% of the list, earned under $10M.
72% 25%
- $1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $500M to $1B 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $100M to $500M 2 films, 20% of the list $393.3M · 72% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 3 films, 30% of the list $135.7M · 25% of the gross
- Under $10M 5 films, 50% of the list $19.1M · 3% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of December 1996 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 50 (Dec 8–14) took $278.2M, led by Jerry Maguire (1996). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Dec 1–7 The Evening Star (1996) $22.5M The Evening Star (1996)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 8–14 Jerry Maguire (1996) $278.2M Jerry Maguire (1996)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 15–21 One Fine Day (1996) $122.9M One Fine Day (1996)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 22–28 Michael (1996) $124.4M Michael (1996)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 29–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1996 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1996 earned the most: $548.1M from 10 films, led by Jerry Maguire (1996).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1987 4 films | 4 | $175.7M | – | Moonstruck (1987) $80.6M |
| December 1988 9 films · +68% | 9 | $295.5M | +68% | Working Girl (1988) $103M |
| December 1989 3 films · −67% | 3 | $96.2M | −67% | Always (1989) $74.1M |
| December 1990 8 films · +94% | 8 | $186.2M | +94% | Edward Scissorhands (1990) $86M |
| December 1991 4 films · −57% | 4 | $79.5M | −57% | The Prince of Tides (1991) $74.8M |
| December 1992 4 films · +114% | 4 | $170.3M | +114% | Forever Young (1992) $128M |
| December 1993 6 films · +64% | 6 | $279.1M | +64% | The Pelican Brief (1993) $195.3M |
| December 1994 7 films · −41% | 7 | $165.6M | −41% | The Jungle Book (1994) $52.4M |
| December 1995 7 films · +122% | 7 | $367.9M | +122% | Sense and Sensibility (1995) $134.6M |
| December 1996 10 films · +49% | 10 | $548.1M | +49% | Jerry Maguire (1996) $273.6M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Romance Movies Speak in December 1996?
English-language romance films took $422.7M across 7 films, 77% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language romance films ($4.6M) and French-language romance films ($1M).
Archive
Romance Box Office in 1996, Month by Month
The months of 1996 with their totals: June leads with $624.6M, led by The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996).
- January $17.1M #1 Two If by Sea (1996)
- February $103.7M #1 Happy Gilmore (1996)
- March $111.8M #1 Up Close & Personal (1996)
- April $80.6M #1 A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996)
- May $12M #1 Cold Comfort Farm (1996)
- June $624.6M #1 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
- July $174.4M #1 Phenomenon (1996)
- August $85.8M #1 Tin Cup (1996)
- September $11.7M #1 Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996)
- October $26M #1 High School High (1996)
- November $504M #1 The English Patient (1996)
- December $548.1M #1 Jerry Maguire (1996)
FAQ
Romance Box Office December 1996: 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 10 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing romance movie in December 1996?
Jerry Maguire (1996) leads with $273.6M worldwide, $154M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Michael (1996) at $119.7M and One Fine Day (1996) at $97.5M.
How much did romance movies released in December 1996 earn?
10 romance films released in December 1996 report a worldwide gross, $548.1M in all, or $54.8M per film on average. November 1996 releases took $504M.
How many romance movies released in December 1996 made $1 billion?
None. 2 films crossed $100 million, led by Jerry Maguire (1996) with $273.6M.
How is the December 1996 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 1996. 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 1996 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.