#1 of 6 #1 sci-fi movie of August 1986
1986 · Sci-Fi, Thriller
$60.6M worldwide · 49% of the chart's total
$40.5M US & Canada · 67% $20.2M elsewhere · 33%
Sci-Fi box office · August 1986
Sci-Fi Box Office, August 1986: Top-Grossing Releases
The Fly (1986) is the highest-grossing sci-fi movie released in August 1986, with $60.6M worldwide, ahead of Howard the Duck (1986) at $38M and Flight of the Navigator (1986) at $18.6M. 6 sci-fi films released in August 1986 report a worldwide gross, $123.6M in all, 66% of it from the US & Canada. By language, English leads with $123.6M across 6 sci-fi releases.
- August 1986 releases with a gross
- 6
- combined worldwide
- $123.6M
- The Fly (1986), the #1
- $60.6M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 66%
#1 of 6 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Sci-Fi Hits of August 1986?
The Fly (1986) leads with $60.6M, 49% of the total. The top 5 together took $123.6M, almost all of what the 6 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 Sci-Fi Release of August 1986, 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 August 1986.
- 1 Aug 15, 1986 US and Canada: $40.5M Rest of the world: $20.2M Worldwide: $60.6M
- 2 Aug 1, 1986 US and Canada: $16.3M Rest of the world: $21.7M Worldwide: $38M
- 3 Aug 1, 1986 US and Canada: $18.6M Rest of the world: $1.4K Worldwide: $18.6M
- 4 The Transformers: The Movie (1986)Aug 8, 1986 US and Canada: $5.8M Rest of the world: $12.9K Worldwide: $5.9M
Aug 8, 1986 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $5.9M worldwide - 5 Aug 22, 1986 US and Canada: $591.4K Rest of the world: $476 Worldwide: $591.8K
- 6
Aug 13, 1986 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.3K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in August 1986?
Of the top 6, Flight of the Navigator (1986) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Howard the Duck (1986) made 57% of its gross abroad. Across all 6 films, $81.8M (66%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 6 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 The Fly (1986) $60.6M $40.5M US & Canada · 67% $20.2M elsewhere · 33%
- 2 Howard the Duck (1986) $38M $16.3M US & Canada · 43% $21.7M elsewhere · 57%
- 3 Flight of the Navigator (1986) $18.6M $18.6M US & Canada · 100% $1.4K elsewhere · <1%
- 4 The Transformers: The Movie (1986) $5.9M $5.8M US & Canada · 100% $12.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Night of the Creeps (1986) $591.8K $591.4K US & Canada · 100% $476 elsewhere · <1%
- 6 Dead End Drive-In (1986) $1.3K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of August 1986 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 33 (Aug 10–16) took $60.6M, led by The Fly (1986). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 31 Wk 31 Jul 27–Aug 2 Howard the Duck (1986) $56.5M Howard the Duck (1986)
- Week 32 Wk 32 Aug 3–9 The Transformers: The Movie (1986) $5.9M The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
- Week 33 Wk 33 Aug 10–16 The Fly (1986) $60.6M The Fly (1986)
- Week 34 Wk 34 Aug 17–23 Night of the Creeps (1986) $591.8K Night of the Creeps (1986)
- Week 35 Wk 35 Aug 24–30 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 36 Wk 36 Aug 31–Sep 6 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does August 1986 Compare With August in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, August 1986 earned the most: $123.6M from 6 films, led by The Fly (1986).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1977 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1978 1 film | 1 | $321 | – | Piranha (1978) $321 |
| August 1979 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1980 2 films | 2 | $39.4M | – | Xanadu (1980) $22.8M |
| August 1981 1 film · −99% | 1 | $547.6K | −99% | Heavy Metal (1981) $547.6K |
| August 1982 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| August 1983 3 films | 3 | $16.3M | – | Strange Brew (1983) $8.6M |
| August 1984 4 films · +91% | 4 | $31.2M | +91% | Dreamscape (1984) $12.1M |
| August 1985 8 films · +156% | 8 | $79.9M | +156% | Weird Science (1985) $38.9M |
| August 1986 6 films · +55% | 6 | $123.6M | +55% | The Fly (1986) $60.6M |
Archive
Sci-Fi Box Office in 1986, Month by Month
The months of 1986 with their totals: July leads with $138.5M, led by Aliens (1986).
- January $4.6M #1 Eliminators (1986)
- February $332.3K #1 TerrorVision (1986)
- March $1.3M #1 GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords (1986)
- April $13.2M #1 Critters (1986)
- May $40.7M #1 Short Circuit (1986)
- June $18.5M #1 SpaceCamp (1986)
- July $138.5M #1 Aliens (1986)
- August $123.6M #1 The Fly (1986)
- September No grosses
- October $10.3M #1 Deadly Friend (1986)
- November $114.8M #1 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
- December $39.1M #1 Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
FAQ
Sci-Fi Box Office August 1986: 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 6 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing sci-fi movie in August 1986?
The Fly (1986) leads with $60.6M worldwide, $40.5M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Howard the Duck (1986) at $38M and Flight of the Navigator (1986) at $18.6M.
How much did sci-fi movies released in August 1986 earn?
6 sci-fi films released in August 1986 report a worldwide gross, $123.6M in all, or $20.6M per film on average.
How many sci-fi movies released in August 1986 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Fly (1986), earned $60.6M.
How is the August 1986 sci-fi 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 August 1986. 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 August 1986 sci-fi 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.