#1 of 5 #1 sci-fi movie of December 1987
*batteries not included (1987)
1987 · Sci-Fi, Fantasy
$65.1M worldwide · 93% of the chart's total
$32.9M US & Canada · 51% $32.1M elsewhere · 49%
Sci-Fi box office · December 1987
Sci-Fi Box Office, December 1987: Top-Grossing Releases
*batteries not included (1987) is the highest-grossing sci-fi movie released in December 1987, with $65.1M worldwide, ahead of Leonard Part 6 (1987) at $4.6M and Gandahar (1987) at $370.7K. 5 sci-fi films released in December 1987 report a worldwide gross, $70.1M in all, 54% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 72% on November 1987, whose releases took $40.7M. By language, English leads with $69.7M across 3 sci-fi releases.
- December 1987 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $70.1M
- *batteries not included (1987), the #1
- $65.1M
- vs November 1987
- +72%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Sci-Fi Hits of December 1987?
*batteries not included (1987) leads with $65.1M, 93% of the total. The top 5 together took $70.1M, 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 Sci-Fi Release of December 1987, 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 1987.
- 1 Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $32.9M Rest of the world: $32.1M Worldwide: $65.1M
- 2 Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6M
- 3 Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $370.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $370.7K
- 4 Dec 3, 1987 US and Canada: $12.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.7K
- 5 Dec 13, 1987 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.5K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1987?
Of the top 5, Leonard Part 6 (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while *batteries not included (1987) made 49% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $37.9M (54%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 5 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 *batteries not included (1987) $65.1M $32.9M US & Canada · 51% $32.1M elsewhere · 49%
- 2 Leonard Part 6 (1987) $4.6M $4.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Gandahar (1987) $370.7K $370.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The Time Guardian (1987) $12.7K $12.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Mirror for a Hero (1987) $2.5K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of December 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 13–19) took $69.7M, led by *batteries not included (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 The Time Guardian (1987) $12.7K The Time Guardian (1987)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 Gandahar (1987) $370.7K Gandahar (1987)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 *batteries not included (1987) $69.7M *batteries not included (1987)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 27–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1987 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1978 earned the most: $325.4M from 2 films, led by Superman (1978). December 1987 took $70.1M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1978 2 films | 2 | $325.4M | – | Superman (1978) $300.5M |
| December 1979 2 films · −64% | 2 | $118.5M | −64% | Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) $82.7M |
| December 1980 2 films · −60% | 2 | $47M | −60% | Flash Gordon (1980) $27.2M |
| December 1981 1 film · −44% | 1 | $26.2M | −44% | Modern Problems (1981) $26.2M |
| December 1982 1 film · +4% | 1 | $27.2M | +4% | Airplane II: The Sequel (1982) $27.2M |
| December 1983 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| December 1984 4 films | 4 | $107.4M | – | 2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984) $40.4M |
| December 1985 2 films · −79% | 2 | $22.3M | −79% | Enemy Mine (1985) $12.3M |
| December 1986 2 films · +76% | 2 | $39.1M | +76% | Little Shop of Horrors (1986) $39.1M |
| December 1987 5 films · +79% | 5 | $70.1M | +79% | *batteries not included (1987) $65.1M |
Archive
Sci-Fi Box Office in 1987, Month by Month
The months of 1987 with their totals: June leads with $136.4M, led by Predator (1987).
- January $2.4M #1 The Kindred (1987)
- February $65K #1 Nice Girls Don’t Explode (1987)
- March $60.6K #1 Royal Space Force - The Wings of Honneamise (1987)
- April $23.2M #1 Project X (1987)
- May $159.7K #1 Gor (1987)
- June $136.4M #1 Predator (1987)
- July $56.2M #1 Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
- August $17.3M #1 Masters of the Universe (1987)
- September $3.9M #1 The Curse (1987)
- October $10.1M #1 The Hidden (1987)
- November $40.7M #1 The Running Man (1987)
- December $70.1M #1 *batteries not included (1987)
FAQ
Sci-Fi Box Office December 1987: 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 sci-fi movie in December 1987?
*batteries not included (1987) leads with $65.1M worldwide, $32.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Leonard Part 6 (1987) at $4.6M and Gandahar (1987) at $370.7K.
How much did sci-fi movies released in December 1987 earn?
5 sci-fi films released in December 1987 report a worldwide gross, $70.1M in all, or $14M per film on average. November 1987 releases took $40.7M.
How many sci-fi movies released in December 1987 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, *batteries not included (1987), earned $65.1M.
How is the December 1987 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 December 1987. 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 1987 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.