#1 of 3 #1 thriller movie of December 1988
1988 · Action, Thriller
$41.3M worldwide · 76% of the chart's total
$41.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Thriller box office · December 1988
Thriller Box Office, December 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Tequila Sunrise (1988) is the highest-grossing thriller movie released in December 1988, with $41.3M worldwide, ahead of Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) at $12.1M and Watchers (1988) at $940.2K. 3 thriller films released in December 1988 report a worldwide gross, $54.3M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada.
- December 1988 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $54.3M
- Tequila Sunrise (1988), the #1
- $41.3M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 100%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Thriller Hits of December 1988?
Tequila Sunrise (1988) leads with $41.3M, 76% of the total. The top 3 together took $54.3M, almost all of what the 3 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
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Thriller 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 2, 1988 US and Canada: $41.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $41.3M
- 2 Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $12.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.1M
- 3 Dec 2, 1988 US and Canada: $940.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $940.2K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1988?
Of the top 3, Tequila Sunrise (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Watchers (1988) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $54.3M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Tequila Sunrise (1988) $41.3M $41.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) $12.1M $12.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Watchers (1988) $940.2K $940.2K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of December 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 49 (Nov 27–Dec 3) took $42.2M, led by Tequila Sunrise (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 27–Dec 3 Tequila Sunrise (1988) $42.2M Tequila Sunrise (1988)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 4–10 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 11–17 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 18–24 Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) $12.1M Hellbound: Hellraiser II (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 1984 earned the most: $380.7M from 4 films, led by Beverly Hills Cop (1984). December 1988 took $54.3M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1979 2 films | 2 | $6M | – | Cuba (1979) $5.6M |
| December 1980 3 films · +834% | 3 | $55.9M | +834% | Flash Gordon (1980) $27.2M |
| December 1981 5 films · +110% | 5 | $117.4M | +110% | Absence of Malice (1981) $40.7M |
| December 1982 1 film · −33% | 1 | $78.9M | −33% | 48 Hrs. (1982) $78.9M |
| December 1983 5 films · +90% | 5 | $149.7M | +90% | Sudden Impact (1983) $67.6M |
| December 1984 4 films · +154% | 4 | $380.7M | +154% | Beverly Hills Cop (1984) $316.4M |
| December 1985 2 films · −91% | 2 | $34.4M | −91% | Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) $19.7M |
| December 1986 1 film · −27% | 1 | $25.1M | −27% | The Morning After (1986) $25.1M |
| December 1987 2 films · +131% | 2 | $58.2M | +131% | Throw Momma from the Train (1987) $57.9M |
| December 1988 3 films · −7% | 3 | $54.3M | −7% | Tequila Sunrise (1988) $41.3M |
Archive
Thriller Box Office in 1988, Month by Month
The months of 1988 with their totals: July leads with $275.8M, led by Die Hard (1988).
- January No grosses
- February $89M #1 Shoot to Kill (1988)
- March $38.3M #1 Masquerade (1988)
- April $59.9M #1 The Seventh Sign (1988)
- May $221.8M #1 Rambo III (1988)
- June $69.4M #1 Red Heat (1988)
- July $275.8M #1 Die Hard (1988)
- August $126.1M #1 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
- September $27.4M #1 Criminal Law (1988)
- October $19.7M #1 Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
- November $13.5M #1 They Live (1988)
- December $54.3M #1 Tequila Sunrise (1988)
FAQ
Thriller 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 3 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing thriller movie in December 1988?
Tequila Sunrise (1988) leads with $41.3M worldwide, $41.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) at $12.1M and Watchers (1988) at $940.2K.
How much did thriller movies released in December 1988 earn?
3 thriller films released in December 1988 report a worldwide gross, $54.3M in all, or $18.1M per film on average.
How many thriller movies released in December 1988 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Tequila Sunrise (1988), earned $41.3M.
How is the December 1988 thriller 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 thriller 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.