#1 of 7 #1 thriller movie of May 1988
1988 · Action, Adventure
$189M worldwide · 85% of the chart's total
$53.7M US & Canada · 28% $135.3M elsewhere · 72%
Thriller box office · May 1988
Thriller Box Office, May 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Rambo III (1988) is the highest-grossing thriller movie released in May 1988, with $189M worldwide, ahead of Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) at $19.2M and Shakedown (1988) at $10.1M. 7 thriller films released in May 1988 report a worldwide gross, $221.8M in all, 39% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is 3.7 times the total of April 1988, whose releases took $59.9M. By language, English leads with $221.8M across 7 thriller releases.
- May 1988 releases with a gross
- 7
- combined worldwide
- $221.8M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs April 1988
- ×3.7
#1 of 7 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Thriller Hits of May 1988?
Rambo III (1988) leads with $189M, 85% of the total. The top 5 together took $221.4M, almost all of what the 7 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 Thriller 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 25, 1988 US and Canada: $53.7M Rest of the world: $135.3M Worldwide: $189M
- 2 Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)May 13, 1988 US and Canada: $19.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.2M
May 13, 1988 · English · Thriller, Horror $19.2M worldwide - 3 May 6, 1988 US and Canada: $10.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.1M
- 4 May 1, 1988 US and Canada: $1.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.8M
- 5 May 13, 1988 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M
- 6
May 20, 1988 US and Canada: $251.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $251.8K - 7
May 17, 1988 US and Canada: $191.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $191.1K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in May 1988?
Of the top 7, Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Rambo III (1988) made 72% of its gross abroad. Across all 7 films, $86.5M (39%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Rambo III (1988) $189M $53.7M US & Canada · 28% $135.3M elsewhere · 72%
- 2 Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) $19.2M $19.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Shakedown (1988) $10.1M $10.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Stormy Monday (1988) $1.8M $1.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Midnight Crossing (1988) $1.3M $1.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Call Me (1988) $251.8K $251.8K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 For Queen & Country (1988) $191.1K $191.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of May 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 22 (May 22–28) took $189M, led by Rambo III (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 19 Wk 19 May 1–7 Shakedown (1988) $11.9M Shakedown (1988)
- Week 20 Wk 20 May 8–14 Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) $20.5M Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
- Week 21 Wk 21 May 15–21 Call Me (1988) $442.9K Call Me (1988)
- Week 22 Wk 22 May 22–28 Rambo III (1988) $189M Rambo III (1988)
- 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 1983 earned the most: $550.8M from 4 films, led by Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). May 1988 took $221.8M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1979 3 films | 3 | $2.9M | – | Last Embrace (1979) $1.5M |
| May 1980 1 film · +1578% | 1 | $48M | +1578% | The Shining (1980) $48M |
| May 1981 3 films · −12% | 3 | $42.2M | −12% | Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) $21.7M |
| May 1982 6 films · +59% | 6 | $67.2M | +59% | The Road Warrior (1982) $23.7M |
| May 1983 4 films · +720% | 4 | $550.8M | +720% | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M |
| May 1984 3 films · −97% | 3 | $17.1M | −97% | Firestarter (1984) $17.1M |
| May 1985 6 films · +2180% | 6 | $389.7M | +2180% | Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) $300.4M |
| May 1986 2 films · −87% | 2 | $51.4M | −87% | Cobra (1986) $49M |
| May 1987 2 films · +489% | 2 | $303M | +489% | Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $300M |
| May 1988 7 films · −27% | 7 | $221.8M | −27% | Rambo III (1988) $189M |
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 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 7 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing thriller movie in May 1988?
Rambo III (1988) leads with $189M worldwide, $53.7M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) at $19.2M and Shakedown (1988) at $10.1M.
How much did thriller movies released in May 1988 earn?
7 thriller films released in May 1988 report a worldwide gross, $221.8M in all, or $31.7M per film on average. April 1988 releases took $59.9M.
How many thriller movies released in May 1988 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Rambo III (1988) with $189M.
How is the May 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 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 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.