#1 of 9 #1 thriller movie of September 1988
1988 · Drama, Romance
$10M worldwide · 36% of the chart's total
$10M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Thriller box office · September 1988
Thriller Box Office, September 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Criminal Law (1988) is the highest-grossing thriller movie released in September 1988, with $10M worldwide, ahead of Dead Ringers (1988) at $8M and Messenger of Death (1988) at $3.1M. 9 thriller films released in September 1988 report a worldwide gross, $27.4M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 78% on August 1988, whose releases took $126.1M. By language, English leads with $19.3M across 7 thriller releases.
- September 1988 releases with a gross
- 9
- combined worldwide
- $27.4M
- Criminal Law (1988), the #1
- $10M
- vs August 1988
- −78%
#1 of 9 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Thriller Hits of September 1988?
Criminal Law (1988) leads with $10M, 36% of the total. The top 5 together took $24.8M, 91% of what all 9 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 September 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 September 1988.
- 1 Sep 15, 1988 US and Canada: $10M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10M
- 2 Sep 23, 1988 US and Canada: $8M Rest of the world: $688 Worldwide: $8M
- 3 Sep 16, 1988 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.1M
- 4 Sep 23, 1988 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.4M
- 5 Sep 30, 1988 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M
- 6
Sep 2, 1988 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: $550 Worldwide: $1.1M - 7
Sep 29, 1988 US and Canada: $747K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $747K - 8
Sep 15, 1988 US and Canada: $657.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $657.2K - 9
Sep 16, 1988 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $25.4K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in September 1988?
Of the top 9, Criminal Law (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Miracle Mile (1988) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 9 films, $27.3M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 9 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Criminal Law (1988) $10M $10M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Dead Ringers (1988) $8M $8M US & Canada · 100% $688 elsewhere · <1%
- 3 Messenger of Death (1988) $3.1M $3.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Kansas (1988) $2.4M $2.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Apartment Zero (1988) $1.3M $1.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Miracle Mile (1988) $1.1M $1.1M US & Canada · 100% $550 elsewhere · <1%
- 7 The Girl in a Swing (1988) $747K $747K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 War Party (1988) $657.2K $657.2K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 The Needle (1988) $25.4K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of September 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 38 (Sep 11–17) took $13.7M, led by Criminal Law (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 36 Wk 36 Aug 28–Sep 3 Miracle Mile (1988) $1.1M Miracle Mile (1988)
- Week 37 Wk 37 Sep 4–10 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 38 Wk 38 Sep 11–17 Criminal Law (1988) $13.7M Criminal Law (1988)
- Week 39 Wk 39 Sep 18–24 Dead Ringers (1988) $10.5M Dead Ringers (1988)
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 25–Oct 1 Apartment Zero (1988) $2M Apartment Zero (1988)
Earlier years
How Does September 1988 Compare With September in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, September 1987 earned the most: $364.9M from 10 films, led by Fatal Attraction (1987). September 1988 took $27.4M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1979 1 film | 1 | $633 | – | Disco Godfather (1979) $633 |
| September 1980 1 film · +9247% | 1 | $59.2K | +9247% | Phobia (1980) $59.2K |
| September 1981 1 film · −34% | 1 | $39K | −34% | The Girl with the Red Hair (1981) $39K |
| September 1982 1 film · +3680% | 1 | $1.5M | +3680% | Endangered Species (1982) $1.5M |
| September 1983 3 films · +1624% | 3 | $25.4M | +1624% | Revenge of the Ninja (1983) $13.2M |
| September 1984 3 films · −8% | 3 | $23.5M | −8% | The Evil That Men Do (1984) $13.1M |
| September 1985 4 films · +22% | 4 | $28.6M | +22% | Invasion U.S.A. (1985) $17.5M |
| September 1986 4 films · −26% | 4 | $21.1M | −26% | Blue Velvet (1986) $8.7M |
| September 1987 10 films · +1628% | 10 | $364.9M | +1628% | Fatal Attraction (1987) $320.1M |
| September 1988 9 films · −93% | 9 | $27.4M | −93% | Criminal Law (1988) $10M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Thriller Movies Speak in September 1988?
English-language thriller films took $19.3M across 7 films, 71% of the total, ahead of Russian-language thriller films ($25.4K).
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 September 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 9 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing thriller movie in September 1988?
Criminal Law (1988) leads with $10M worldwide, $10M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Dead Ringers (1988) at $8M and Messenger of Death (1988) at $3.1M.
How much did thriller movies released in September 1988 earn?
9 thriller films released in September 1988 report a worldwide gross, $27.4M in all, or $3M per film on average. August 1988 releases took $126.1M.
How many thriller movies released in September 1988 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Criminal Law (1988), earned $10M.
How is the September 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 September 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 September 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.