#1 of 51 #1 thriller movie of 1989
1989 · Thriller, Crime
$411.6M worldwide · 23% of the chart's total
$251.4M US & Canada · 61% $160.2M elsewhere · 39%
Thriller box office · 1989
Thriller Box Office 1989: Highest-Grossing Thriller Movies
Batman (1989) is the highest-grossing thriller movie released in 1989, with $411.6M worldwide, ahead of Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) at $227.9M and The War of the Roses (1989) at $160.2M. 51 thriller films released in 1989 report a worldwide gross, $1.8B in all, 68% of it from the US & Canada. 5 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 81% on 1988, whose releases took $995.3M. By language, English leads with $1.8B across 50 thriller releases.
- 1989 releases with a gross
- 51
- combined worldwide
- $1.8B
- films crossed $100M
- 5
- vs 1988
- +81%
#1 of 51 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Thriller Hits of 1989?
Batman (1989) leads with $411.6M, 23% of the total. The top 5 together took $1.1B, 60% of what all 51 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 1989, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 51. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1989.
- 1 Jun 23, 1989 US and Canada: $251.4M Rest of the world: $160.2M Worldwide: $411.6M
- 2 Jul 7, 1989 US and Canada: $147.3M Rest of the world: $80.6M Worldwide: $227.9M
- 3 Dec 1, 1989 US and Canada: $86.9M Rest of the world: $73.3M Worldwide: $160.2M
- 4 Jul 14, 1989 US and Canada: $34.7M Rest of the world: $121.5M Worldwide: $156.2M
- 5 Sep 22, 1989 US and Canada: $46.2M Rest of the world: $88M Worldwide: $134.2M
- 6
Aug 9, 1989 US and Canada: $55M Rest of the world: $35.5M Worldwide: $90.5M - 7
Jul 28, 1989 US and Canada: $71.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $71.1M - 8
Dec 22, 1989 US and Canada: $63.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $63.4M - 9
Apr 21, 1989 US and Canada: $57.5M Rest of the world: $671 Worldwide: $57.5M - 10
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)Jun 9, 1989 US and Canada: $52.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $52.2M
Jun 9, 1989 · English · Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi $52.2M worldwide - 11
Feb 17, 1989 US and Canada: $36.6M Rest of the world: $12.5M Worldwide: $49.1M - 12
Jan 27, 1989 US and Canada: $34.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.6M - 13
May 19, 1989 US and Canada: $30.1M Rest of the world: $2.1K Worldwide: $30.1M - 14
Apr 7, 1989 US and Canada: $28.9M Rest of the world: $16.9K Worldwide: $28.9M - 15
Aug 4, 1989 US and Canada: $22.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.1M - 16
Oct 6, 1989 US and Canada: $20M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20M - 17
Oct 27, 1989 US and Canada: $16.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.6M - 18
Oct 20, 1989 US and Canada: $15.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.9M - 19
Mar 17, 1989 US and Canada: $15.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.7M - 20
Sep 8, 1989 US and Canada: $14.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.7M - 21
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)Jul 28, 1989 US and Canada: $14.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.3M Jul 28, 1989 · English · Adventure, Thriller, Horror $14.3M worldwide - 22
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)Oct 13, 1989 US and Canada: $11.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.6M Oct 13, 1989 · English · Thriller, Horror $11.6M worldwide - 23
Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $10.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.6M - 24
Apr 7, 1989 US and Canada: $10.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.2M - 25
Jun 2, 1989 US and Canada: $9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9M - 26
Jan 13, 1989 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M - 27
Mar 24, 1989 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M - 28
Apr 7, 1989 US and Canada: $7.8M Rest of the world: $126 Worldwide: $7.8M - 29
Sep 29, 1989 US and Canada: $7.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.2M - 30
Aug 30, 1989 US and Canada: $7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7M - 31
Dec 22, 1989 US and Canada: $6.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.3M - 32
Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $5.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.8M - 33
Jan 13, 1989 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6M - 34
Feb 17, 1989 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6M - 35
Sep 20, 1989 US and Canada: $3.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.8M - 36
Jan 27, 1989 US and Canada: $3.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.6M - 37
Feb 3, 1989 US and Canada: $3.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.4M - 38
Nov 10, 1989 US and Canada: $1.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.9M - 39
Sep 22, 1989 US and Canada: $1.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.8M - 40
Sep 1, 1989 US and Canada: $618.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $618.2K - 41
Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989)Aug 18, 1989 US and Canada: $536.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $536.5K Aug 18, 1989 · English · Thriller, Drama, Music $536.5K worldwide - 42
Nov 14, 1989 US and Canada: $336.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $336.8K - 43
Mar 3, 1989 US and Canada: $294.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $294.3K - 44
Oct 27, 1989 US and Canada: $283.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $283.7K - 45
May 12, 1989 US and Canada: $166.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $166.6K - 46
Nov 3, 1989 US and Canada: $76.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $76.3K - 47
Nov 29, 1989 US and Canada: $59.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $59.4K - 48
Dec 1, 1989 US and Canada: $13.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.1K - 49
Oct 6, 1989 US and Canada: $4.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.8K - 50
Mar 3, 1989 US and Canada: $4.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1989?
Of the top 10, Turner & Hooch (1989) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Licence to Kill (1989) made 78% of its gross abroad. Across all 51 films, $1.2B (68%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Batman (1989) $411.6M $251.4M US & Canada · 61% $160.2M elsewhere · 39%
- 2 Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) $227.9M $147.3M US & Canada · 65% $80.6M elsewhere · 35%
- 3 The War of the Roses (1989) $160.2M $86.9M US & Canada · 54% $73.3M elsewhere · 46%
- 4 Licence to Kill (1989) $156.2M $34.7M US & Canada · 22% $121.5M elsewhere · 78%
- 5 Black Rain (1989) $134.2M $46.2M US & Canada · 34% $88M elsewhere · 66%
- 6 The Abyss (1989) $90.5M $55M US & Canada · 61% $35.5M elsewhere · 39%
- 7 Turner & Hooch (1989) $71.1M $71.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Tango & Cash (1989) $63.4M $63.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Pet Sematary (1989) $57.5M $57.5M US & Canada · 100% $671 elsewhere · <1%
- 10 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) $52.2M $52.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many 1989 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
5 of 51 films crossed $100M and took $1.1B between them, 60% of the total. 27 films, 53% of the list, earned under $10M.
60% 35%
- $1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $500M to $1B 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $100M to $500M 5 films, 10% of the list $1.1B · 60% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 19 films, 37% of the list $629.2M · 35% of the gross
- Under $10M 27 films, 53% of the list $85.4M · 5% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1989 Earned the Most?
June releases took the most, $472.8M from 3 films, led by Batman (1989). November was the quietest month ($2.4M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Mississippi Burning (1989) $50.9M Mississippi Burning (1989)
- February Feb The 'Burbs (1989) $57.1M The 'Burbs (1989)
- March Mar Leviathan (1989) $24.1M Leviathan (1989)
- April Apr Pet Sematary (1989) $104.4M Pet Sematary (1989)
- May May Road House (1989) $30.2M Road House (1989)
- June Jun Batman (1989) $472.8M Batman (1989)
- July Jul Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) $469.4M Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- August Aug The Abyss (1989) $136.6M The Abyss (1989)
- September Sep Black Rain (1989) $162.3M Black Rain (1989)
- October Oct An Innocent Man (1989) $64.5M An Innocent Man (1989)
- November Nov Communion (1989) $2.4M Communion (1989)
- December Dec The War of the Roses (1989) $229.9M The War of the Roses (1989)
Last 10 years
How Does 1989 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1989 earned the most: $1.8B from 51 films, led by Batman (1989).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 21 films | 21 | $291.5M | – | The Shining (1980) $48M |
| 1981 36 films · +36% | 36 | $397.1M | +36% | For Your Eyes Only (1981) $54.8M |
| 1982 32 films · +53% | 32 | $608M | +53% | First Blood (1982) $125.2M |
| 1983 30 films · +96% | 30 | $1.2B | +96% | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M |
| 1984 33 films · −31% | 33 | $822.8M | −31% | Beverly Hills Cop (1984) $316.4M |
| 1985 45 films · +10% | 45 | $908.2M | +10% | Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) $300.4M |
| 1986 38 films · −37% | 38 | $571.7M | −37% | Aliens (1986) $131.1M |
| 1987 65 films · +190% | 65 | $1.7B | +190% | Fatal Attraction (1987) $320.1M |
| 1988 58 films · −40% | 58 | $995.3M | −40% | Rambo III (1988) $189M |
| 1989 51 films · +81% | 51 | $1.8B | +81% | Batman (1989) $411.6M |
Archive
Thriller Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1920 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2015 leads with $12.8B, led by Jurassic World (2015).
2020s 7 years · $38.5B
- 2026 so far $2.6B #1 Project Hail Mary (2026)
- 2025 $7.7B #1 Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)
- 2024 $5.7B #1 Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
- 2023 $7.9B #1 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
- 2022 $7.1B #1 Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
- 2021 $5.5B #1 No Time to Die (2021)
- 2020 $2B #1 Bad Boys for Life (2020)
2010s 10 years · $93.9B
- 2019 $8.6B #1 Joker (2019)
- 2018 $10B #1 Venom (2018)
- 2017 $10.2B #1 The Fate of the Furious (2017)
- 2016 $7.6B #1 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- 2015 $12.8B #1 Jurassic World (2015)
- 2014 $8.5B #1 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)
- 2013 $10.5B #1 Iron Man 3 (2013)
- 2012 $12B #1 The Avengers (2012)
- 2011 $5B #1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
- 2010 $8.6B #1 Inception (2010)
2000s 10 years · $67.5B
- 2009 $8.6B #1 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
- 2008 $8.5B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $8.8B #1 Spider-Man 3 (2007)
- 2006 $7B #1 The Da Vinci Code (2006)
- 2005 $5.8B #1 War of the Worlds (2005)
- 2004 $6.7B #1 Spider-Man 2 (2004)
- 2003 $6.6B #1 The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
- 2002 $5.2B #1 Die Another Day (2002)
- 2001 $5.3B #1 Ocean's Eleven (2001)
- 2000 $5B #1 Mission: Impossible II (2000)
1990s 10 years · $36B
- 1999 $5.2B #1 The Sixth Sense (1999)
- 1998 $4.2B #1 Armageddon (1998)
- 1997 $5.1B #1 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
- 1996 $5B #1 Independence Day (1996)
- 1995 $3.9B #1 Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)
- 1994 $2.9B #1 True Lies (1994)
- 1993 $2.3B #1 The Fugitive (1993)
- 1992 $2.3B #1 Basic Instinct (1992)
- 1991 $2.2B #1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- 1990 $3B #1 Ghost (1990)
1980s 10 years · $9.2B
- 1989 $1.8B #1 Batman (1989)
- 1988 $995.3M #1 Rambo III (1988)
- 1987 $1.7B #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- 1986 $571.7M #1 Aliens (1986)
- 1985 $908.2M #1 Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- 1984 $822.8M #1 Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
- 1983 $1.2B #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- 1982 $608M #1 First Blood (1982)
- 1981 $397.1M #1 For Your Eyes Only (1981)
- 1980 $291.5M #1 The Shining (1980)
1970s 10 years · $3.5B
- 1979 $452.1M #1 Moonraker (1979)
- 1978 $674.5M #1 Superman (1978)
- 1977 $161.1M #1 The Deep (1977)
- 1976 $200.3M #1 All the President's Men (1976)
- 1975 $589.1M #1 Jaws (1975)
- 1974 $352.9M #1 The Towering Inferno (1974)
- 1973 $509M #1 The Exorcist (1973)
- 1972 $334.9M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- 1971 $141.7M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $120.3M #1 Airport (1970)
1960s 10 years · $273.6M
- 1969 $24.3M #1 On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
- 1968 $3.7M #1 Coogan’s Bluff (1968)
- 1967 $43.9M #1 You Only Live Twice (1967)
- 1966 $47.4K #1 Blow-Up (1966)
- 1965 $114.9M #1 Thunderball (1965)
- 1964 $34.5M #1 From Russia with Love (1964)
- 1963 $16.6M #1 Dr. No (1963)
- 1962 $2.9M #1 The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
- 1961 $69.7K #1 Yojimbo (1961)
- 1960 $32.7M #1 Psycho (1960)
1950s 10 years · $52.7M
- 1959 $215.4K #1 North by Northwest (1959)
- 1958 $10.7M #1 Vertigo (1958)
- 1957 $27.4K #1 The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
- 1956 $18.2K #1 The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
- 1955 $2.3M #1 Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
- 1954 $38.5M #1 Rear Window (1954)
- 1953 $46.2K #1 The Wages of Fear (1953)
- 1952 $26K #1 Sudden Fear (1952)
- 1951 $52K #1 Strangers on a Train (1951)
- 1950 $816.7K #1 Shadow on the Wall (1950)
1940s 10 years · $12.3M
- 1949 $1.5M #1 The Third Man (1949)
- 1948 $464.6K #1 The Fallen Idol (1948)
- 1947 $79K #1 Odd Man Out (1947)
- 1946 $10M #1 Cloak and Dagger (1946)
- 1945 $94.2K #1 Dead of Night (1945)
- 1944 $23.6K #1 Double Indemnity (1944)
- 1943 $37K #1 Le Corbeau (1943)
- 1942 $47.5K #1 Went the Day Well? (1942)
- 1941 $19 #1 Suspicion (1941)
- 1940 $114.1K #1 Rebecca (1940)
1930s 7 years · $195.5K
FAQ
Thriller Box Office 1989: 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 51 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing thriller movie in 1989?
Batman (1989) leads with $411.6M worldwide, $251.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) at $227.9M and The War of the Roses (1989) at $160.2M.
How much did thriller movies released in 1989 earn?
51 thriller films released in 1989 report a worldwide gross, $1.8B in all, or $35.4M per film on average. 1988 releases took $995.3M.
How many thriller movies released in 1989 made $1 billion?
None. 5 films crossed $100 million, led by Batman (1989) with $411.6M.
How is the 1989 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 1989. 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 1989 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.