#1 of 6 #1 thriller movie of August 1989
1989 · Action, Adventure
$90.5M worldwide · 66% of the chart's total
$55M US & Canada · 61% $35.5M elsewhere · 39%
Thriller box office · August 1989
Thriller Box Office, August 1989: Top-Grossing Releases
The Abyss (1989) is the highest-grossing thriller movie released in August 1989, with $90.5M worldwide, ahead of Lock Up (1989) at $22.1M and The Package (1989) at $10.6M. 6 thriller films released in August 1989 report a worldwide gross, $136.6M in all, 74% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 71% on July 1989, whose releases took $469.4M. By language, English leads with $136.6M across 6 thriller releases.
- August 1989 releases with a gross
- 6
- combined worldwide
- $136.6M
- The Abyss (1989), the #1
- $90.5M
- vs July 1989
- −71%
#1 of 6 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Thriller Hits of August 1989?
The Abyss (1989) leads with $90.5M, 66% of the total. The top 5 together took $136M, almost all of what the 6 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 August 1989, 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 August 1989.
- 1 Aug 9, 1989 US and Canada: $55M Rest of the world: $35.5M Worldwide: $90.5M
- 2 Aug 4, 1989 US and Canada: $22.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.1M
- 3 Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $10.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.6M
- 4 Aug 30, 1989 US and Canada: $7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7M
- 5 Aug 25, 1989 US and Canada: $5.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.8M
- 6
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
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in August 1989?
Of the top 6, Lock Up (1989) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Abyss (1989) made 39% of its gross abroad. Across all 6 films, $101M (74%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Abyss (1989) $90.5M $55M US & Canada · 61% $35.5M elsewhere · 39%
- 2 Lock Up (1989) $22.1M $22.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Package (1989) $10.6M $10.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Relentless (1989) $7M $7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Millennium (1989) $5.8M $5.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989) $536.5K $536.5K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of August 1989 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 32 (Aug 6–12) took $90.5M, led by The Abyss (1989). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 31 Wk 31 Jul 30–Aug 5 Lock Up (1989) $22.1M Lock Up (1989)
- Week 32 Wk 32 Aug 6–12 The Abyss (1989) $90.5M The Abyss (1989)
- Week 33 Wk 33 Aug 13–19 Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989) $536.5K Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989)
- Week 34 Wk 34 Aug 20–26 The Package (1989) $16.4M The Package (1989)
- Week 35 Wk 35 Aug 27–Sep 2 Relentless (1989) $7M Relentless (1989)
Earlier years
How Does August 1989 Compare With August in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, August 1987 earned the most: $164.4M from 9 films, led by Stakeout (1987). August 1989 took $136.6M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1980 2 films | 2 | $35.2M | – | The Octagon (1980) $19M |
| August 1981 2 films · −32% | 2 | $24.1M | −32% | Body Heat (1981) $24.1M |
| August 1982 1 film · +53% | 1 | $36.7M | +53% | Friday the 13th Part III (1982) $36.7M |
| August 1983 2 films · −27% | 2 | $26.7M | −27% | Cujo (1983) $21.2M |
| August 1984 4 films · +170% | 4 | $72.2M | +170% | Tightrope (1984) $48.1M |
| August 1985 5 films · −14% | 5 | $62.2M | −14% | Fright Night (1985) $24.9M |
| August 1986 7 films · +79% | 7 | $111M | +79% | The Fly (1986) $60.6M |
| August 1987 9 films · +48% | 9 | $164.4M | +48% | Stakeout (1987) $65.7M |
| August 1988 4 films · −23% | 4 | $126.1M | −23% | A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) $49.4M |
| August 1989 6 films · +8% | 6 | $136.6M | +8% | The Abyss (1989) $90.5M |
Archive
Thriller Box Office in 1989, Month by Month
The months of 1989 with their totals: June leads with $472.8M, led by Batman (1989).
- January $50.9M #1 Mississippi Burning (1989)
- February $57.1M #1 The 'Burbs (1989)
- March $24.1M #1 Leviathan (1989)
- April $104.4M #1 Pet Sematary (1989)
- May $30.2M #1 Road House (1989)
- June $472.8M #1 Batman (1989)
- July $469.4M #1 Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- August $136.6M #1 The Abyss (1989)
- September $162.3M #1 Black Rain (1989)
- October $64.5M #1 An Innocent Man (1989)
- November $2.4M #1 Communion (1989)
- December $229.9M #1 The War of the Roses (1989)
FAQ
Thriller Box Office August 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 6 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing thriller movie in August 1989?
The Abyss (1989) leads with $90.5M worldwide, $55M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Lock Up (1989) at $22.1M and The Package (1989) at $10.6M.
How much did thriller movies released in August 1989 earn?
6 thriller films released in August 1989 report a worldwide gross, $136.6M in all, or $22.8M per film on average. July 1989 releases took $469.4M.
How many thriller movies released in August 1989 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Abyss (1989), earned $90.5M.
How is the August 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 August 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 August 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.