#1 of 3 #1 thriller movie of December 1996
1996 · Mystery, Thriller
$173M worldwide · 40% of the chart's total
$103M US & Canada · 60% $70M elsewhere · 40%
Thriller box office · December 1996
Thriller Box Office, December 1996: Top-Grossing Releases
Scream (1996) is the highest-grossing thriller movie released in December 1996, with $173M worldwide, ahead of Daylight (1996) at $159.2M and Mars Attacks! (1996) at $101.4M. 3 thriller films released in December 1996 report a worldwide gross, $433.6M in all, 40% of it from the US & Canada. 3 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 13% on November 1996, whose releases took $497.3M.
- December 1996 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $433.6M
- films crossed $100M
- 3
- vs November 1996
- −13%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest Thriller Hits of December 1996?
Scream (1996) leads with $173M, 40% of the total. The top 3 together took $433.6M, 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 1996, 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 1996.
- 1 Dec 20, 1996 US and Canada: $103M Rest of the world: $70M Worldwide: $173M
- 2 Dec 6, 1996 US and Canada: $33M Rest of the world: $126.2M Worldwide: $159.2M
- 3 Dec 13, 1996 US and Canada: $37.8M Rest of the world: $63.6M Worldwide: $101.4M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1996?
Of the top 3, Scream (1996) earned the biggest share at home (60% in the US & Canada), while Daylight (1996) made 79% of its gross abroad. Across all 3 films, $173.9M (40%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Scream (1996) $173M $103M US & Canada · 60% $70M elsewhere · 40%
- 2 Daylight (1996) $159.2M $33M US & Canada · 21% $126.2M elsewhere · 79%
- 3 Mars Attacks! (1996) $101.4M $37.8M US & Canada · 37% $63.6M elsewhere · 63%
By release week
Which Week of December 1996 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 15–21) took $173M, led by Scream (1996). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Dec 1–7 Daylight (1996) $159.2M Daylight (1996)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 8–14 Mars Attacks! (1996) $101.4M Mars Attacks! (1996)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 15–21 Scream (1996) $173M Scream (1996)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 22–28 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 29–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1996 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1995 earned the most: $453M from 4 films, led by Jumanji (1995). December 1996 took $433.6M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1987 2 films | 2 | $58.2M | – | Throw Momma from the Train (1987) $57.9M |
| December 1988 3 films · −7% | 3 | $54.3M | −7% | Tequila Sunrise (1988) $41.3M |
| December 1989 4 films · +323% | 4 | $229.9M | +323% | The War of the Roses (1989) $160.2M |
| December 1990 5 films · +73% | 5 | $396.9M | +73% | Kindergarten Cop (1990) $202M |
| December 1991 4 films · −9% | 4 | $362.6M | −9% | JFK (1991) $205.4M |
| December 1992 3 films · −29% | 3 | $258.5M | −29% | A Few Good Men (1992) $243.2M |
| December 1993 5 films · −22% | 5 | $200.6M | −22% | The Pelican Brief (1993) $195.3M |
| December 1994 6 films · +76% | 6 | $352.3M | +76% | Disclosure (1994) $214M |
| December 1995 4 films · +29% | 4 | $453M | +29% | Jumanji (1995) $262.8M |
| December 1996 3 films · −4% | 3 | $433.6M | −4% | Scream (1996) $173M |
Archive
Thriller Box Office in 1996, Month by Month
The months of 1996 with their totals: May leads with $999.9M, led by Twister (1996).
- January $56.1M #1 Eye for an Eye (1996)
- February $218.2M #1 Broken Arrow (1996)
- March $200.6M #1 Executive Decision (1996)
- April $185.5M #1 Primal Fear (1996)
- May $999.9M #1 Twister (1996)
- June $793.5M #1 The Rock (1996)
- July $969.7M #1 Independence Day (1996)
- August $164.6M #1 Chain Reaction (1996)
- September $100M #1 Last Man Standing (1996)
- October $351.5M #1 Sleepers (1996)
- November $497.3M #1 Ransom (1996)
- December $433.6M #1 Scream (1996)
FAQ
Thriller Box Office December 1996: 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 1996?
Scream (1996) leads with $173M worldwide, $103M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Daylight (1996) at $159.2M and Mars Attacks! (1996) at $101.4M.
How much did thriller movies released in December 1996 earn?
3 thriller films released in December 1996 report a worldwide gross, $433.6M in all, or $144.5M per film on average. November 1996 releases took $497.3M.
How many thriller movies released in December 1996 made $1 billion?
None. 3 films crossed $100 million, led by Scream (1996) with $173M.
How is the December 1996 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 1996. 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 1996 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.