#1 of 15 #1 thriller movie of December 2020
2020 · Crime, Thriller
$198.9M worldwide · 71% of the chart's total
No US & Canada figure reported
Thriller box office · December 2020
Thriller Box Office, December 2020: Top-Grossing Releases
Shock Wave 2 (2020) is the highest-grossing thriller movie released in December 2020, with $198.9M worldwide, ahead of Greenland (2020) at $52.3M and Promising Young Woman (2020) at $18.9M. 15 thriller films released in December 2020 report a worldwide gross, $281.2M in all, 5% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 198% on November 2020, whose releases took $94.5M. By language, Cantonese leads with $198.9M across 1 thriller release.
- December 2020 releases with a gross
- 15
- combined worldwide
- $281.2M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs November 2020
- +198%
#1 of 15 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Thriller Hits of December 2020?
Shock Wave 2 (2020) leads with $198.9M, 71% of the total. The top 5 together took $279.8M, almost all of what the 15 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 December 2020, 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 2020.
- 1 Dec 24, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $198.9M
- 2 Dec 18, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $52.3M
- 3 Dec 25, 2020 US and Canada: $6.5M Rest of the world: $12.4M Worldwide: $18.9M
- 4 Dec 18, 2020 US and Canada: $6.3M Rest of the world: $724.4K Worldwide: $7M
- 5 Dec 4, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.7M
- 6
Dec 11, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $620.8K - 7
Dec 11, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $410.7K - 8
Dec 25, 2020 US and Canada: $57K Rest of the world: $45K Worldwide: $102K - 9
Dec 11, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $70K - 10
Dec 18, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $52.4K - 11
Dec 18, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $39.3K - 12
Dec 18, 2020 US and Canada: $32.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $32.7K - 13
Dec 4, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $21.7K - 14
Dec 11, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $6.4K - 15
Dec 4, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4.6K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 2020?
Of the top 10, Fatale (2020) earned the biggest share at home (90% in the US & Canada), while Promising Young Woman (2020) made 66% of its gross abroad. Across all 15 films, $12.9M (5%) came from the US & Canada. 7 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Shock Wave 2 (2020) $198.9M No US & Canada figure reported
- 2 Greenland (2020) $52.3M No US & Canada figure reported
- 3 Promising Young Woman (2020) $18.9M $6.5M US & Canada · 34% $12.4M elsewhere · 66%
- 4 Fatale (2020) $7M $6.3M US & Canada · 90% $724.4K elsewhere · 10%
- 5 Silent Tokyo (2020) $2.7M No US & Canada figure reported
- 6 Songbird (2020) $620.8K No US & Canada figure reported
- 7 Breaking Surface (2020) $410.7K No US & Canada figure reported
- 8 The Dissident (2020) $102K $57K US & Canada · 56% $45K elsewhere · 44%
- 9 The Midnight Sky (2020) $70K No US & Canada figure reported
- 10 Witches of Blackwood (2020) $52.4K No US & Canada figure reported
Gross bands
How Many December 2020 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 15 films crossed $100M and took $198.9M between them, 71% of the total. 12 films, 80% of the list, earned under $10M.
71% 25%
- $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 1 film, 7% of the list $198.9M · 71% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 2 films, 13% of the list $71.2M · 25% of the gross
- Under $10M 12 films, 80% of the list $11.1M · 4% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of December 2020 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 52 (Dec 20–26) took $217.9M, led by Shock Wave 2 (2020). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 Silent Tokyo (2020) $2.8M Silent Tokyo (2020)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 Songbird (2020) $1.1M Songbird (2020)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 Greenland (2020) $59.5M Greenland (2020)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 Shock Wave 2 (2020) $217.9M Shock Wave 2 (2020)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 27–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 2020 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 2012 earned the most: $995.1M from 10 films, led by Les Miserables (2012). December 2020 took $281.2M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2011 8 films | 8 | $110.3M | – | Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) $81.5M |
| December 2012 10 films · +803% | 10 | $995.1M | +803% | Les Miserables (2012) $442.8M |
| December 2013 15 films · −39% | 15 | $611.7M | −39% | American Hustle (2013) $251.2M |
| December 2014 12 films · −88% | 12 | $70.6M | −88% | The Gambler (2014) $39.3M |
| December 2015 14 films · +1232% | 14 | $941M | +1232% | The Revenant (2015) $533M |
| December 2016 20 films · −85% | 20 | $141.7M | −85% | Patriots Day (2016) $52.2M |
| December 2017 29 films · +272% | 29 | $526.7M | +272% | The Post (2017) $193.8M |
| December 2018 18 films · −40% | 18 | $315.4M | −40% | The Mule (2018) $174.8M |
| December 2019 28 films · +11% | 28 | $350.3M | +11% | Sheep Without a Shepherd (2019) $191.6M |
| December 2020 15 films · −20% | 15 | $281.2M | −20% | Shock Wave 2 (2020) $198.9M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Thriller Movies Speak in December 2020?
Cantonese-language thriller films took $198.9M across 1 film, 71% of the total, ahead of English-language thriller films ($79M) and Japanese-language thriller films ($2.7M).
Archive
Thriller Box Office in 2020, Month by Month
The months of 2020 with their totals: January leads with $531.4M, led by Bad Boys for Life (2020).
- January $531.4M #1 Bad Boys for Life (2020)
- February $251M #1 The Invisible Man (2020)
- March $202.9M #1 Sacrifice (2020)
- April $910.9K #1 Sea Fever (2020)
- May $17.5M #1 Nightfire (2020)
- June $28.4M #1 The Collini Case (2020)
- July $53.2M #1 Peninsula (2020)
- August $48.5M #1 Unhinged (2020)
- September $425.2M #1 Tenet (2020)
- October $70M #1 Honest Thief (2020)
- November $94.5M #1 Vanguard (2020)
- December $281.2M #1 Shock Wave 2 (2020)
FAQ
Thriller Box Office December 2020: 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 15 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing thriller movie in December 2020?
Shock Wave 2 (2020) leads with $198.9M worldwide. Next come Greenland (2020) at $52.3M and Promising Young Woman (2020) at $18.9M.
How much did thriller movies released in December 2020 earn?
15 thriller films released in December 2020 report a worldwide gross, $281.2M in all, or $18.7M per film on average. November 2020 releases took $94.5M.
How many thriller movies released in December 2020 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Shock Wave 2 (2020) with $198.9M.
How is the December 2020 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 2020. 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 2020 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.