#1 of 219 #1 English-language movie of 1987
1987 · Drama, Thriller
$320.1M worldwide · 9% of the chart's total
$156.6M US & Canada · 49% $163.5M elsewhere · 51%
English box office · 1987
English Box Office 1987: Highest-Grossing English Movies
Fatal Attraction (1987) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in 1987, with $320.1M worldwide, ahead of Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) at $300M and Dirty Dancing (1987) at $214.6M. 219 English-language films released in 1987 report a worldwide gross, $3.7B in all, 80% of it from the US & Canada. 6 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 13% on 1986, whose releases took $3.3B. By genre, Comedy leads with $2B across 95 English releases.
- 1987 releases with a gross
- 219
- combined worldwide
- $3.7B
- films crossed $100M
- 6
- vs 1986
- +13%
#1 of 219 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of 1987?
Fatal Attraction (1987) leads with $320.1M, 9% of the total. The top 5 together took $1.1B, 30% of what all 219 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 English Release of 1987, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 219. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1987.
- 1 Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $156.6M Rest of the world: $163.5M Worldwide: $320.1M
- 2 May 20, 1987 US and Canada: $153.7M Rest of the world: $146.3M Worldwide: $300M
- 3 Aug 25, 1987 US and Canada: $64.6M Rest of the world: $150M Worldwide: $214.6M
- 4 Nov 25, 1987 US and Canada: $167.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $167.8M
- 5 Mar 6, 1987 US and Canada: $65.2M Rest of the world: $55M Worldwide: $120.2M
- 6
Apr 10, 1987 US and Canada: $67M Rest of the world: $44M Worldwide: $111M - 7
Jun 12, 1987 US and Canada: $59.7M Rest of the world: $38.5M Worldwide: $98.3M - 8
Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $80.6M Rest of the world: $5.9K Worldwide: $80.6M - 9
Dec 16, 1987 US and Canada: $51.2M Rest of the world: $16.1M Worldwide: $67.3M - 10
Jun 26, 1987 US and Canada: $57.4M Rest of the world: $9.3M Worldwide: $66.7M - 11
Aug 5, 1987 US and Canada: $65.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $65.7M - 12
Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $32.9M Rest of the world: $32.1M Worldwide: $65.1M - 13
Jun 12, 1987 US and Canada: $63.8M Rest of the world: $165 Worldwide: $63.8M - 14
Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $57.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $57.9M - 15
Jul 24, 1987 US and Canada: $54.2M Rest of the world: $3.2K Worldwide: $54.2M - 16
Jan 30, 1987 US and Canada: $52.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $52.9M - 17
Jul 17, 1987 US and Canada: $20.8M Rest of the world: $31.1M Worldwide: $51.9M - 18
Jul 31, 1987 US and Canada: $51.2M Rest of the world: $35K Worldwide: $51.2M - 19
Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $50.5M Rest of the world: $634 Worldwide: $50.5M - 20
Jun 26, 1987 US and Canada: $46.4M Rest of the world: $3.8M Worldwide: $50.2M - 21
Jun 5, 1987 US and Canada: $29.8M Rest of the world: $20.2M Worldwide: $50M - 22
Nov 25, 1987 US and Canada: $49.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $49.5M - 23
Feb 27, 1987 US and Canada: $44.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $44.8M - 24
Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $44M Rest of the world: $47.3K Worldwide: $44M - 25
Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $43.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $43.8M - 26
Feb 13, 1987 US and Canada: $42.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.7M - 27
Jun 19, 1987 US and Canada: $40.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $40.1M - 28
Mar 27, 1987 US and Canada: $39.3M Rest of the world: $15.9K Worldwide: $39.3M - 29
Jul 22, 1987 US and Canada: $35.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.7M - 30
Aug 14, 1987 US and Canada: $35.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.5M - 31
Oct 2, 1987 US and Canada: $34.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.4M - 32
Jul 3, 1987 US and Canada: $34.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.4M - 33
Aug 14, 1987 US and Canada: $31.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.6M - 34
Sep 25, 1987 US and Canada: $30.9M Rest of the world: $125K Worldwide: $31M - 35
Nov 20, 1987 US and Canada: $31M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31M - 36
Jul 24, 1987 US and Canada: $15.7M Rest of the world: $14.6M Worldwide: $30.3M - 37
Jul 10, 1987 US and Canada: $30.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $30.1M - 38
Mar 13, 1987 US and Canada: $22.8M Rest of the world: $6.3M Worldwide: $29.2M - 39
Apr 3, 1987 US and Canada: $28.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $28.1M - 40
Dec 16, 1987 US and Canada: $26.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.7M - 41
Oct 7, 1987 US and Canada: $26.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.7M - 42
Jul 1, 1987 US and Canada: $25.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.9M - 43
Mar 13, 1987 US and Canada: $25.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.4M - 44
Feb 6, 1987 US and Canada: $25.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.2M - 45
May 22, 1987 US and Canada: $23.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.5M - 46
Jan 23, 1987 US and Canada: $22.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.9M - 47
Jun 5, 1987 US and Canada: $22.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.3M - 48
Dec 9, 1987 US and Canada: $22.2M Rest of the world: $425 Worldwide: $22.2M - 49
Nov 6, 1987 US and Canada: $20.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.4M - 50
Jan 16, 1987 US and Canada: $20.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.2M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1987?
Of the top 10, 3 Men and a Baby (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Dirty Dancing (1987) made 70% of its gross abroad. Across all 219 films, $3B (80%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Fatal Attraction (1987) $320.1M $156.6M US & Canada · 49% $163.5M elsewhere · 51%
- 2 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $300M $153.7M US & Canada · 51% $146.3M elsewhere · 49%
- 3 Dirty Dancing (1987) $214.6M $64.6M US & Canada · 30% $150M elsewhere · 70%
- 4 3 Men and a Baby (1987) $167.8M $167.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Lethal Weapon (1987) $120.2M $65.2M US & Canada · 54% $55M elsewhere · 46%
- 6 The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) $111M $67M US & Canada · 60% $44M elsewhere · 40%
- 7 Predator (1987) $98.3M $59.7M US & Canada · 61% $38.5M elsewhere · 39%
- 8 Moonstruck (1987) $80.6M $80.6M US & Canada · 100% $5.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 9 Broadcast News (1987) $67.3M $51.2M US & Canada · 76% $16.1M elsewhere · 24%
- 10 Dragnet (1987) $66.7M $57.4M US & Canada · 86% $9.3M elsewhere · 14%
Gross bands
How Many 1987 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
6 of 219 films crossed $100M and took $1.2B between them, 33% of the total. 144 films, 66% of the list, earned under $10M.
33% 59%
- $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 6 films, 3% of the list $1.2B · 33% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 69 films, 32% of the list $2.2B · 59% of the gross
- Under $10M 144 films, 66% of the list $296.3M · 8% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1987 Earned the Most?
August releases took the most, $472.5M from 28 films, led by Dirty Dancing (1987). October was the quietest month ($146.4M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Outrageous Fortune (1987) $146.4M Outrageous Fortune (1987)
- February Feb A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) $180.5M A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
- March Mar Lethal Weapon (1987) $271.9M Lethal Weapon (1987)
- April Apr The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) $154.8M The Secret of My Succe$s (1987)
- May May Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) $389.2M Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- June Jun Predator (1987) $416.4M Predator (1987)
- July Jul La Bamba (1987) $330.2M La Bamba (1987)
- August Aug Dirty Dancing (1987) $472.5M Dirty Dancing (1987)
- September Sep Fatal Attraction (1987) $423.2M Fatal Attraction (1987)
- October Oct Like Father Like Son (1987) $146.4M Like Father Like Son (1987)
- November Nov 3 Men and a Baby (1987) $343.2M 3 Men and a Baby (1987)
- December Dec Moonstruck (1987) $465.8M Moonstruck (1987)
Last 10 years
How Does 1987 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1987 earned the most: $3.7B from 219 films, led by Fatal Attraction (1987).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 67 films | 67 | $1.5B | – | Grease (1978) $396.3M |
| 1979 79 films · +31% | 79 | $2B | +31% | Moonraker (1979) $210.3M |
| 1980 101 films · +18% | 101 | $2.3B | +18% | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) $550M |
| 1981 114 films · −10% | 114 | $2.1B | −10% | Superman II (1981) $216.4M |
| 1982 125 films · +7% | 125 | $2.2B | +7% | Tootsie (1982) $177.2M |
| 1983 129 films · +18% | 129 | $2.6B | +18% | Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) $482.5M |
| 1984 151 films · +29% | 151 | $3.4B | +29% | Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) $333.1M |
| 1985 166 films · +4% | 166 | $3.5B | +4% | Back to the Future (1985) $385.1M |
| 1986 178 films · −5% | 178 | $3.3B | −5% | Top Gun (1986) $357.3M |
| 1987 219 films · +13% | 219 | $3.7B | +13% | Fatal Attraction (1987) $320.1M |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in 1987?
Comedy took $2B across 95 films, 54% of the total, ahead of Drama ($1.6B) and Thriller ($1.5B). A film counts once for each of its genres.
1987 English Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $2B95 films · #1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) -
Drama $1.6B105 films · #1 Fatal Attraction (1987) -
Thriller $1.5B57 films · #1 Fatal Attraction (1987) -
Action $1B48 films · #1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) -
Crime $974.7M49 films · #1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) -
Romance $918.3M49 films · #1 Dirty Dancing (1987) -
Fantasy $488.9M27 films · #1 *batteries not included (1987) -
Family $412M12 films · #1 3 Men and a Baby (1987) -
Adventure $391.2M22 films · #1 Predator (1987) -
Horror $293M25 films · #1 The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
Archive
English Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1919 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2019 leads with $28.7B, led by Avengers: Endgame (2019).
2020s 7 years · $105.1B
2010s 10 years · $261B
- 2019 $28.7B #1 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- 2018 $28.3B #1 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- 2017 $27.9B #1 Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
- 2016 $27.3B #1 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- 2015 $27.1B #1 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
- 2014 $24.6B #1 Transformers: Age Of Extinction (2014)
- 2013 $26B #1 Frozen (2013)
- 2012 $26B #1 The Avengers (2012)
- 2011 $24.2B #1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
- 2010 $21B #1 Toy Story 3 (2010)
2000s 10 years · $170.2B
- 2009 $23B #1 Avatar (2009)
- 2008 $20B #1 The Dark Knight (2008)
- 2007 $20.4B #1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
- 2006 $17.7B #1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
- 2005 $16.6B #1 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
- 2004 $15.9B #1 Shrek 2 (2004)
- 2003 $17.1B #1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- 2002 $13.9B #1 Spider-Man (2002)
- 2001 $13.4B #1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
- 2000 $12.2B #1 Mission: Impossible II (2000)
1990s 10 years · $84.5B
- 1999 $12.9B #1 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
- 1998 $10B #1 Armageddon (1998)
- 1997 $11.8B #1 Titanic (1997)
- 1996 $9.2B #1 Independence Day (1996)
- 1995 $8.9B #1 Toy Story (1995)
- 1994 $7.3B #1 The Lion King (1994)
- 1993 $6.3B #1 Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- 1992 $5.5B #1 The Bodyguard (1992)
- 1991 $5.9B #1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- 1990 $6.5B #1 Ghost (1990)
1980s 10 years · $33.4B
- 1989 $6B #1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- 1988 $4.3B #1 Rain Man (1988)
- 1987 $3.7B #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- 1986 $3.3B #1 Top Gun (1986)
- 1985 $3.5B #1 Back to the Future (1985)
- 1984 $3.4B #1 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- 1983 $2.6B #1 Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
- 1982 $2.2B #1 Tootsie (1982)
- 1981 $2.1B #1 Superman II (1981)
- 1980 $2.3B #1 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
1970s 10 years · $9.6B
- 1979 $2B #1 Moonraker (1979)
- 1978 $1.5B #1 Grease (1978)
- 1977 $2.1B #1 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
- 1976 $624.6M #1 A Star Is Born (1976)
- 1975 $955.1M #1 Jaws (1975)
- 1974 $694.9M #1 Blazing Saddles (1974)
- 1973 $928.9M #1 The Exorcist (1973)
- 1972 $369.2M #1 The Godfather (1972)
- 1971 $182.9M #1 The French Connection (1971)
- 1970 $346.9M #1 The Aristocats (1970)
1960s 10 years · $1.4B
- 1969 $244.6M #1 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- 1968 $147.2M #1 Funny Girl (1968)
- 1967 $342.7M #1 The Jungle Book (1967)
- 1966 $28.1M #1 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
- 1965 $227.4M #1 Doctor Zhivago (1965)
- 1964 $241M #1 Mary Poppins (1964)
- 1963 $75.1M #1 It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
- 1962 $49.6M #1 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- 1961 $952.7K #1 Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
- 1960 $42.4M #1 Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
1950s 10 years · $770.2M
- 1959 $126.4M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- 1958 $5.1M #1 Touch of Evil (1958)
- 1957 $31.3M #1 The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- 1956 $149.5M #1 The Ten Commandments (1956)
- 1955 $95.8M #1 Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- 1954 $70.6M #1 Rear Window (1954)
- 1953 $150.9M #1 Peter Pan (1953)
- 1952 $38.6M #1 The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
- 1951 $4.4M #1 Ace in the Hole (1951)
- 1950 $97.5M #1 Cinderella (1950)
1940s 10 years · $662.1M
- 1949 $1.7M #1 The Third Man (1949)
- 1948 $707.7K #1 The Fallen Idol (1948)
- 1947 $1.4M #1 The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947)
- 1946 $96.2M #1 Song of the South (1946)
- 1945 $22M #1 The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945)
- 1944 $117.4K #1 Henry V (1944)
- 1943 $6M #1 Casablanca (1943)
- 1942 $2M #1 Reunion in France (1942)
- 1941 $4.2M #1 Charley’s Aunt (1941)
- 1940 $527.8M #1 Gone with the Wind (1940)
1930s 10 years · $217.4M
- 1939 $26.3M #1 The Wizard of Oz (1939)
- 1938 $185.2M #1 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938)
- 1937 $27.1K #1 Stage Door (1937)
- 1936 $4.6M #1 After the Thin Man (1936)
- 1935 $602.9K #1 Sylvia Scarlett (1935)
- 1934 $37.5K #1 It Happened One Night (1934)
- 1933 $588.1K #1 Baby Face (1933)
- 1932 $40K #1 The Old Dark House (1932)
- 1931 $299 #1 Transgression (1931)
- 1930 $1.2K #1 Madam Satan (1930)
1920s 4 years · $718.5K
1910s 1 year · $160
FAQ
English Box Office 1987: 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 219 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in 1987?
Fatal Attraction (1987) leads with $320.1M worldwide, $156.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) at $300M and Dirty Dancing (1987) at $214.6M.
How much did English-language movies released in 1987 earn?
219 English-language films released in 1987 report a worldwide gross, $3.7B in all, or $17.1M per film on average. 1986 releases took $3.3B.
How many English-language movies released in 1987 made $1 billion?
None. 6 films crossed $100 million, led by Fatal Attraction (1987) with $320.1M.
How is the 1987 English 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 1987. 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, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.
How often is the 1987 English 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.