#1 of 26 #1 English-language movie of September 1987
1987 · Drama, Thriller
$320.1M worldwide · 76% of the chart's total
$156.6M US & Canada · 49% $163.5M elsewhere · 51%
English box office · September 1987
English Box Office, September 1987: Top-Grossing Releases
Fatal Attraction (1987) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in September 1987, with $320.1M worldwide, ahead of The Princess Bride (1987) at $31M and The Principal (1987) at $19.7M. 26 English-language films released in September 1987 report a worldwide gross, $423.2M in all, 61% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 10% on August 1987, whose releases took $472.5M. By genre, Drama leads with $372.2M across 18 English releases.
- September 1987 releases with a gross
- 26
- combined worldwide
- $423.2M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs August 1987
- −10%
#1 of 26 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of September 1987?
Fatal Attraction (1987) leads with $320.1M, 76% of the total. The top 5 together took $398.7M, 94% of what all 26 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 September 1987, 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 September 1987.
- 1 Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $156.6M Rest of the world: $163.5M Worldwide: $320.1M
- 2 Sep 25, 1987 US and Canada: $30.9M Rest of the world: $125K Worldwide: $31M
- 3 Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $19.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.7M
- 4 Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $14.6M Rest of the world: $15.5K Worldwide: $14.6M
- 5 Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $13.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.3M
- 6
Sep 3, 1987 US and Canada: $4.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.4M - 7
Sep 25, 1987 US and Canada: $4.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.3M - 8
Sep 11, 1987 US and Canada: $1.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.9M - 9
Sep 25, 1987 US and Canada: $1.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.7M - 10
Sep 11, 1987 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.4M - 11
Sep 4, 1987 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.4M - 12
Sep 25, 1987 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.4M - 13
Sep 25, 1987 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M - 14
Sep 16, 1987 US and Canada: $999.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $999.4K - 15
Sep 11, 1987 US and Canada: $969.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $969.2K - 16
Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $858.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $858.3K - 17
Sep 1, 1987 US and Canada: $796.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $796.4K - 18
Sep 13, 1987 US and Canada: $743.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $743.4K - 19
Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $548.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $548.7K - 20
Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $548.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $548.7K - 21
Sep 4, 1987 US and Canada: $519.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $519.6K - 22
Sep 1, 1987 US and Canada: $316.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $316.2K - 23
Sep 18, 1987 US and Canada: $252.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $252.4K - 24
Sep 19, 1987 US and Canada: $101.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $101.8K - 25
Sep 10, 1987 US and Canada: $33.8K Rest of the world: $735 Worldwide: $34.5K - 26
Sep 2, 1987 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $70
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in September 1987?
Of the top 10, The Principal (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Fatal Attraction (1987) made 51% of its gross abroad. Across all 26 films, $259.5M (61%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Fatal Attraction (1987) $320.1M $156.6M US & Canada · 49% $163.5M elsewhere · 51%
- 2 The Princess Bride (1987) $31M $30.9M US & Canada · 100% $125K elsewhere · <1%
- 3 The Principal (1987) $19.7M $19.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Hellraiser (1987) $14.6M $14.6M US & Canada · 100% $15.5K elsewhere · <1%
- 5 The Pick-up Artist (1987) $13.3M $13.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 The Dead (1987) $4.4M $4.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Best Seller (1987) $4.3M $4.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 The Curse (1987) $1.9M $1.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 The Big Town (1987) $1.7M $1.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 A Prayer for the Dying (1987) $1.4M $1.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many September 1987 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 26 films crossed $100M and took $320.1M between them, 76% of the total. 21 films, 81% of the list, earned under $10M.
76% 19%
- $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, 4% of the list $320.1M · 76% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 4 films, 15% of the list $78.6M · 19% of the gross
- Under $10M 21 films, 81% of the list $24.4M · 6% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of September 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 38 (Sep 13–19) took $371.8M, led by Fatal Attraction (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 36 Wk 36 Aug 30–Sep 5 The Dead (1987) $7.4M The Dead (1987)
- Week 37 Wk 37 Sep 6–12 The Curse (1987) $4.4M The Curse (1987)
- Week 38 Wk 38 Sep 13–19 Fatal Attraction (1987) $371.8M Fatal Attraction (1987)
- Week 39 Wk 39 Sep 20–26 The Princess Bride (1987) $39.6M The Princess Bride (1987)
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 27–Oct 3 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does September 1987 Compare With September in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, September 1987 earned the most: $423.2M from 26 films, led by Fatal Attraction (1987).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1978 7 films | 7 | $73.2M | – | Up in Smoke (1978) $44.4M |
| September 1979 8 films · −46% | 8 | $39.2M | −46% | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) $21.7M |
| September 1980 6 films · +19% | 6 | $46.5M | +19% | My Bodyguard (1980) $22.5M |
| September 1981 6 films · +61% | 6 | $75M | +61% | Only When I Laugh (1981) $25.5M |
| September 1982 7 films · −51% | 7 | $36.6M | −51% | Zapped! (1982) $16.9M |
| September 1983 15 films · +223% | 15 | $118.4M | +223% | The Big Chill (1983) $56.4M |
| September 1984 15 films · −4% | 15 | $113.8M | −4% | Amadeus (1984) $52.3M |
| September 1985 15 films · −27% | 15 | $82.8M | −27% | Agnes of God (1985) $25.6M |
| September 1986 10 films · +328% | 10 | $354.6M | +328% | Crocodile Dundee (1986) $328.2M |
| September 1987 26 films · +19% | 26 | $423.2M | +19% | Fatal Attraction (1987) $320.1M |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in September 1987?
Drama took $372.2M across 18 films, 88% of the total, ahead of Thriller ($364.9M) and Romance ($49.3M). A film counts once for each of its genres.
September 1987 English Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $372.2M18 films · #1 Fatal Attraction (1987) -
Thriller $364.9M10 films · #1 Fatal Attraction (1987) -
Romance $49.3M7 films · #1 The Princess Bride (1987) -
Comedy $47.2M6 films · #1 The Princess Bride (1987) -
Crime $44.3M10 films · #1 The Principal (1987) -
Adventure $31M2 films · #1 The Princess Bride (1987) -
Family $31M1 film · #1 The Princess Bride (1987) -
Fantasy $31M1 film · #1 The Princess Bride (1987) -
Action $26.8M4 films · #1 The Principal (1987) -
Horror $17.9M3 films · #1 Hellraiser (1987)
Archive
English Box Office in 1987, Month by Month
The months of 1987 with their totals: August leads with $472.5M, led by Dirty Dancing (1987).
- January $146.4M #1 Outrageous Fortune (1987)
- February $180.5M #1 A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
- March $271.9M #1 Lethal Weapon (1987)
- April $154.8M #1 The Secret of My Succe$s (1987)
- May $389.2M #1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- June $416.4M #1 Predator (1987)
- July $330.2M #1 La Bamba (1987)
- August $472.5M #1 Dirty Dancing (1987)
- September $423.2M #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- October $146.4M #1 Like Father Like Son (1987)
- November $343.2M #1 3 Men and a Baby (1987)
- December $465.8M #1 Moonstruck (1987)
FAQ
English Box Office September 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 26 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in September 1987?
Fatal Attraction (1987) leads with $320.1M worldwide, $156.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Princess Bride (1987) at $31M and The Principal (1987) at $19.7M.
How much did English-language movies released in September 1987 earn?
26 English-language films released in September 1987 report a worldwide gross, $423.2M in all, or $16.3M per film on average. August 1987 releases took $472.5M.
How many English-language movies released in September 1987 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Fatal Attraction (1987) with $320.1M.
How is the September 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 September 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 September 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.