#1 of 231 #1 English-language movie of 1988
1988 · Drama
$354.8M worldwide · 8% of the chart's total
$172.8M US & Canada · 49% $182M elsewhere · 51%
English box office · 1988
English Box Office 1988: Highest-Grossing English Movies
Rain Man (1988) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in 1988, with $354.8M worldwide, ahead of Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) at $329.8M and Coming to America (1988) at $288.8M. 231 English-language films released in 1988 report a worldwide gross, $4.3B in all, 74% of it from the US & Canada. 9 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 16% on 1987, whose releases took $3.7B. By genre, Comedy leads with $2.6B across 93 English releases.
- 1988 releases with a gross
- 231
- combined worldwide
- $4.3B
- films crossed $100M
- 9
- vs 1987
- +16%
#1 of 231 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of 1988?
Rain Man (1988) leads with $354.8M, 8% of the total. The top 5 together took $1.4B, 33% of what all 231 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 1988, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 231. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1988.
- 1 Dec 16, 1988 US and Canada: $172.8M Rest of the world: $182M Worldwide: $354.8M
- 2 Jun 21, 1988 US and Canada: $156.5M Rest of the world: $173.4M Worldwide: $329.8M
- 3 Jun 29, 1988 US and Canada: $128.2M Rest of the world: $160.6M Worldwide: $288.8M
- 4 May 25, 1988 US and Canada: $109.3M Rest of the world: $130.3M Worldwide: $239.6M
- 5 Dec 9, 1988 US and Canada: $111.9M Rest of the world: $104.7M Worldwide: $216.6M
- 6
May 25, 1988 US and Canada: $53.7M Rest of the world: $135.3M Worldwide: $189M - 7
Jul 15, 1988 US and Canada: $85.9M Rest of the world: $57.8M Worldwide: $143.7M - 8
Jan 15, 1988 US and Canada: $123.9M Rest of the world: $936 Worldwide: $123.9M - 9
Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $63.8M Rest of the world: $39.2M Worldwide: $103M - 10
Nov 18, 1988 US and Canada: $48.5M Rest of the world: $36.4M Worldwide: $84.8M - 11
Jul 20, 1988 US and Canada: $38.4M Rest of the world: $43.2M Worldwide: $81.6M - 12
Dec 2, 1988 US and Canada: $78.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $78.8M - 13
Mar 30, 1988 US and Canada: $74.7M Rest of the world: $187.9K Worldwide: $74.9M - 14
Nov 18, 1988 US and Canada: $74.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $74.2M - 15
Jul 29, 1988 US and Canada: $62.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $62.5M - 16
Sep 23, 1988 US and Canada: $24.7M Rest of the world: $36.4M Worldwide: $61.1M - 17
Nov 23, 1988 US and Canada: $60.3M Rest of the world: $1K Worldwide: $60.3M - 18
May 20, 1988 US and Canada: $57.3M Rest of the world: $2.4K Worldwide: $57.3M - 19
Dec 21, 1988 US and Canada: $57M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $57M - 20
Mar 25, 1988 US and Canada: $43.2M Rest of the world: $8.5M Worldwide: $51.7M - 21
Jun 15, 1988 US and Canada: $50.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $50.9M - 22
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) Aug 19, 1988 · Thriller, Horror $49.4M worldwideAug 19, 1988 US and Canada: $49.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $49.4M - 23
Aug 12, 1988 US and Canada: $45.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $45.7M - 24
Nov 9, 1988 US and Canada: $33.2M Rest of the world: $11M Worldwide: $44.2M - 25
Jun 17, 1988 US and Canada: $41.5M Rest of the world: $2M Worldwide: $43.5M - 26
Dec 14, 1988 US and Canada: $42M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42M - 27
Dec 2, 1988 US and Canada: $41.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $41.3M - 28
Jun 10, 1988 US and Canada: $40.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $40.2M - 29
Jul 13, 1988 US and Canada: $37.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $37.9M - 30
Jun 17, 1988 US and Canada: $35M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35M - 31
Dec 23, 1988 US and Canada: $32.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $32.6M - 32
Oct 7, 1988 US and Canada: $25.2M Rest of the world: $6.9M Worldwide: $32.2M - 33
Oct 14, 1988 US and Canada: $32.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $32.1M - 34
Nov 11, 1988 US and Canada: $28.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $28.2M - 35
Aug 23, 1988 US and Canada: $25.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.8M - 36
Jun 3, 1988 US and Canada: $25.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.5M - 37
Nov 23, 1988 US and Canada: $18.9M Rest of the world: $6.1M Worldwide: $25M - 38
Jul 6, 1988 US and Canada: $22.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.4M - 39
Aug 19, 1988 US and Canada: $21.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.5M - 40
Oct 7, 1988 US and Canada: $21M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21M - 41
Jun 10, 1988 US and Canada: $20.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.3M - 42
Aug 12, 1988 US and Canada: $19.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.7M - 43
Feb 5, 1988 US and Canada: $19.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.6M - 44
Mar 18, 1988 US and Canada: $19.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.5M - 45
May 13, 1988 US and Canada: $19.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.2M - 46
Apr 1, 1988 US and Canada: $18.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.9M - 47
Oct 21, 1988 US and Canada: $17.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.8M - 48
Mar 25, 1988 US and Canada: $17.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.6M - 49
Jan 15, 1988 US and Canada: $17.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.5M - 50
Aug 17, 1988 US and Canada: $16.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.3M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1988?
Of the top 10, Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Rambo III (1988) made 72% of its gross abroad. Across all 231 films, $3.2B (74%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Rain Man (1988) $354.8M $172.8M US & Canada · 49% $182M elsewhere · 51%
- 2 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) $329.8M $156.5M US & Canada · 47% $173.4M elsewhere · 53%
- 3 Coming to America (1988) $288.8M $128.2M US & Canada · 44% $160.6M elsewhere · 56%
- 4 Crocodile Dundee II (1988) $239.6M $109.3M US & Canada · 46% $130.3M elsewhere · 54%
- 5 Twins (1988) $216.6M $111.9M US & Canada · 52% $104.7M elsewhere · 48%
- 6 Rambo III (1988) $189M $53.7M US & Canada · 28% $135.3M elsewhere · 72%
- 7 Die Hard (1988) $143.7M $85.9M US & Canada · 60% $57.8M elsewhere · 40%
- 8 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) $123.9M $123.9M US & Canada · 100% $936 elsewhere · <1%
- 9 Working Girl (1988) $103M $63.8M US & Canada · 62% $39.2M elsewhere · 38%
- 10 The Land Before Time (1988) $84.8M $48.5M US & Canada · 57% $36.4M elsewhere · 43%
Gross bands
How Many 1988 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
9 of 231 films crossed $100M and took $2B between them, 46% of the total. 154 films, 67% of the list, earned under $10M.
46% 45% 9%
- $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 9 films, 4% of the list $2B · 46% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 68 films, 29% of the list $2B · 45% of the gross
- Under $10M 154 films, 67% of the list $381.9M · 9% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1988 Earned the Most?
December releases took the most, $984.8M from 18 films, led by Rain Man (1988). February was the quietest month ($99.8M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) $168.2M Good Morning, Vietnam (1988)
- February Feb The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) $99.8M The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
- March Mar Beetlejuice (1988) $279.3M Beetlejuice (1988)
- April Apr The Seventh Sign (1988) $101.3M The Seventh Sign (1988)
- May May Crocodile Dundee II (1988) $526.2M Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
- June Jun Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) $850.5M Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
- July Jul Die Hard (1988) $420.5M Die Hard (1988)
- August Aug A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) $244M A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
- September Sep Gorillas in the Mist (1988) $132.4M Gorillas in the Mist (1988)
- October Oct Alien Nation (1988) $160.3M Alien Nation (1988)
- November Nov The Land Before Time (1988) $379.9M The Land Before Time (1988)
- December Dec Rain Man (1988) $984.8M Rain Man (1988)
Last 10 years
How Does 1988 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1988 earned the most: $4.3B from 231 films, led by Rain Man (1988).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 79 films | 79 | $2B | – | 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 |
| 1988 231 films · +16% | 231 | $4.3B | +16% | Rain Man (1988) $354.8M |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in 1988?
Comedy took $2.6B across 93 films, 61% of the total, ahead of Drama ($1.8B) and Action ($1.1B). A film counts once for each of its genres.
1988 English Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $2.6B93 films · #1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) -
Drama $1.8B110 films · #1 Rain Man (1988) -
Action $1.1B38 films · #1 Crocodile Dundee II (1988) -
Crime $1.1B40 films · #1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) -
Romance $990M56 films · #1 Coming to America (1988) -
Thriller $901.1M51 films · #1 Rambo III (1988) -
Adventure $789.7M18 films · #1 Crocodile Dundee II (1988) -
Fantasy $619.8M18 films · #1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) -
Family $528M12 films · #1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) -
Animation $489.8M7 films · #1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
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 1988: 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 231 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in 1988?
Rain Man (1988) leads with $354.8M worldwide, $172.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) at $329.8M and Coming to America (1988) at $288.8M.
How much did English-language movies released in 1988 earn?
231 English-language films released in 1988 report a worldwide gross, $4.3B in all, or $18.8M per film on average. 1987 releases took $3.7B.
How many English-language movies released in 1988 made $1 billion?
None. 9 films crossed $100 million, led by Rain Man (1988) with $354.8M.
How is the 1988 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 1988. 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 1988 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.