#1 of 9 #1 English-language movie of January 1988
1988 · Biography, Drama
$123.9M worldwide · 74% of the chart's total
$123.9M US & Canada · 100% $936 elsewhere · <1%
English box office · January 1988
English Box Office, January 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in January 1988, with $123.9M worldwide, ahead of For Keeps? (1988) at $17.5M and The Couch Trip (1988) at $11M. 9 English-language films released in January 1988 report a worldwide gross, $168.2M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 64% on December 1987, whose releases took $465.8M. By genre, Comedy leads with $161.8M across 6 English releases.
- January 1988 releases with a gross
- 9
- combined worldwide
- $168.2M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs December 1987
- −64%
#1 of 9 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of January 1988?
Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) leads with $123.9M, 74% of the total. The top 5 together took $167.8M, almost all of what the 9 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 January 1988, 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 January 1988.
- 1 Jan 15, 1988 US and Canada: $123.9M Rest of the world: $936 Worldwide: $123.9M
- 2 Jan 15, 1988 US and Canada: $17.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.5M
- 3 Jan 15, 1988 US and Canada: $11M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11M
- 4 Jan 15, 1988 US and Canada: $9.2M Rest of the world: $1.6K Worldwide: $9.2M
- 5 Jan 22, 1988 US and Canada: $6.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.2M
- 6
1988 US and Canada: $124K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $124K - 7
Jan 22, 1988 US and Canada: $100K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $100K - 8
Jan 27, 1988 US and Canada: $70.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $70.1K - 9
1988 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $17.9K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in January 1988?
Of the top 9, For Keeps? (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Return of the Living Dead II (1988) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 9 films, $168.1M (100%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 9 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) $123.9M $123.9M US & Canada · 100% $936 elsewhere · <1%
- 2 For Keeps? (1988) $17.5M $17.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Couch Trip (1988) $11M $11M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Return of the Living Dead II (1988) $9.2M $9.2M US & Canada · 100% $1.6K elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Braddock: Missing in Action III (1988) $6.2M $6.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Goodnight Norma… Goodnight Milton… (1988) $124K $124K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 The Telephone (1988) $100K $100K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Manifesto (1988) $70.1K $70.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Francis Bacon (1988) $17.9K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of January 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 3 (Jan 10–16) took $161.7M, led by Good Morning, Vietnam (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 1 Wk 1 Jan 1–2 Goodnight Norma… Goodnight Milton… (1988) $141.9K Goodnight Norma… Goodnight Milton… (1988)
- Week 2 Wk 2 Jan 3–9 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 3 Wk 3 Jan 10–16 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) $161.7M Good Morning, Vietnam (1988)
- Week 4 Wk 4 Jan 17–23 Braddock: Missing in Action III (1988) $6.3M Braddock: Missing in Action III (1988)
- Week 5 Wk 5 Jan 24–30 Manifesto (1988) $70.1K Manifesto (1988)
- Week 6 Wk 6 Jan 31–Feb 6 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does January 1988 Compare With January in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, January 1988 earned the most: $168.2M from 9 films, led by Good Morning, Vietnam (1988).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1979 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| January 1980 3 films | 3 | $4.3M | – | Windows (1980) $2.1M |
| January 1981 3 films · +722% | 3 | $35.7M | +722% | The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981) $20.3M |
| January 1982 5 films · +21% | 5 | $43.2M | +21% | Vice Squad (1982) $13.3M |
| January 1983 4 films · −44% | 4 | $24.2M | −44% | The House on Sorority Row (1983) $10.6M |
| January 1984 7 films · +224% | 7 | $78.3M | +224% | Yentl (1984) $40.2M |
| January 1985 5 films · −75% | 5 | $19.5M | −75% | Tuff Turf (1985) $9.4M |
| January 1986 15 films · +632% | 15 | $143.1M | +632% | Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986) $62.1M |
| January 1987 14 films · +2% | 14 | $146.4M | +2% | Outrageous Fortune (1987) $52.9M |
| January 1988 9 films · +15% | 9 | $168.2M | +15% | Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) $123.9M |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in January 1988?
Comedy took $161.8M across 6 films, 96% of the total, ahead of Drama ($141.6M) and War ($130.1M). A film counts once for each of its genres.
January 1988 English Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $161.8M6 films · #1 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) -
Drama $141.6M4 films · #1 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) -
War $130.1M2 films · #1 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) -
Biography $123.9M1 film · #1 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) -
Romance $17.6M2 films · #1 For Keeps? (1988) -
Horror $9.2M1 film · #1 Return of the Living Dead II (1988) -
Sci-Fi $9.2M1 film · #1 Return of the Living Dead II (1988) -
Action $6.2M1 film · #1 Braddock: Missing in Action III (1988) -
Animation $124K1 film · #1 Goodnight Norma… Goodnight Milton… (1988) -
Documentary $17.9K1 film · #1 Francis Bacon (1988)
Archive
English Box Office in 1988, Month by Month
The months of 1988 with their totals: December leads with $984.8M, led by Rain Man (1988).
- January $168.2M #1 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988)
- February $99.8M #1 The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
- March $279.3M #1 Beetlejuice (1988)
- April $101.3M #1 The Seventh Sign (1988)
- May $526.2M #1 Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
- June $850.5M #1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
- July $420.5M #1 Die Hard (1988)
- August $244M #1 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
- September $132.4M #1 Gorillas in the Mist (1988)
- October $160.3M #1 Alien Nation (1988)
- November $379.9M #1 The Land Before Time (1988)
- December $984.8M #1 Rain Man (1988)
FAQ
English Box Office January 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 9 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in January 1988?
Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) leads with $123.9M worldwide, $123.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come For Keeps? (1988) at $17.5M and The Couch Trip (1988) at $11M.
How much did English-language movies released in January 1988 earn?
9 English-language films released in January 1988 report a worldwide gross, $168.2M in all, or $18.7M per film on average. December 1987 releases took $465.8M.
How many English-language movies released in January 1988 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) with $123.9M.
How is the January 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 January 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 January 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.