#1 of 14 #1 English-language movie of February 1988
The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
1988 · Thriller, Horror
$19.6M worldwide · 20% of the chart's total
$19.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
English box office · February 1988
English Box Office, February 1988: Top-Grossing Releases
The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in February 1988, with $19.6M worldwide, ahead of She's Having a Baby (1988) at $16M and School Daze (1988) at $14.5M. 14 English-language films released in February 1988 report a worldwide gross, $99.8M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 41% on January 1988, whose releases took $168.2M. By genre, Drama leads with $64.5M across 9 English releases.
- February 1988 releases with a gross
- 14
- combined worldwide
- $99.8M
- The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), the #1
- $19.6M
- vs January 1988
- −41%
#1 of 14 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of February 1988?
The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) leads with $19.6M, 20% of the total. The top 5 together took $70.2M, 70% of what all 14 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 February 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 February 1988.
- 1 Feb 5, 1988 US and Canada: $19.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.6M
- 2 Feb 5, 1988 US and Canada: $16M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16M
- 3 Feb 12, 1988 US and Canada: $14.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.5M
- 4 Feb 19, 1988 US and Canada: $10M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10M
- 5 Feb 5, 1988 US and Canada: $10M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10M
- 6
Feb 12, 1988 US and Canada: $8.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.3M - 7
Feb 12, 1988 US and Canada: $7.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.4M - 8
Feb 26, 1988 US and Canada: $6.7M Rest of the world: $8.5K Worldwide: $6.7M - 9
Feb 13, 1988 US and Canada: $3.6M Rest of the world: $411.4K Worldwide: $4M - 10
Feb 5, 1988 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2M - 11
Feb 20, 1988 US and Canada: $589.2K Rest of the world: $3.3K Worldwide: $592.6K - 12
Feb 26, 1988 US and Canada: $418.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $418.4K - 13
Feb 26, 1988 US and Canada: $160K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $160K - 14
Feb 1, 1988 US and Canada: $136.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $136.6K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in February 1988?
Of the top 10, The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Big Blue (1988) made 10% of its gross abroad. Across all 14 films, $99.4M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) $19.6M $19.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 She's Having a Baby (1988) $16M $16M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 School Daze (1988) $14.5M $14.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Hope and Glory (1988) $10M $10M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) $10M $10M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Satisfaction (1988) $8.3M $8.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Ironweed (1988) $7.4M $7.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Hairspray (1988) $6.7M $6.7M US & Canada · 100% $8.5K elsewhere · <1%
- 9 The Big Blue (1988) $4M $3.6M US & Canada · 90% $411.4K elsewhere · 10%
- 10 Cop (1988) $2M $2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many February 1988 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 14 films reached $100M. 9 films, 64% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $99.8M total.
70% 30%
- $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 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $10M to $100M 5 films, 36% of the list $70.2M · 70% of the gross
- Under $10M 9 films, 64% of the list $29.6M · 30% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of February 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 6 (Jan 31–Feb 6) took $47.8M, led by The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 6 Wk 6 Jan 31–Feb 6 The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) $47.8M The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
- Week 7 Wk 7 Feb 7–13 School Daze (1988) $34.2M School Daze (1988)
- Week 8 Wk 8 Feb 14–20 Hope and Glory (1988) $10.6M Hope and Glory (1988)
- Week 9 Wk 9 Feb 21–27 Hairspray (1988) $7.3M Hairspray (1988)
- Week 10 Wk 10 Feb 28–Mar 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does February 1988 Compare With February in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, February 1985 earned the most: $253.9M from 14 films, led by Witness (1985). February 1988 took $99.8M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 1979 2 films | 2 | $35.5M | – | The Warriors (1979) $22.5M |
| February 1980 11 films · +174% | 11 | $97.3M | +174% | American Gigolo (1980) $22.7M |
| February 1981 7 films · −49% | 7 | $50M | −49% | Fort Apache the Bronx (1981) $29.2M |
| February 1982 7 films · +16% | 7 | $57.9M | +16% | Death Wish II (1982) $16.1M |
| February 1983 11 films · +64% | 11 | $94.9M | +64% | Gandhi (1983) $52.8M |
| February 1984 9 films · +47% | 9 | $139.6M | +47% | Footloose (1984) $80M |
| February 1985 14 films · +82% | 14 | $253.9M | +82% | Witness (1985) $68.7M |
| February 1986 16 films · −29% | 16 | $181.4M | −29% | Pretty in Pink (1986) $40.5M |
| February 1987 15 films · −1% | 15 | $180.5M | −1% | A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) $44.8M |
| February 1988 14 films · −45% | 14 | $99.8M | −45% | The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) $19.6M |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in February 1988?
Drama took $64.5M across 9 films, 65% of the total, ahead of Comedy ($55.9M) and Romance ($51.1M). A film counts once for each of its genres.
February 1988 English Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $64.5M9 films · #1 She's Having a Baby (1988) -
Comedy $55.9M6 films · #1 She's Having a Baby (1988) -
Romance $51.1M6 films · #1 She's Having a Baby (1988) -
Thriller $21.7M3 films · #1 The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) -
Horror $19.6M1 film · #1 The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) -
Music $15.1M3 films · #1 Satisfaction (1988) -
Musical $14.5M1 film · #1 School Daze (1988) -
Crime $6M2 films · #1 The Big Blue (1988) -
Mystery $2M1 film · #1 Cop (1988) -
Documentary $592.6K1 film · #1 Powaqqatsi (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 February 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 14 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in February 1988?
The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) leads with $19.6M worldwide, $19.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come She's Having a Baby (1988) at $16M and School Daze (1988) at $14.5M.
How much did English-language movies released in February 1988 earn?
14 English-language films released in February 1988 report a worldwide gross, $99.8M in all, or $7.1M per film on average. January 1988 releases took $168.2M.
How many English-language movies released in February 1988 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), earned $19.6M.
How is the February 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 February 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 February 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.