#1 of 26 #1 English-language movie of October 1989
1989 · Comedy, Romance
$297M worldwide · 63% of the chart's total
$140.1M US & Canada · 47% $156.9M elsewhere · 53%
English box office · October 1989
English Box Office, October 1989: Top-Grossing Releases
Look Who's Talking (1989) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in October 1989, with $297M worldwide, ahead of The Bear (1989) at $31.8M and An Innocent Man (1989) at $20M. 26 English-language films released in October 1989 report a worldwide gross, $470M in all, 67% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 65% on September 1989, whose releases took $284.9M. By genre, Comedy leads with $356.7M across 13 English releases.
- October 1989 releases with a gross
- 26
- combined worldwide
- $470M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs September 1989
- +65%
#1 of 26 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of October 1989?
Look Who's Talking (1989) leads with $297M, 63% of the total. The top 5 together took $385.5M, 82% 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 October 1989, 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 October 1989.
- 1 Oct 13, 1989 US and Canada: $140.1M Rest of the world: $156.9M Worldwide: $297M
- 2 Oct 27, 1989 US and Canada: $31.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.8M
- 3 Oct 6, 1989 US and Canada: $20M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20M
- 4 Oct 13, 1989 US and Canada: $18.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.4M
- 5 Oct 13, 1989 US and Canada: $18.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.3M
- 6
Oct 27, 1989 US and Canada: $16.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.6M - 7
Oct 20, 1989 US and Canada: $15.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.9M - 8
Oct 13, 1989 US and Canada: $11.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.6M - 9
Oct 20, 1989 US and Canada: $11.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.6M - 10
Oct 27, 1989 US and Canada: $5.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.9M - 11
Oct 6, 1989 US and Canada: $4.7M Rest of the world: $274 Worldwide: $4.7M - 12
Oct 11, 1989 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6M - 13
Oct 27, 1989 US and Canada: $3.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.7M - 14
Oct 20, 1989 US and Canada: $3.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.6M - 15
Oct 13, 1989 US and Canada: $1.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.9M - 16
Oct 1, 1989 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M - 17
Oct 1, 1989 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.2M - 18
Oct 19, 1989 US and Canada: $882.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $882.3K - 19
Oct 27, 1989 US and Canada: $283.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $283.7K - 20
Oct 11, 1989 US and Canada: $192.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $192.6K - 21
Oct 6, 1989 US and Canada: $192.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $192.6K - 22
Oct 1, 1989 US and Canada: $129.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $129.8K - 23
Oct 21, 1989 US and Canada: $111.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $111.7K - 24
Oct 27, 1989 US and Canada: $41.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $41.5K - 25
Oct 6, 1989 US and Canada: $4.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.8K - 26
Oct 14, 1989 US and Canada: $3.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.7K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in October 1989?
Of the top 10, The Bear (1989) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Look Who's Talking (1989) made 53% of its gross abroad. Across all 26 films, $313.1M (67%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Look Who's Talking (1989) $297M $140.1M US & Canada · 47% $156.9M elsewhere · 53%
- 2 The Bear (1989) $31.8M $31.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 An Innocent Man (1989) $20M $20M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) $18.4M $18.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) $18.3M $18.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Shocker (1989) $16.6M $16.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Next of Kin (1989) $15.9M $15.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989) $11.6M $11.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Gross Anatomy (1989) $11.6M $11.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Immediate Family (1989) $5.9M $5.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many October 1989 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 26 films crossed $100M and took $297M between them, 63% of the total. 17 films, 65% of the list, earned under $10M.
63% 31%
- $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 $297M · 63% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 8 films, 31% of the list $144.2M · 31% of the gross
- Under $10M 17 films, 65% of the list $28.8M · 6% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of October 1989 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 41 (Oct 8–14) took $352M, led by Look Who's Talking (1989). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 40 Wk 40 Oct 1–7 An Innocent Man (1989) $27.6M An Innocent Man (1989)
- Week 41 Wk 41 Oct 8–14 Look Who's Talking (1989) $352M Look Who's Talking (1989)
- Week 42 Wk 42 Oct 15–21 Next of Kin (1989) $32.1M Next of Kin (1989)
- Week 43 Wk 43 Oct 22–28 The Bear (1989) $58.3M The Bear (1989)
- Week 44 Wk 44 Oct 29–Nov 4 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does October 1989 Compare With October in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, October 1989 earned the most: $470M from 26 films, led by Look Who's Talking (1989).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1980 9 films | 9 | $64.7M | – | The Elephant Man (1980) $26M |
| October 1981 11 films · +26% | 11 | $81.3M | +26% | The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) $26.9M |
| October 1982 14 films · +125% | 14 | $182.8M | +125% | First Blood (1982) $125.2M |
| October 1983 10 films · ±0% | 10 | $181.9M | ±0% | Never Say Never Again (1983) $55.4M |
| October 1984 16 films · +16% | 16 | $211.1M | +16% | The Terminator (1984) $78.4M |
| October 1985 11 films · −56% | 11 | $92.1M | −56% | Jagged Edge (1985) $40.5M |
| October 1986 15 films · +163% | 15 | $242.4M | +163% | The Color of Money (1986) $52.3M |
| October 1987 27 films · −40% | 27 | $146.4M | −40% | Like Father Like Son (1987) $34.4M |
| October 1988 23 films · +9% | 23 | $160.3M | +9% | Alien Nation (1988) $32.2M |
| October 1989 26 films · +193% | 26 | $470M | +193% | Look Who's Talking (1989) $297M |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in October 1989?
Comedy took $356.7M across 13 films, 76% of the total, ahead of Romance ($336.7M) and Drama ($119.3M). A film counts once for each of its genres.
October 1989 English Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $356.7M13 films · #1 Look Who's Talking (1989) -
Romance $336.7M8 films · #1 Look Who's Talking (1989) -
Drama $119.3M12 films · #1 The Bear (1989) -
Thriller $64.5M6 films · #1 An Innocent Man (1989) -
Crime $42.9M5 films · #1 An Innocent Man (1989) -
Action $40.3M7 films · #1 An Innocent Man (1989) -
Adventure $34.5M3 films · #1 The Bear (1989) -
Family $31.8M1 film · #1 The Bear (1989) -
Horror $28.4M3 films · #1 Shocker (1989) -
Music $18.4M1 film · #1 The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)
Archive
English Box Office in 1989, Month by Month
The months of 1989 with their totals: June leads with $1.2B, led by Batman (1989).
- January $95.5M #1 Three Fugitives (1989)
- February $208.9M #1 The 'Burbs (1989)
- March $160.2M #1 Fletch Lives (1989)
- April $324.3M #1 Field of Dreams (1989)
- May $592M #1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- June $1.2B #1 Batman (1989)
- July $607.4M #1 Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- August $409.8M #1 Parenthood (1989)
- September $284.9M #1 Black Rain (1989)
- October $470M #1 Look Who's Talking (1989)
- November $816.1M #1 Back to the Future Part II (1989)
- December $764M #1 Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
FAQ
English Box Office October 1989: 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 October 1989?
Look Who's Talking (1989) leads with $297M worldwide, $140.1M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Bear (1989) at $31.8M and An Innocent Man (1989) at $20M.
How much did English-language movies released in October 1989 earn?
26 English-language films released in October 1989 report a worldwide gross, $470M in all, or $18.1M per film on average. September 1989 releases took $284.9M.
How many English-language movies released in October 1989 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Look Who's Talking (1989) with $297M.
How is the October 1989 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 October 1989. 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 October 1989 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.