#1 of 187 #1 English-language movie of 1990
1990 · Drama, Mystery
$505.7M worldwide · 8% of the chart's total
$217.6M US & Canada · 43% $288.1M elsewhere · 57%
English box office · 1990
English Box Office 1990: Highest-Grossing English Movies
Ghost (1990) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in 1990, with $505.7M worldwide, ahead of Home Alone (1990) at $476.7M and Pretty Woman (1990) at $463.4M. 187 English-language films released in 1990 report a worldwide gross, $6.5B in all, 63% of it from the US & Canada. 17 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 9% on 1989, whose releases took $6B. By genre, Comedy leads with $3.4B across 74 English releases.
- 1990 releases with a gross
- 187
- combined worldwide
- $6.5B
- films crossed $100M
- 17
- vs 1989
- +9%
#1 of 187 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of 1990?
Ghost (1990) leads with $505.7M, 8% of the total. The top 5 together took $2.1B, 33% of what all 187 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 1990, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 187. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1990.
- 1 Jul 13, 1990 US and Canada: $217.6M Rest of the world: $288.1M Worldwide: $505.7M
- 2 Nov 16, 1990 US and Canada: $285.8M Rest of the world: $190.9M Worldwide: $476.7M
- 3 Mar 23, 1990 US and Canada: $178.4M Rest of the world: $285M Worldwide: $463.4M
- 4 Nov 9, 1990 US and Canada: $184.2M Rest of the world: $240M Worldwide: $424.2M
- 5 Jun 1, 1990 US and Canada: $119.4M Rest of the world: $141.9M Worldwide: $261.3M
- 6
May 25, 1990 US and Canada: $88.3M Rest of the world: $156.8M Worldwide: $245.1M - 7
Jul 2, 1990 US and Canada: $117.5M Rest of the world: $122.5M Worldwide: $240M - 8
Jul 27, 1990 US and Canada: $86.3M Rest of the world: $135M Worldwide: $221.3M - 9
Mar 30, 1990 US and Canada: $135.4M Rest of the world: $66.7M Worldwide: $202.1M - 10
Dec 21, 1990 US and Canada: $91.5M Rest of the world: $110.5M Worldwide: $202M - 11
Mar 2, 1990 US and Canada: $122M Rest of the world: $78.5M Worldwide: $200.5M - 12
Jun 15, 1990 US and Canada: $103.7M Rest of the world: $59M Worldwide: $162.7M - 13
Jun 27, 1990 US and Canada: $82.7M Rest of the world: $75.3M Worldwide: $157.9M - 14
Jun 8, 1990 US and Canada: $80.8M Rest of the world: $72.7M Worldwide: $153.5M - 15
May 18, 1990 US and Canada: $71M Rest of the world: $67.7M Worldwide: $138.7M - 16
Dec 25, 1990 US and Canada: $66.8M Rest of the world: $70.1M Worldwide: $136.9M - 17
Nov 16, 1990 US and Canada: $40.9M Rest of the world: $79M Worldwide: $119.9M - 18
Dec 7, 1990 US and Canada: $56.4M Rest of the world: $29.7M Worldwide: $86M - 19
Jul 27, 1990 US and Canada: $53.5M Rest of the world: $18.8M Worldwide: $72.3M - 20
Nov 21, 1990 US and Canada: $71.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $71.6M - 21
Aug 10, 1990 US and Canada: $61.5M Rest of the world: $373 Worldwide: $61.5M - 22
Nov 30, 1990 US and Canada: $61.3M Rest of the world: $725 Worldwide: $61.3M - 23
Oct 5, 1990 US and Canada: $46M Rest of the world: $11.9M Worldwide: $58M - 24
Nov 21, 1990 US and Canada: $30.7M Rest of the world: $26.5M Worldwide: $57.1M - 25
Jul 18, 1990 US and Canada: $53.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $53.2M - 26
Dec 20, 1990 US and Canada: $52.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $52.1M - 27
Aug 24, 1990 US and Canada: $33.9M Rest of the world: $15M Worldwide: $48.9M - 28
Feb 9, 1990 US and Canada: $47.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $47.4M - 29
Sep 1, 1990 US and Canada: $46.9M Rest of the world: $158.3K Worldwide: $47.1M - 30
Jun 22, 1990 US and Canada: $45.7M Rest of the world: $1.1K Worldwide: $45.7M - 31
Sep 28, 1990 US and Canada: $29.4M Rest of the world: $15.5M Worldwide: $44.9M - 32
Aug 1, 1990 US and Canada: $44.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $44.1M - 33
Jun 15, 1990 US and Canada: $41.5M Rest of the world: $843 Worldwide: $41.5M - 34
Mar 9, 1990 US and Canada: $39.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $39.4M - 35
Sep 12, 1990 US and Canada: $39.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $39.1M - 36
Aug 17, 1990 US and Canada: $26.1M Rest of the world: $12.9M Worldwide: $39M - 37
Nov 9, 1990 US and Canada: $28.5M Rest of the world: $7.3M Worldwide: $35.8M - 38
Dec 14, 1990 US and Canada: $35.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $35.4M - 39
Aug 10, 1990 US and Canada: $31.1M Rest of the world: $2.4M Worldwide: $33.5M - 40
Nov 16, 1990 US and Canada: $27.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $27.9M - 41
Jan 12, 1990 US and Canada: $27.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $27.7M - 42
May 18, 1990 US and Canada: $27.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $27.6M - 43
Oct 12, 1990 US and Canada: $27.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $27.4M - 44
Mar 9, 1990 US and Canada: $26.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.4M - 45
Nov 2, 1990 US and Canada: $26.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.1M - 46
Jun 29, 1990 US and Canada: $24.7M Rest of the world: $714K Worldwide: $25.4M - 47
Jul 20, 1990 US and Canada: $25.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25.1M - 48
Apr 6, 1990 US and Canada: $25M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $25M - 49
Aug 17, 1990 US and Canada: $23.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.6M - 50
Oct 5, 1990 US and Canada: $11.6M Rest of the world: $11.9M Worldwide: $23.5M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1990?
Of the top 10, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) earned the biggest share at home (67% in the US & Canada), while Back to the Future Part III (1990) made 64% of its gross abroad. Across all 187 films, $4.1B (63%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Ghost (1990) $505.7M $217.6M US & Canada · 43% $288.1M elsewhere · 57%
- 2 Home Alone (1990) $476.7M $285.8M US & Canada · 60% $190.9M elsewhere · 40%
- 3 Pretty Woman (1990) $463.4M $178.4M US & Canada · 38% $285M elsewhere · 62%
- 4 Dances with Wolves (1990) $424.2M $184.2M US & Canada · 43% $240M elsewhere · 57%
- 5 Total Recall (1990) $261.3M $119.4M US & Canada · 46% $141.9M elsewhere · 54%
- 6 Back to the Future Part III (1990) $245.1M $88.3M US & Canada · 36% $156.8M elsewhere · 64%
- 7 Die Hard 2 (1990) $240M $117.5M US & Canada · 49% $122.5M elsewhere · 51%
- 8 Presumed Innocent (1990) $221.3M $86.3M US & Canada · 39% $135M elsewhere · 61%
- 9 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) $202.1M $135.4M US & Canada · 67% $66.7M elsewhere · 33%
- 10 Kindergarten Cop (1990) $202M $91.5M US & Canada · 45% $110.5M elsewhere · 55%
Gross bands
How Many 1990 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
17 of 187 films crossed $100M and took $4.3B between them, 66% of the total. 105 films, 56% of the list, earned under $10M.
58% 30%
- $1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $500M to $1B 1 film, <1% of the list $505.7M · 8% of the gross
- $100M to $500M 16 films, 9% of the list $3.8B · 58% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 65 films, 35% of the list $1.9B · 30% of the gross
- Under $10M 105 films, 56% of the list $276.9M · 4% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1990 Earned the Most?
November releases took the most, $1.3B from 21 films, led by Home Alone (1990). January was the quietest month ($54.5M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Internal Affairs (1990) $54.5M Internal Affairs (1990)
- February Feb Hard to Kill (1990) $127.9M Hard to Kill (1990)
- March Mar Pretty Woman (1990) $1B Pretty Woman (1990)
- April Apr Ernest Goes to Jail (1990) $128.9M Ernest Goes to Jail (1990)
- May May Back to the Future Part III (1990) $435.9M Back to the Future Part III (1990)
- June Jun Total Recall (1990) $870.4M Total Recall (1990)
- July Jul Ghost (1990) $1.2B Ghost (1990)
- August Aug Flatliners (1990) $341.2M Flatliners (1990)
- September Sep Goodfellas (1990) $192.1M Goodfellas (1990)
- October Oct Marked for Death (1990) $230.5M Marked for Death (1990)
- November Nov Home Alone (1990) $1.3B Home Alone (1990)
- December Dec Kindergarten Cop (1990) $614.9M Kindergarten Cop (1990)
Last 10 years
How Does 1990 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1990 earned the most: $6.5B from 187 films, led by Ghost (1990).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 114 films | 114 | $2.1B | – | 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 |
| 1989 207 films · +37% | 207 | $6B | +37% | Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) $474.2M |
| 1990 187 films · +9% | 187 | $6.5B | +9% | Ghost (1990) $505.7M |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in 1990?
Comedy took $3.4B across 74 films, 53% of the total, ahead of Thriller ($2.9B) and Drama ($2.6B). A film counts once for each of its genres.
1990 English Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $3.4B74 films · #1 Ghost (1990) -
Thriller $2.9B59 films · #1 Ghost (1990) -
Drama $2.6B97 films · #1 Ghost (1990) -
Action $2.4B44 films · #1 Total Recall (1990) -
Crime $2B48 films · #1 Home Alone (1990) -
Romance $1.8B39 films · #1 Ghost (1990) -
Adventure $1.5B15 films · #1 Dances with Wolves (1990) -
Sci-Fi $977M17 films · #1 Total Recall (1990) -
Family $914.8M10 films · #1 Home Alone (1990) -
Mystery $840.8M12 films · #1 Ghost (1990)
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 1990: 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 187 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in 1990?
Ghost (1990) leads with $505.7M worldwide, $217.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Home Alone (1990) at $476.7M and Pretty Woman (1990) at $463.4M.
How much did English-language movies released in 1990 earn?
187 English-language films released in 1990 report a worldwide gross, $6.5B in all, or $34.8M per film on average. 1989 releases took $6B.
How many English-language movies released in 1990 made $1 billion?
None. 17 films crossed $100 million, led by Ghost (1990) with $505.7M.
How is the 1990 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 1990. 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 1990 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.