#1 of 232 #1 English-language movie of 1996
1996 · Action, Adventure
$817.4M worldwide · 9% of the chart's total
$306.2M US & Canada · 37% $511.2M elsewhere · 63%
English box office · 1996
English Box Office 1996: Highest-Grossing English Movies
Independence Day (1996) is the highest-grossing English-language movie released in 1996, with $817.4M worldwide, ahead of Twister (1996) at $494.6M and Mission: Impossible (1996) at $457.7M. 232 English-language films released in 1996 report a worldwide gross, $9.2B in all, 56% of it from the US & Canada. 31 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 3% on 1995, whose releases took $8.9B. By genre, Thriller leads with $4.9B across 57 English releases.
- 1996 releases with a gross
- 232
- combined worldwide
- $9.2B
- films crossed $100M
- 31
- vs 1995
- +3%
#1 of 232 Top 5
What Were the Biggest English Hits of 1996?
Independence Day (1996) leads with $817.4M, 9% of the total. The top 5 together took $2.4B, 26% of what all 232 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 1996, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 232. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1996.
- 1 Jul 3, 1996 US and Canada: $306.2M Rest of the world: $511.2M Worldwide: $817.4M
- 2 May 10, 1996 US and Canada: $241.8M Rest of the world: $252.8M Worldwide: $494.6M
- 3 May 22, 1996 US and Canada: $181M Rest of the world: $276.7M Worldwide: $457.7M
- 4 Jun 7, 1996 US and Canada: $134.1M Rest of the world: $201M Worldwide: $335.1M
- 5 Jun 21, 1996 US and Canada: $100.1M Rest of the world: $225.2M Worldwide: $325.3M
- 6
Nov 27, 1996 US and Canada: $136.2M Rest of the world: $184.5M Worldwide: $320.7M - 7
Nov 8, 1996 US and Canada: $136.5M Rest of the world: $173M Worldwide: $309.5M - 8
Jun 28, 1996 US and Canada: $128.8M Rest of the world: $145.1M Worldwide: $274M - 9
Dec 13, 1996 US and Canada: $154M Rest of the world: $119.6M Worldwide: $273.6M - 10
Jun 21, 1996 US and Canada: $101.3M Rest of the world: $141M Worldwide: $242.3M - 11
Nov 15, 1996 US and Canada: $78.7M Rest of the world: $153.3M Worldwide: $232M - 12
Nov 15, 1996 US and Canada: $90.6M Rest of the world: $140M Worldwide: $230.6M - 13
Mar 8, 1996 US and Canada: $124.1M Rest of the world: $61.2M Worldwide: $185.3M - 14
Sep 20, 1996 US and Canada: $105.5M Rest of the world: $76M Worldwide: $181.5M - 15
Dec 20, 1996 US and Canada: $103M Rest of the world: $70M Worldwide: $173M - 16
Oct 18, 1996 US and Canada: $53.3M Rest of the world: $112.3M Worldwide: $165.6M - 17
Dec 6, 1996 US and Canada: $33M Rest of the world: $126.2M Worldwide: $159.2M - 18
Jul 24, 1996 US and Canada: $108.8M Rest of the world: $43.5M Worldwide: $152.3M - 19
Jul 3, 1996 US and Canada: $104.6M Rest of the world: $47.4M Worldwide: $152M - 20
Feb 9, 1996 US and Canada: $70.8M Rest of the world: $79.5M Worldwide: $150.3M - 21
Nov 22, 1996 US and Canada: $92M Rest of the world: $54M Worldwide: $146M - 22
Nov 22, 1996 US and Canada: $60.6M Rest of the world: $69.2M Worldwide: $129.8M - 23
Mar 15, 1996 US and Canada: $56.6M Rest of the world: $65.4M Worldwide: $122M - 24
May 31, 1996 US and Canada: $51.4M Rest of the world: $63.9M Worldwide: $115.3M - 25
Jun 28, 1996 US and Canada: $33.1M Rest of the world: $80.2M Worldwide: $113.3M - 26
Jan 19, 1996 US and Canada: $82.6M Rest of the world: $23.7M Worldwide: $106.3M - 27
Jun 14, 1996 US and Canada: $60.2M Rest of the world: $42.6M Worldwide: $102.8M - 28
Apr 3, 1996 US and Canada: $56.1M Rest of the world: $46.5M Worldwide: $102.6M - 29
Dec 13, 1996 US and Canada: $37.8M Rest of the world: $63.6M Worldwide: $101.4M - 30
Apr 12, 1996 US and Canada: $59M Rest of the world: $41.8M Worldwide: $100.9M - 31
Mar 1, 1996 US and Canada: $51.1M Rest of the world: $49.6M Worldwide: $100.7M - 32
Dec 20, 1996 US and Canada: $46.2M Rest of the world: $51.4M Worldwide: $97.5M - 33
Oct 11, 1996 US and Canada: $33.4M Rest of the world: $56M Worldwide: $89.5M - 34
Dec 20, 1996 US and Canada: $63.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $63.1M - 35
Mar 8, 1996 US and Canada: $24.6M Rest of the world: $36M Worldwide: $60.6M - 36
Aug 2, 1996 US and Canada: $21.2M Rest of the world: $39M Worldwide: $60.2M - 37
Aug 9, 1996 US and Canada: $58.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $58.6M - 38
Apr 19, 1996 US and Canada: $21.7M Rest of the world: $35.7M Worldwide: $57.4M - 39
Aug 16, 1996 US and Canada: $53.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $53.9M - 40
Aug 23, 1996 US and Canada: $27.7M Rest of the world: $22M Worldwide: $49.6M - 41
Sep 20, 1996 US and Canada: $18.1M Rest of the world: $29.2M Worldwide: $47.3M - 42
Nov 6, 1996 US and Canada: $36.5M Rest of the world: $5.1M Worldwide: $41.6M - 43
Feb 16, 1996 US and Canada: $39M Rest of the world: $2.4M Worldwide: $41.4M - 44
Nov 15, 1996 US and Canada: $41.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $41.1M - 45
Oct 11, 1996 US and Canada: $38.6M Rest of the world: $554 Worldwide: $38.6M - 46
Mar 29, 1996 US and Canada: $30.4M Rest of the world: $7.6M Worldwide: $38M - 47
Mar 1, 1996 US and Canada: $25.8M Rest of the world: $11.8M Worldwide: $37.6M - 48
Nov 20, 1996 US and Canada: $35.9M Rest of the world: $106.8K Worldwide: $36M - 49
Apr 4, 1996 US and Canada: $34.8M Rest of the world: $832K Worldwide: $35.6M - 50
Apr 26, 1996 US and Canada: $34.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.9M
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1996?
Of the top 10, Jerry Maguire (1996) earned the biggest share at home (56% in the US & Canada), while The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) made 69% of its gross abroad. Across all 232 films, $5.1B (56%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Independence Day (1996) $817.4M $306.2M US & Canada · 37% $511.2M elsewhere · 63%
- 2 Twister (1996) $494.6M $241.8M US & Canada · 49% $252.8M elsewhere · 51%
- 3 Mission: Impossible (1996) $457.7M $181M US & Canada · 40% $276.7M elsewhere · 60%
- 4 The Rock (1996) $335.1M $134.1M US & Canada · 40% $201M elsewhere · 60%
- 5 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) $325.3M $100.1M US & Canada · 31% $225.2M elsewhere · 69%
- 6 101 Dalmatians (1996) $320.7M $136.2M US & Canada · 42% $184.5M elsewhere · 58%
- 7 Ransom (1996) $309.5M $136.5M US & Canada · 44% $173M elsewhere · 56%
- 8 The Nutty Professor (1996) $274M $128.8M US & Canada · 47% $145.1M elsewhere · 53%
- 9 Jerry Maguire (1996) $273.6M $154M US & Canada · 56% $119.6M elsewhere · 44%
- 10 Eraser (1996) $242.3M $101.3M US & Canada · 42% $141M elsewhere · 58%
Gross bands
How Many 1996 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
31 of 232 films crossed $100M and took $6.9B between them, 75% of the total. 124 films, 53% of the list, earned under $10M.
9% 66% 23%
- $1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $500M to $1B 1 film, <1% of the list $817.4M · 9% of the gross
- $100M to $500M 30 films, 13% of the list $6.1B · 66% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 77 films, 33% of the list $2.1B · 23% of the gross
- Under $10M 124 films, 53% of the list $250.7M · 3% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 1996 Earned the Most?
November releases took the most, $1.5B from 23 films, led by 101 Dalmatians (1996). January was the quietest month ($199.2M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Mr. Holland's Opus (1996) $199.2M Mr. Holland's Opus (1996)
- February Feb Broken Arrow (1996) $373.5M Broken Arrow (1996)
- March Mar The Birdcage (1996) $656.1M The Birdcage (1996)
- April Apr Primal Fear (1996) $447M Primal Fear (1996)
- May May Twister (1996) $1.2B Twister (1996)
- June Jun The Rock (1996) $1.4B The Rock (1996)
- July Jul Independence Day (1996) $1.2B Independence Day (1996)
- August Aug Chain Reaction (1996) $329.6M Chain Reaction (1996)
- September Sep The First Wives Club (1996) $372.3M The First Wives Club (1996)
- October Oct Sleepers (1996) $459M Sleepers (1996)
- November Nov 101 Dalmatians (1996) $1.5B 101 Dalmatians (1996)
- December Dec Jerry Maguire (1996) $988.5M Jerry Maguire (1996)
Last 10 years
How Does 1996 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1996 earned the most: $9.2B from 232 films, led by Independence Day (1996).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 219 films | 219 | $3.7B | – | 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 |
| 1991 222 films · −9% | 222 | $5.9B | −9% | Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) $517.8M |
| 1992 179 films · −7% | 179 | $5.5B | −7% | The Bodyguard (1992) $411M |
| 1993 213 films · +14% | 213 | $6.3B | +14% | Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) $441.3M |
| 1994 207 films · +16% | 207 | $7.3B | +16% | The Lion King (1994) $979.2M |
| 1995 233 films · +23% | 233 | $8.9B | +23% | Toy Story (1995) $394.4M |
| 1996 232 films · +3% | 232 | $9.2B | +3% | Independence Day (1996) $817.4M |
By genre
Which English Genres Earned the Most in 1996?
Thriller took $4.9B across 57 films, 53% of the total, ahead of Action ($4.1B) and Drama ($4B). A film counts once for each of its genres.
1996 English Box Office by Genre
-
Thriller $4.9B57 films · #1 Independence Day (1996) -
Action $4.1B37 films · #1 Independence Day (1996) -
Drama $4B134 films · #1 Twister (1996) -
Adventure $3.5B28 films · #1 Independence Day (1996) -
Comedy $2.9B101 films · #1 101 Dalmatians (1996) -
Romance $2B65 films · #1 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) -
Crime $1.6B43 films · #1 Ransom (1996) -
Sci-Fi $1.5B13 films · #1 Independence Day (1996) -
Family $1.1B24 films · #1 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) -
Mystery $803.7M14 films · #1 Eraser (1996)
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 1996: 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 232 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing English-language movie in 1996?
Independence Day (1996) leads with $817.4M worldwide, $306.2M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Twister (1996) at $494.6M and Mission: Impossible (1996) at $457.7M.
How much did English-language movies released in 1996 earn?
232 English-language films released in 1996 report a worldwide gross, $9.2B in all, or $39.7M per film on average. 1995 releases took $8.9B.
How many English-language movies released in 1996 made $1 billion?
None. 31 films crossed $100 million, led by Independence Day (1996) with $817.4M.
How is the 1996 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 1996. 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 1996 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.