#1 of 23 #1 movie of October 1984
1984 · Action, Sci-Fi
$78.4M worldwide · 35% of the chart's total
$38.4M US & Canada · 49% $40M elsewhere · 51%
Box office · October 1984
October 1984 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing October Releases
The Terminator (1984) is the highest-grossing movie released in October 1984, with $78.4M worldwide, ahead of Places in the Heart (1984) at $34.9M and Teachers (1984) at $27.8M. 23 films released in October 1984 report a worldwide gross, $221M in all, 80% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 35% on September 1984, whose releases took $163.3M. By genre, Thriller leads with $114.7M across 7 releases.
- October 1984 releases with a gross
- 23
- combined worldwide
- $221M
- The Terminator (1984), the #1
- $78.4M
- vs September 1984
- +35%
#1 of 23 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of October 1984?
The Terminator (1984) leads with $78.4M, 35% of the total. The top 5 together took $164.6M, 74% of what all 23 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 Release of October 1984, 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 1984.
- 1 Oct 26, 1984 US and Canada: $38.4M Rest of the world: $40M Worldwide: $78.4M
- 2 Oct 5, 1984 US and Canada: $34.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.9M
- 3 Oct 5, 1984 US and Canada: $27.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $27.8M
- 4 Oct 18, 1984 US and Canada: $10.3M Rest of the world: $2.8M Worldwide: $13.1M
- 5 Oct 19, 1984 US and Canada: $10.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.4M
- 6
Oct 26, 1984 US and Canada: $10M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10M - 7
Oct 26, 1984 US and Canada: $8.8M Rest of the world: $4.1K Worldwide: $8.8M - 8
Oct 19, 1984 US and Canada: $7.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.8M - 9
Oct 19, 1984 US and Canada: $6.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.6M - 10
Oct 26, 1984 US and Canada: $6.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.3M - 11
Oct 26, 1984 US and Canada: $5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5M - 12
Oct 19, 1984 US and Canada: $2.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.9M - 13
Oct 4, 1984 US and Canada: $2.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.7M - 14
Oct 3, 1984 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.1M - 15
Oct 12, 1984 US and Canada: $1.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.5M - 16
Oct 14, 1984 US and Canada: $865.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $865.9K - 17
Oct 1, 1984 US and Canada: $852.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $852.7K - 18
Oct 5, 1984 US and Canada: $600K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $600K - 19
Oct 29, 1984 US and Canada: $220K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $220K - 20
Oct 5, 1984 US and Canada: $123.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $123.6K - 21
Oct 7, 1984 US and Canada: $13.8K Rest of the world: $32.8K Worldwide: $46.6K - 22
Oct 11, 1984 US and Canada: $13.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.4K - 23
Oct 9, 1984 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.3K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in October 1984?
Of the top 10, Places in the Heart (1984) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Terminator (1984) made 51% of its gross abroad. Across all 23 films, $176.1M (80%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Terminator (1984) $78.4M $38.4M US & Canada · 49% $40M elsewhere · 51%
- 2 Places in the Heart (1984) $34.9M $34.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Teachers (1984) $27.8M $27.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Stop Making Sense (1984) $13.1M $10.3M US & Canada · 79% $2.8M elsewhere · 21%
- 5 Thief of Hearts (1984) $10.4M $10.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Terror in the Aisles (1984) $10M $10M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Body Double (1984) $8.8M $8.8M US & Canada · 100% $4.1K elsewhere · <1%
- 8 The Little Drummer Girl (1984) $7.8M $7.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 The Razor's Edge (1984) $6.6M $6.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Firstborn (1984) $6.3M $6.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many October 1984 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 23 films reached $100M. 17 films, 74% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $221M total.
79% 21%
- $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 6 films, 26% of the list $174.6M · 79% of the gross
- Under $10M 17 films, 74% of the list $46.4M · 21% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of October 1984 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 43 (Oct 21–27) took $108.5M, led by The Terminator (1984). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 30–Oct 6 Places in the Heart (1984) $69.1M Places in the Heart (1984)
- Week 41 Wk 41 Oct 7–13 Garbo Talks (1984) $1.6M Garbo Talks (1984)
- Week 42 Wk 42 Oct 14–20 Stop Making Sense (1984) $41.7M Stop Making Sense (1984)
- Week 43 Wk 43 Oct 21–27 The Terminator (1984) $108.5M The Terminator (1984)
- Week 44 Wk 44 Oct 28–Nov 3 Radioactive Dreams (1984) $220K Radioactive Dreams (1984)
Earlier years
How Does October 1984 Compare With October in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, October 1979 earned the most: $223.4M from 11 films, led by 10 (1979). October 1984 took $221M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1975 1 film | 1 | $293.1K | – | The Giant Spider Invasion (1975) $293.1K |
| October 1976 3 films · +7312% | 3 | $21.7M | +7312% | Marathon Man (1976) $21.7M |
| October 1977 9 films · +324% | 9 | $92.2M | +324% | Oh, God! (1977) $41.7M |
| October 1978 8 films · +45% | 8 | $133.4M | +45% | Halloween (1978) $47.2M |
| October 1979 11 films · +68% | 11 | $223.4M | +68% | 10 (1979) $74.9M |
| October 1980 15 films · −36% | 15 | $143.4M | −36% | Private Benjamin (1980) $69.8M |
| October 1981 15 films · −33% | 15 | $96.6M | −33% | The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) $26.9M |
| October 1982 15 films · +93% | 15 | $186.6M | +93% | First Blood (1982) $125.2M |
| October 1983 10 films · −2% | 10 | $181.9M | −2% | Never Say Never Again (1983) $55.4M |
| October 1984 23 films · +21% | 23 | $221M | +21% | The Terminator (1984) $78.4M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in October 1984?
Thriller took $114.7M across 7 films, 52% of the total, ahead of Drama ($93.4M) and Action ($84.2M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $211.1M across 16 films, 96% of the total, ahead of Cantonese-language films ($2.1M) and German-language films ($852.7K).
October 1984 Box Office by Genre
-
Thriller $114.7M7 films · #1 The Terminator (1984) -
Drama $93.4M10 films · #1 Places in the Heart (1984) -
Action $84.2M4 films · #1 The Terminator (1984) -
Sci-Fi $78.6M2 films · #1 The Terminator (1984) -
Comedy $39.3M7 films · #1 Teachers (1984) -
Documentary $24M5 films · #1 Stop Making Sense (1984) -
Romance $16.6M5 films · #1 The Razor's Edge (1984) -
Crime $15.5M2 films · #1 Thief of Hearts (1984) -
Music $14M2 films · #1 Stop Making Sense (1984) -
Horror $10M1 film · #1 Terror in the Aisles (1984)
Archive
Box Office in 1984, Month by Month
The months of 1984 with their totals: June leads with $819.9M, led by Ghostbusters (1984).
- January $78.5M #1 Yentl (1984)
- February $167.8M #1 Footloose (1984)
- March $376.1M #1 Romancing the Stone (1984)
- April $114.9M #1 Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
- May $486.6M #1 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- June $819.9M #1 Ghostbusters (1984)
- July $196.3M #1 Purple Rain (1984)
- August $184.5M #1 Tightrope (1984)
- September $163.3M #1 Amadeus (1984)
- October $221M #1 The Terminator (1984)
- November $155.2M #1 A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
- December $614M #1 Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
FAQ
Box Office October 1984: 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 23 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in October 1984?
The Terminator (1984) leads with $78.4M worldwide, $38.4M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Places in the Heart (1984) at $34.9M and Teachers (1984) at $27.8M.
How much did movies released in October 1984 earn?
23 films released in October 1984 report a worldwide gross, $221M in all, or $9.6M per film on average. September 1984 releases took $163.3M.
How many movies released in October 1984 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, The Terminator (1984), earned $78.4M.
How is the October 1984 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 1984. 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.
How often is the October 1984 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.