#1 of 17 #1 movie of December 1985
1985 · Biography, Drama
$227.5M worldwide · 38% of the chart's total
$87.1M US & Canada · 38% $140.4M elsewhere · 62%
Box office · December 1985
December 1985 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing December Releases
Out of Africa (1985) is the highest-grossing movie released in December 1985, with $227.5M worldwide, ahead of The Color Purple (1985) at $98.5M and The Jewel of the Nile (1985) at $96.8M. 17 films released in December 1985 report a worldwide gross, $593.5M in all, 73% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 18% on November 1985, whose releases took $502.6M. By genre, Drama leads with $398.8M across 9 releases.
- December 1985 releases with a gross
- 17
- combined worldwide
- $593.5M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs November 1985
- +18%
#1 of 17 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of December 1985?
Out of Africa (1985) leads with $227.5M, 38% of the total. The top 5 together took $513.7M, 87% of what all 17 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 December 1985, 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 December 1985.
- 1 Dec 20, 1985 US and Canada: $87.1M Rest of the world: $140.4M Worldwide: $227.5M
- 2 Dec 18, 1985 US and Canada: $98.5M Rest of the world: $239 Worldwide: $98.5M
- 3 Dec 11, 1985 US and Canada: $76M Rest of the world: $20.8M Worldwide: $96.8M
- 4 Dec 6, 1985 US and Canada: $60.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $60.1M
- 5 Dec 25, 1985 US and Canada: $30.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $30.9M
- 6
Dec 4, 1985 US and Canada: $19.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.7M - 7
Dec 13, 1985 US and Canada: $14.6M Rest of the world: $2.5K Worldwide: $14.6M - 8
Dec 9, 1985 US and Canada: $14.2M Rest of the world: $1.1K Worldwide: $14.2M - 9
Dec 20, 1985 US and Canada: $12.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.3M - 10
Dec 18, 1985 US and Canada: $9.9M Rest of the world: $23.5K Worldwide: $10M - 11
Dec 20, 1985 US and Canada: $4.3M Rest of the world: $41.1K Worldwide: $4.3M - 12
Dec 4, 1985 US and Canada: $3.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.3M - 13
Dec 6, 1985 US and Canada: $836.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $836.2K - 14
Dec 25, 1985 US and Canada: $358.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $358.6K - 15
Dec 14, 1985 US and Canada: $113.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $113.2K - 16
Dec 15, 1985 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.9K - 17
Dec 21, 1985 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $254
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1985?
Of the top 10, Spies Like Us (1985) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Out of Africa (1985) made 62% of its gross abroad. Across all 17 films, $432.2M (73%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Out of Africa (1985) $227.5M $87.1M US & Canada · 38% $140.4M elsewhere · 62%
- 2 The Color Purple (1985) $98.5M $98.5M US & Canada · 100% $239 elsewhere · <1%
- 3 The Jewel of the Nile (1985) $96.8M $76M US & Canada · 79% $20.8M elsewhere · 21%
- 4 Spies Like Us (1985) $60.1M $60.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Murphy’s Romance (1985) $30.9M $30.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) $19.7M $19.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Clue (1985) $14.6M $14.6M US & Canada · 100% $2.5K elsewhere · <1%
- 8 A Chorus Line (1985) $14.2M $14.2M US & Canada · 100% $1.1K elsewhere · <1%
- 9 Enemy Mine (1985) $12.3M $12.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Brazil (1985) $10M $9.9M US & Canada · 100% $23.5K elsewhere · <1%
Gross bands
How Many December 1985 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 17 films crossed $100M and took $227.5M between them, 38% of the total. 8 films, 47% of the list, earned under $10M.
38% 58%
- $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, 6% of the list $227.5M · 38% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 8 films, 47% of the list $347.1M · 58% of the gross
- Under $10M 8 films, 47% of the list $18.9M · 3% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of December 1985 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 15–21) took $352.6M, led by Out of Africa (1985). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Dec 1–7 Spies Like Us (1985) $84M Spies Like Us (1985)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 8–14 The Jewel of the Nile (1985) $125.7M The Jewel of the Nile (1985)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 15–21 Out of Africa (1985) $352.6M Out of Africa (1985)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 22–28 Murphy’s Romance (1985) $31.2M Murphy’s Romance (1985)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 29–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1985 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1984 earned the most: $614M from 18 films, led by Beverly Hills Cop (1984). December 1985 took $593.5M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1976 7 films | 7 | $381M | – | Rocky (1976) $117.3M |
| December 1977 6 films · −23% | 6 | $295M | −23% | Saturday Night Fever (1977) $237.1M |
| December 1978 9 films · +69% | 9 | $498.1M | +69% | Superman (1978) $300.5M |
| December 1979 13 films · +14% | 13 | $567.4M | +14% | Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) $106.3M |
| December 1980 14 films · −13% | 14 | $494.4M | −13% | 9 to 5 (1980) $103.3M |
| December 1981 16 films · −23% | 16 | $379.7M | −23% | On Golden Pond (1981) $119.3M |
| December 1982 16 films · +43% | 16 | $544.2M | +43% | Tootsie (1982) $177.2M |
| December 1983 16 films · −42% | 16 | $313.5M | −42% | Sudden Impact (1983) $67.6M |
| December 1984 18 films · +96% | 18 | $614M | +96% | Beverly Hills Cop (1984) $316.4M |
| December 1985 17 films · −3% | 17 | $593.5M | −3% | Out of Africa (1985) $227.5M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in December 1985?
Drama took $398.8M across 9 films, 67% of the total, ahead of Romance ($358.5M) and Biography ($227.5M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $578.3M across 11 films, 97% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language films ($4.3M) and Cantonese-language films ($113.2K).
December 1985 Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $398.8M9 films · #1 Out of Africa (1985) -
Romance $358.5M4 films · #1 Out of Africa (1985) -
Biography $227.5M1 film · #1 Out of Africa (1985) -
Comedy $220M7 films · #1 The Jewel of the Nile (1985) -
Adventure $189.3M5 films · #1 The Jewel of the Nile (1985) -
Action $113.5M4 films · #1 The Jewel of the Nile (1985) -
Mystery $34.4M3 films · #1 Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) -
Thriller $34.4M2 films · #1 Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) -
Fantasy $29.7M4 films · #1 Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) -
Sci-Fi $22.3M2 films · #1 Enemy Mine (1985)
Archive
Box Office in 1985, Month by Month
The months of 1985 with their totals: December leads with $593.5M, led by Out of Africa (1985).
- January $19.6M #1 Tuff Turf (1985)
- February $262.6M #1 Witness (1985)
- March $262.4M #1 Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985)
- April $100.4M #1 Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
- May $527.8M #1 Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
- June $343.5M #1 Cocoon (1985)
- July $578.7M #1 Back to the Future (1985)
- August $280.6M #1 Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
- September $82.8M #1 Agnes of God (1985)
- October $158.7M #1 Commando (1985)
- November $502.6M #1 Rocky IV (1985)
- December $593.5M #1 Out of Africa (1985)
FAQ
Box Office December 1985: 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 17 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in December 1985?
Out of Africa (1985) leads with $227.5M worldwide, $87.1M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Color Purple (1985) at $98.5M and The Jewel of the Nile (1985) at $96.8M.
How much did movies released in December 1985 earn?
17 films released in December 1985 report a worldwide gross, $593.5M in all, or $34.9M per film on average. November 1985 releases took $502.6M.
How many movies released in December 1985 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Out of Africa (1985) with $227.5M.
How is the December 1985 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 December 1985. 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 December 1985 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.