#1 of 19 #1 movie of August 1985
Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
1985 · Adventure, Fantasy
$41M worldwide · 15% of the chart's total
$41M US & Canada · 100% $1.3K elsewhere · <1%
Box office · August 1985
August 1985 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing August Releases
Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) is the highest-grossing movie released in August 1985, with $41M worldwide, ahead of Weird Science (1985) at $38.9M and Teen Wolf (1985) at $33.1M. 19 films released in August 1985 report a worldwide gross, $280.6M in all, 95% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 52% on July 1985, whose releases took $578.7M. By genre, Comedy leads with $215.4M across 10 releases.
- August 1985 releases with a gross
- 19
- combined worldwide
- $280.6M
- Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), the #1
- $41M
- vs July 1985
- −52%
#1 of 19 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of August 1985?
Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) leads with $41M, 15% of the total. The top 5 together took $162.7M, 58% of what all 19 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 August 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 August 1985.
- 1 Aug 9, 1985 US and Canada: $41M Rest of the world: $1.3K Worldwide: $41M
- 2 Aug 1, 1985 US and Canada: $23.8M Rest of the world: $15.1M Worldwide: $38.9M
- 3 Aug 23, 1985 US and Canada: $33.1M Rest of the world: $695 Worldwide: $33.1M
- 4 Aug 2, 1985 US and Canada: $24.9M Rest of the world: $1.6K Worldwide: $24.9M
- 5 Aug 9, 1985 US and Canada: $24.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $24.7M
- 6
Aug 16, 1985 US and Canada: $19.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.9M - 7
Aug 16, 1985 US and Canada: $18.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18.7M - 8
Aug 16, 1985 US and Canada: $14.2M Rest of the world: $3.4K Worldwide: $14.2M - 9
Aug 2, 1985 US and Canada: $14M Rest of the world: $1K Worldwide: $14M - 10
Aug 7, 1985 US and Canada: $13M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13M - 11
Aug 30, 1985 US and Canada: $12.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.5M - 12
Aug 30, 1985 US and Canada: $10.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.5M - 13
Aug 9, 1985 US and Canada: $4.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.1M - 14
Aug 23, 1985 US and Canada: $4.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.1M - 15
Aug 16, 1985 US and Canada: $3.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.6M - 16
Aug 23, 1985 US and Canada: $1.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.9M - 17
Aug 16, 1985 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.4M - 18
Aug 15, 1985 US and Canada: $7.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.7K - 19
Aug 30, 1985 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $278
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in August 1985?
Of the top 10, Summer Rental (1985) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Weird Science (1985) made 39% of its gross abroad. Across all 19 films, $265.5M (95%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) $41M $41M US & Canada · 100% $1.3K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Weird Science (1985) $38.9M $23.8M US & Canada · 61% $15.1M elsewhere · 39%
- 3 Teen Wolf (1985) $33.1M $33.1M US & Canada · 100% $695 elsewhere · <1%
- 4 Fright Night (1985) $24.9M $24.9M US & Canada · 100% $1.6K elsewhere · <1%
- 5 Summer Rental (1985) $24.7M $24.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Volunteers (1985) $19.9M $19.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Year of the Dragon (1985) $18.7M $18.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 The Return of the Living Dead (1985) $14.2M $14.2M US & Canada · 100% $3.4K elsewhere · <1%
- 9 Follow That Bird (1985) $14M $14M US & Canada · 100% $1K elsewhere · <1%
- 10 Real Genius (1985) $13M $13M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many August 1985 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 19 films reached $100M. 7 films, 37% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $280.6M total.
95%
- $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 12 films, 63% of the list $265.5M · 95% of the gross
- Under $10M 7 films, 37% of the list $15.1M · 5% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of August 1985 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 32 (Aug 4–10) took $82.8M, led by Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 31 Wk 31 Jul 28–Aug 3 Weird Science (1985) $77.8M Weird Science (1985)
- Week 32 Wk 32 Aug 4–10 Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) $82.8M Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
- Week 33 Wk 33 Aug 11–17 Volunteers (1985) $57.8M Volunteers (1985)
- Week 34 Wk 34 Aug 18–24 Teen Wolf (1985) $39.1M Teen Wolf (1985)
- Week 35 Wk 35 Aug 25–31 Compromising Positions (1985) $23M Compromising Positions (1985)
Earlier years
How Does August 1985 Compare With August in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, August 1985 earned the most: $280.6M from 19 films, led by Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1976 2 films | 2 | $8.1M | – | The Shootist (1976) $8.1M |
| August 1977 7 films · +521% | 7 | $50.3M | +521% | The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) $46.9M |
| August 1978 5 films · −39% | 5 | $30.4M | −39% | Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) $20M |
| August 1979 13 films · +617% | 13 | $218.4M | +617% | Apocalypse Now (1979) $105.1M |
| August 1980 9 films · −32% | 9 | $147.7M | −32% | Smokey and the Bandit II (1980) $66.1M |
| August 1981 16 films · −1% | 16 | $146.6M | −1% | An American Werewolf in London (1981) $30.8M |
| August 1982 10 films · −6% | 10 | $138M | −6% | Friday the 13th Part III (1982) $36.7M |
| August 1983 16 films · +64% | 16 | $226.6M | +64% | Mr. Mom (1983) $64.8M |
| August 1984 18 films · −19% | 18 | $184.5M | −19% | Tightrope (1984) $48.1M |
| August 1985 19 films · +52% | 19 | $280.6M | +52% | Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) $41M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in August 1985?
Comedy took $215.4M across 10 films, 77% of the total, ahead of Fantasy ($116.6M) and Sci-Fi ($79.9M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $262.5M across 17 films, 94% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language films ($4.1M).
August 1985 Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $215.4M10 films · #1 Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) -
Fantasy $116.6M4 films · #1 Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) -
Sci-Fi $79.9M8 films · #1 Weird Science (1985) -
Adventure $69.6M5 films · #1 Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) -
Thriller $62.2M5 films · #1 Fright Night (1985) -
Romance $60.1M4 films · #1 Teen Wolf (1985) -
Family $55M2 films · #1 Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) -
Horror $46.8M4 films · #1 Fright Night (1985) -
Action $37.5M5 films · #1 Year of the Dragon (1985) -
Drama $34.6M5 films · #1 Year of the Dragon (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 August 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 19 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in August 1985?
Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) leads with $41M worldwide, $41M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Weird Science (1985) at $38.9M and Teen Wolf (1985) at $33.1M.
How much did movies released in August 1985 earn?
19 films released in August 1985 report a worldwide gross, $280.6M in all, or $14.8M per film on average. July 1985 releases took $578.7M.
How many movies released in August 1985 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), earned $41M.
How is the August 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 August 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 August 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.