#1 of 14 #1 movie of December 1986
1986 · Drama, War
$138.5M worldwide · 35% of the chart's total
$138.5M US & Canada · 100% $15.7K elsewhere · <1%
Box office · December 1986
December 1986 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing December Releases
Platoon (1986) is the highest-grossing movie released in December 1986, with $138.5M worldwide, ahead of The Golden Child (1986) at $79.8M and Heartbreak Ridge (1986) at $42.7M. 14 films released in December 1986 report a worldwide gross, $398.6M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is up 34% on November 1986, whose releases took $298.1M. By genre, Comedy leads with $216.6M across 7 releases.
- December 1986 releases with a gross
- 14
- combined worldwide
- $398.6M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs November 1986
- +34%
#1 of 14 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of December 1986?
Platoon (1986) leads with $138.5M, 35% of the total. The top 5 together took $339.4M, 85% of what all 14 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 1986, 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 1986.
- 1 Dec 19, 1986 US and Canada: $138.5M Rest of the world: $15.7K Worldwide: $138.5M
- 2 Dec 12, 1986 US and Canada: $79.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $79.8M
- 3 Dec 5, 1986 US and Canada: $42.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.7M
- 4 Dec 12, 1986 US and Canada: $39.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $39.2M
- 5 Dec 19, 1986 US and Canada: $39M Rest of the world: $32.3K Worldwide: $39.1M
- 6
Dec 25, 1986 US and Canada: $25.1M Rest of the world: $66 Worldwide: $25.1M - 7
Dec 19, 1986 US and Canada: $12.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.3M - 8
Dec 25, 1986 US and Canada: $12M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12M - 9
Dec 19, 1986 US and Canada: $4.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.7M - 10
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1986)Dec 17, 1986 US and Canada: $3.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.8M
Dec 17, 1986 · English · Mystery, Comedy $3.8M worldwide - 11
Dec 24, 1986 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.3M - 12
Dec 1, 1986 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $23.9K - 13
Dec 25, 1986 US and Canada: $19.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.4K - 14
Dec 25, 1986 US and Canada: $8.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.7K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1986?
Of the top 10, The Golden Child (1986) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Little Shop of Horrors (1986) made <1% of its gross abroad. Across all 14 films, $398.6M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Platoon (1986) $138.5M $138.5M US & Canada · 100% $15.7K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 The Golden Child (1986) $79.8M $79.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Heartbreak Ridge (1986) $42.7M $42.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Three Amigos! (1986) $39.2M $39.2M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Little Shop of Horrors (1986) $39.1M $39M US & Canada · 100% $32.3K elsewhere · <1%
- 6 The Morning After (1986) $25.1M $25.1M US & Canada · 100% $66 elsewhere · <1%
- 7 No Mercy (1986) $12.3M $12.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Brighton Beach Memoirs (1986) $12M $12M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 King Kong Lives (1986) $4.7M $4.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1986) $3.8M $3.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many December 1986 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
1 of 14 films crossed $100M and took $138.5M between them, 35% of the total. 6 films, 43% of the list, earned under $10M.
35% 63%
- $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, 7% of the list $138.5M · 35% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 7 films, 50% of the list $250.3M · 63% of the gross
- Under $10M 6 films, 43% of the list $9.8M · 2% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of December 1986 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 14–20) took $198.4M, led by Platoon (1986). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 30–Dec 6 Heartbreak Ridge (1986) $42.7M Heartbreak Ridge (1986)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 7–13 The Golden Child (1986) $119.1M The Golden Child (1986)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 14–20 Platoon (1986) $198.4M Platoon (1986)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 21–27 The Morning After (1986) $38.4M The Morning After (1986)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 28–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1986 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 1986 took $398.6M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1977 6 films | 6 | $295M | – | 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 |
| December 1986 14 films · −33% | 14 | $398.6M | −33% | Platoon (1986) $138.5M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in December 1986?
Comedy took $216.6M across 7 films, 54% of the total, ahead of Drama ($194.9M) and War ($181.3M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $386.3M across 12 films, 97% of the total, ahead of Russian-language films ($23.9K).
December 1986 Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $216.6M7 films · #1 The Golden Child (1986) -
Drama $194.9M6 films · #1 Platoon (1986) -
War $181.3M2 films · #1 Platoon (1986) -
Action $131M4 films · #1 The Golden Child (1986) -
Mystery $108.7M3 films · #1 The Golden Child (1986) -
Adventure $88.3M3 films · #1 The Golden Child (1986) -
Fantasy $79.8M1 film · #1 The Golden Child (1986) -
Western $39.2M1 film · #1 Three Amigos! (1986) -
Sci-Fi $39.1M2 films · #1 Little Shop of Horrors (1986) -
Horror $39.1M1 film · #1 Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Archive
Box Office in 1986, Month by Month
The months of 1986 with their totals: June leads with $548.4M, led by The Karate Kid Part II (1986).
- January $161M #1 Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)
- February $182.2M #1 Pretty in Pink (1986)
- March $196.1M #1 The Money Pit (1986)
- April $115.7M #1 A Room with a View (1986)
- May $522.4M #1 Top Gun (1986)
- June $548.4M #1 The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
- July $326.7M #1 Aliens (1986)
- August $303.4M #1 The Fly (1986)
- September $354.6M #1 Crocodile Dundee (1986)
- October $242.4M #1 The Color of Money (1986)
- November $298.1M #1 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
- December $398.6M #1 Platoon (1986)
FAQ
Box Office December 1986: 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 14 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in December 1986?
Platoon (1986) leads with $138.5M worldwide, $138.5M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Golden Child (1986) at $79.8M and Heartbreak Ridge (1986) at $42.7M.
How much did movies released in December 1986 earn?
14 films released in December 1986 report a worldwide gross, $398.6M in all, or $28.5M per film on average. November 1986 releases took $298.1M.
How many movies released in December 1986 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Platoon (1986) with $138.5M.
How is the December 1986 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 1986. 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 1986 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.