#1 of 19 #1 movie of December 1987
1987 · Drama, Comedy
$80.6M worldwide · 17% of the chart's total
$80.6M US & Canada · 100% $5.9K elsewhere · <1%
Box office · December 1987
December 1987 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing December Releases
Moonstruck (1987) is the highest-grossing movie released in December 1987, with $80.6M worldwide, ahead of Broadcast News (1987) at $67.3M and *batteries not included (1987) at $65.1M. 19 films released in December 1987 report a worldwide gross, $468.2M in all, 90% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 23% on November 1987, whose releases took $381.6M. By genre, Comedy leads with $353.8M across 8 releases.
- December 1987 releases with a gross
- 19
- combined worldwide
- $468.2M
- Moonstruck (1987), the #1
- $80.6M
- vs November 1987
- +23%
#1 of 19 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of December 1987?
Moonstruck (1987) leads with $80.6M, 17% of the total. The top 5 together took $321.5M, 69% 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 December 1987, 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 1987.
- 1 Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $80.6M Rest of the world: $5.9K Worldwide: $80.6M
- 2 Dec 16, 1987 US and Canada: $51.2M Rest of the world: $16.1M Worldwide: $67.3M
- 3 Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $32.9M Rest of the world: $32.1M Worldwide: $65.1M
- 4 Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $57.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $57.9M
- 5 Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $50.5M Rest of the world: $634 Worldwide: $50.5M
- 6
Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $44M Rest of the world: $47.3K Worldwide: $44M - 7
Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $43.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $43.8M - 8
Dec 16, 1987 US and Canada: $26.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $26.7M - 9
Dec 9, 1987 US and Canada: $22.2M Rest of the world: $425 Worldwide: $22.2M - 10
Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6M - 11
Dec 13, 1987 US and Canada: $2.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.1M - 12
Dec 13, 1987 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1M - 13
Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1M - 14
Dec 18, 1987 US and Canada: $486.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $486.4K - 15
Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $370.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $370.7K - 16
Dec 11, 1987 US and Canada: $285.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $285.9K - 17
Dec 3, 1987 US and Canada: $12.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.7K - 18
Dec 3, 1987 US and Canada: $12.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.7K - 19
Dec 13, 1987 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.5K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1987?
Of the top 10, Throw Momma from the Train (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while *batteries not included (1987) made 49% of its gross abroad. Across all 19 films, $419.9M (90%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Moonstruck (1987) $80.6M $80.6M US & Canada · 100% $5.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Broadcast News (1987) $67.3M $51.2M US & Canada · 76% $16.1M elsewhere · 24%
- 3 *batteries not included (1987) $65.1M $32.9M US & Canada · 51% $32.1M elsewhere · 49%
- 4 Throw Momma from the Train (1987) $57.9M $57.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987) $50.5M $50.5M US & Canada · 100% $634 elsewhere · <1%
- 6 The Last Emperor (1987) $44M $44M US & Canada · 100% $47.3K elsewhere · <1%
- 7 Wall Street (1987) $43.8M $43.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Overboard (1987) $26.7M $26.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Empire of the Sun (1987) $22.2M $22.2M US & Canada · 100% $425 elsewhere · <1%
- 10 Leonard Part 6 (1987) $4.6M $4.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many December 1987 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 19 films reached $100M. 10 films, 53% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $468.2M total.
98%
- $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 9 films, 47% of the list $458.3M · 98% of the gross
- Under $10M 10 films, 53% of the list $9.9M · 2% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of December 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 51 (Dec 13–19) took $342.5M, led by Moonstruck (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 Cobra Verde (1987) $25.4K Cobra Verde (1987)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 Throw Momma from the Train (1987) $125.7M Throw Momma from the Train (1987)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 Moonstruck (1987) $342.5M Moonstruck (1987)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 27–31 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does December 1987 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 1987 took $468.2M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1978 9 films | 9 | $498.1M | – | 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 |
| December 1987 19 films · +17% | 19 | $468.2M | +17% | Moonstruck (1987) $80.6M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in December 1987?
Comedy took $353.8M across 8 films, 76% of the total, ahead of Drama ($262M) and Romance ($175.7M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $465.8M across 15 films, 99% of the total, ahead of Danish-language films ($2.1M) and French-language films ($370.7K).
December 1987 Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $353.8M8 films · #1 Moonstruck (1987) -
Drama $262M11 films · #1 Moonstruck (1987) -
Romance $175.7M4 films · #1 Moonstruck (1987) -
Crime $101.8M2 films · #1 Throw Momma from the Train (1987) -
Sci-Fi $70.1M5 films · #1 *batteries not included (1987) -
History $66.3M2 films · #1 The Last Emperor (1987) -
Fantasy $65.5M3 films · #1 *batteries not included (1987) -
Family $65.1M1 film · #1 *batteries not included (1987) -
Thriller $58.2M2 films · #1 Throw Momma from the Train (1987) -
Documentary $50.5M1 film · #1 Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987)
Archive
Box Office in 1987, Month by Month
The months of 1987 with their totals: June leads with $531.5M, led by Predator (1987).
- January $146.4M #1 Outrageous Fortune (1987)
- February $184.6M #1 A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
- March $274.8M #1 Lethal Weapon (1987)
- April $176.4M #1 The Secret of My Succe$s (1987)
- May $390.6M #1 Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
- June $531.5M #1 Predator (1987)
- July $362.8M #1 La Bamba (1987)
- August $484.2M #1 Dirty Dancing (1987)
- September $440.5M #1 Fatal Attraction (1987)
- October $165.1M #1 Like Father Like Son (1987)
- November $381.6M #1 3 Men and a Baby (1987)
- December $468.2M #1 Moonstruck (1987)
FAQ
Box Office December 1987: 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 December 1987?
Moonstruck (1987) leads with $80.6M worldwide, $80.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Broadcast News (1987) at $67.3M and *batteries not included (1987) at $65.1M.
How much did movies released in December 1987 earn?
19 films released in December 1987 report a worldwide gross, $468.2M in all, or $24.6M per film on average. November 1987 releases took $381.6M.
How many movies released in December 1987 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Moonstruck (1987), earned $80.6M.
How is the December 1987 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 1987. 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 1987 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.