#1 of 9 #1 movie of April 1987
The Secret of My Succe$s (1987)
1987 · Comedy, Romance
$111M worldwide · 63% of the chart's total
$67M US & Canada · 60% $44M elsewhere · 40%
Box office · April 1987
April 1987 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing April Releases
The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) is the highest-grossing movie released in April 1987, with $111M worldwide, ahead of Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987) at $28.1M and Project X (1987) at $21.6M. 9 films released in April 1987 report a worldwide gross, $176.4M in all, 73% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 36% on March 1987, whose releases took $274.8M. By genre, Comedy leads with $165M across 7 releases.
- April 1987 releases with a gross
- 9
- combined worldwide
- $176.4M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- vs March 1987
- −36%
#1 of 9 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of April 1987?
The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) leads with $111M, 63% of the total. The top 5 together took $173.5M, 98% of what all 9 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 April 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 April 1987.
- 1 Apr 10, 1987 US and Canada: $67M Rest of the world: $44M Worldwide: $111M
- 2 Apr 3, 1987 US and Canada: $28.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $28.1M
- 3 Apr 17, 1987 US and Canada: $18.5M Rest of the world: $3.1M Worldwide: $21.6M
- 4 Apr 24, 1987 US and Canada: $11.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.3M
- 5 Apr 3, 1987 US and Canada: $1.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.6M
- 6
Apr 10, 1987 US and Canada: $1.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.5M - 7
Apr 10, 1987 US and Canada: $989.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $989.5K - 8
Apr 1, 1987 US and Canada: $205K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $205K - 9
Apr 17, 1987 US and Canada: $77.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $77.9K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in April 1987?
Of the top 9, Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) made 40% of its gross abroad. Across all 9 films, $129.3M (73%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) $111M $67M US & Canada · 60% $44M elsewhere · 40%
- 2 Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987) $28.1M $28.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Project X (1987) $21.6M $18.5M US & Canada · 86% $3.1M elsewhere · 14%
- 4 Extreme Prejudice (1987) $11.3M $11.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Making Mr. Right (1987) $1.6M $1.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Three for the Road (1987) $1.5M $1.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Campus Man (1987) $989.5K $989.5K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 The Princess Academy (1987) $205K $205K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Heaven (1987) $77.9K $77.9K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release week
Which Week of April 1987 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 15 (Apr 5–11) took $113.5M, led by The Secret of My Succe$s (1987). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 14 Wk 14 Mar 29–Apr 4 Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987) $29.9M Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987)
- Week 15 Wk 15 Apr 5–11 The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) $113.5M The Secret of My Succe$s (1987)
- Week 16 Wk 16 Apr 12–18 Project X (1987) $21.7M Project X (1987)
- Week 17 Wk 17 Apr 19–25 Extreme Prejudice (1987) $11.3M Extreme Prejudice (1987)
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 26–May 2 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does April 1987 Compare With April in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, April 1987 earned the most: $176.4M from 9 films, led by The Secret of My Succe$s (1987).
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1978 7 films | 7 | $48.5M | – | F.I.S.T. (1978) $20.4M |
| April 1979 4 films · +53% | 4 | $74.4M | +53% | Love at First Bite (1979) $43.9M |
| April 1980 7 films · −68% | 7 | $23.9M | −68% | The Last Married Couple in America (1980) $12.8M |
| April 1981 13 films · +475% | 13 | $137.4M | +475% | Excalibur (1981) $35M |
| April 1982 11 films · +14% | 11 | $157.1M | +14% | Chariots of Fire (1982) $59.3M |
| April 1983 16 films · +9% | 16 | $171.3M | +9% | Flashdance (1983) $92.9M |
| April 1984 12 films · −33% | 12 | $114.9M | −33% | Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) $33M |
| April 1985 11 films · −13% | 11 | $100.4M | −13% | Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) $27.4M |
| April 1986 22 films · +15% | 22 | $115.7M | +15% | A Room with a View (1986) $21.1M |
| April 1987 9 films · +52% | 9 | $176.4M | +52% | The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) $111M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in April 1987?
Comedy took $165M across 7 films, 94% of the total, ahead of Romance ($112.6M) and Crime ($39.4M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $154.8M across 8 films, 88% of the total.
April 1987 Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $165M7 films · #1 The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) -
Romance $112.6M2 films · #1 The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) -
Crime $39.4M2 films · #1 Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987) -
Drama $34.4M3 films · #1 Project X (1987) -
Thriller $32.9M2 films · #1 Project X (1987) -
Sci-Fi $23.2M2 films · #1 Project X (1987) -
Action $11.3M1 film · #1 Extreme Prejudice (1987) -
Western $11.3M1 film · #1 Extreme Prejudice (1987) -
Documentary $77.9K1 film · #1 Heaven (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 $468.2M #1 Moonstruck (1987)
FAQ
Box Office April 1987: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 9 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in April 1987?
The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) leads with $111M worldwide, $67M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987) at $28.1M and Project X (1987) at $21.6M.
How much did movies released in April 1987 earn?
9 films released in April 1987 report a worldwide gross, $176.4M in all, or $19.6M per film on average. March 1987 releases took $274.8M.
How many movies released in April 1987 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by The Secret of My Succe$s (1987) with $111M.
How is the April 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 April 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 April 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.