#1 of 26 #1 movie of March 1988
1988 · Fantasy, Comedy
$74.9M worldwide · 26% of the chart's total
$74.7M US & Canada · 100% $187.9K elsewhere · <1%
Box office · March 1988
March 1988 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing March Releases
Beetlejuice (1988) is the highest-grossing movie released in March 1988, with $74.9M worldwide, ahead of Biloxi Blues (1988) at $51.7M and Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988) at $19.5M. 26 films released in March 1988 report a worldwide gross, $284.1M in all, 97% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 65% on February 1988, whose releases took $171.7M. By genre, Comedy leads with $219.6M across 11 releases.
- March 1988 releases with a gross
- 26
- combined worldwide
- $284.1M
- Beetlejuice (1988), the #1
- $74.9M
- vs February 1988
- +65%
#1 of 26 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of March 1988?
Beetlejuice (1988) leads with $74.9M, 26% of the total. The top 5 together took $179.5M, 63% of what all 26 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 March 1988, 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 March 1988.
- 1 Mar 30, 1988 US and Canada: $74.7M Rest of the world: $187.9K Worldwide: $74.9M
- 2 Mar 25, 1988 US and Canada: $43.2M Rest of the world: $8.5M Worldwide: $51.7M
- 3 Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988)Mar 18, 1988 US and Canada: $19.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.5M
Mar 18, 1988 · English · Comedy, Crime $19.5M worldwide - 4 Mar 25, 1988 US and Canada: $17.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $17.6M
- 5 Mar 11, 1988 US and Canada: $15.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.9M
- 6
Mar 11, 1988 US and Canada: $14M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14M - 7
Mar 18, 1988 US and Canada: $13.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.8M - 8
Mar 11, 1988 US and Canada: $13.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.7M - 9
Mar 18, 1988 US and Canada: $12.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.7M - 10
Mar 4, 1988 US and Canada: $10.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.8M - 11
Mar 5, 1988 US and Canada: $9.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9.1M - 12
Mar 25, 1988 US and Canada: $7.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.7M - 13
Mar 11, 1988 US and Canada: $7.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.2M - 14
Mar 4, 1988 US and Canada: $4.4M Rest of the world: $239K Worldwide: $4.6M - 15
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking (1988)Mar 1, 1988 US and Canada: $3.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.6M Mar 1, 1988 · English · Family, Adventure $3.6M worldwide - 16
Mar 18, 1988 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.1M - 17
Mar 18, 1988 US and Canada: $1.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.7M - 18
Mar 4, 1988 US and Canada: $717.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $717.4K - 19
Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw (1988)Mar 18, 1988 US and Canada: $586.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $586.9K Mar 18, 1988 · English · Family, Animation $586.9K worldwide - 20
Mar 4, 1988 US and Canada: $459.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $459.8K - 21
Mar 4, 1988 US and Canada: $345.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $345.7K - 22
Mar 4, 1988 US and Canada: $169.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $169.8K - 23
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (1988)Mar 12, 1988 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $150K
Mar 12, 1988 · Japanese · Action, Sci-Fi $150K worldwide - 24
Mar 4, 1988 US and Canada: $40.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $40.4K - 25
Mar 2, 1988 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $10.8K - 26
Mar 2, 1988 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $10.8K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in March 1988?
Of the top 10, Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Biloxi Blues (1988) made 16% of its gross abroad. Across all 26 films, $275M (97%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Beetlejuice (1988) $74.9M $74.7M US & Canada · 100% $187.9K elsewhere · <1%
- 2 Biloxi Blues (1988) $51.7M $43.2M US & Canada · 84% $8.5M elsewhere · 16%
- 3 Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988) $19.5M $19.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Johnny Be Good (1988) $17.6M $17.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Masquerade (1988) $15.9M $15.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Stand and Deliver (1988) $14M $14M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 The Milagro Beanfield War (1988) $13.8M $13.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Vice Versa (1988) $13.7M $13.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 D.O.A. (1988) $12.7M $12.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Moving (1988) $10.8M $10.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many March 1988 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 26 films reached $100M. 16 films, 62% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $284.1M total.
86% 14%
- $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 10 films, 38% of the list $244.5M · 86% of the gross
- Under $10M 16 films, 62% of the list $39.6M · 14% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of March 1988 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 13 (Mar 20–26) took $77M, led by Biloxi Blues (1988). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 10 Wk 10 Feb 28–Mar 5 Moving (1988) $29.9M Moving (1988)
- Week 11 Wk 11 Mar 6–12 Masquerade (1988) $50.9M Masquerade (1988)
- Week 12 Wk 12 Mar 13–19 Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988) $51.4M Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988)
- Week 13 Wk 13 Mar 20–26 Biloxi Blues (1988) $77M Biloxi Blues (1988)
- Week 14 Wk 14 Mar 27–Apr 2 Beetlejuice (1988) $74.9M Beetlejuice (1988)
Earlier years
How Does March 1988 Compare With March in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, March 1984 earned the most: $376.1M from 16 films, led by Romancing the Stone (1984). March 1988 took $284.1M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1979 9 films | 9 | $133.6M | – | The China Syndrome (1979) $51.7M |
| March 1980 13 films · −1% | 13 | $132M | −1% | Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) $67.2M |
| March 1981 14 films · −27% | 14 | $96.1M | −27% | The Final Conflict (1981) $20.5M |
| March 1982 15 films · +148% | 15 | $238.5M | +148% | Porky's (1982) $111.3M |
| March 1983 14 films · −33% | 14 | $158.6M | −33% | High Road to China (1983) $28.4M |
| March 1984 16 films · +137% | 16 | $376.1M | +137% | Romancing the Stone (1984) $86.6M |
| March 1985 21 films · −30% | 21 | $262.4M | −30% | Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985) $55.6M |
| March 1986 20 films · −25% | 20 | $196.1M | −25% | The Money Pit (1986) $55M |
| March 1987 19 films · +40% | 19 | $274.8M | +40% | Lethal Weapon (1987) $120.2M |
| March 1988 26 films · +3% | 26 | $284.1M | +3% | Beetlejuice (1988) $74.9M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in March 1988?
Comedy took $219.6M across 11 films, 77% of the total, ahead of Drama ($113.6M) and Fantasy ($105.9M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $279.3M across 22 films, 98% of the total, ahead of Danish-language films ($4.6M) and Japanese-language films ($150K).
March 1988 Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $219.6M11 films · #1 Beetlejuice (1988) -
Drama $113.6M11 films · #1 Biloxi Blues (1988) -
Fantasy $105.9M4 films · #1 Beetlejuice (1988) -
Thriller $38.3M6 films · #1 Masquerade (1988) -
Crime $27.1M3 films · #1 Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988) -
Romance $24.3M3 films · #1 Masquerade (1988) -
Mystery $19.9M2 films · #1 D.O.A. (1988) -
Sport $17.6M1 film · #1 Johnny Be Good (1988) -
Biography $14M1 film · #1 Stand and Deliver (1988) -
Action $7.4M2 films · #1 Off Limits (1988)
Archive
Box Office in 1988, Month by Month
The months of 1988 with their totals: December leads with $1B, led by Rain Man (1988).
- January $168.7M #1 Good Morning, Vietnam (1988)
- February $171.7M #1 Shoot to Kill (1988)
- March $284.1M #1 Beetlejuice (1988)
- April $197.4M #1 Colors (1988)
- May $533.3M #1 Crocodile Dundee II (1988)
- June $1B #1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
- July $601.7M #1 Cocktail (1988)
- August $244M #1 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
- September $154.3M #1 Gorillas in the Mist (1988)
- October $161.6M #1 Alien Nation (1988)
- November $387.2M #1 The Land Before Time (1988)
- December $1B #1 Rain Man (1988)
FAQ
Box Office March 1988: 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 26 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in March 1988?
Beetlejuice (1988) leads with $74.9M worldwide, $74.7M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Biloxi Blues (1988) at $51.7M and Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (1988) at $19.5M.
How much did movies released in March 1988 earn?
26 films released in March 1988 report a worldwide gross, $284.1M in all, or $10.9M per film on average. February 1988 releases took $171.7M.
How many movies released in March 1988 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Beetlejuice (1988), earned $74.9M.
How is the March 1988 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 March 1988. 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 March 1988 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.