#1 of 11 #1 movie of January 1989
1989 · Action, Comedy
$40.6M worldwide · 42% of the chart's total
$40.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Box office · January 1989
January 1989 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing January Releases
Three Fugitives (1989) is the highest-grossing movie released in January 1989, with $40.6M worldwide, ahead of Mississippi Burning (1989) at $34.6M and DeepStar Six (1989) at $8.1M. 11 films released in January 1989 report a worldwide gross, $96.3M in all, 100% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 91% on December 1988, whose releases took $1B. By genre, Action leads with $56.3M across 5 releases.
- January 1989 releases with a gross
- 11
- combined worldwide
- $96.3M
- Three Fugitives (1989), the #1
- $40.6M
- vs December 1988
- −91%
#1 of 11 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of January 1989?
Three Fugitives (1989) leads with $40.6M, 42% of the total. The top 5 together took $91.5M, 95% of what all 11 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 January 1989, 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 January 1989.
- 1 Jan 27, 1989 US and Canada: $40.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $40.6M
- 2 Jan 27, 1989 US and Canada: $34.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.6M
- 3 Jan 13, 1989 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M
- 4 Jan 13, 1989 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6M
- 5 Jan 27, 1989 US and Canada: $3.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.6M
- 6
Jan 13, 1989 US and Canada: $2.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.8M - 7
Jan 27, 1989 US and Canada: $870.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $870.5K - 8
Jan 20, 1989 US and Canada: $858.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $858.6K - 9
Jan 13, 1989 US and Canada: $169.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $169.2K - 10
1989 US and Canada: $95.8K Rest of the world: $13.1K Worldwide: $108.9K - 11
1989 US and Canada: $45.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $45.2K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in January 1989?
Of the top 10, Three Fugitives (1989) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Signs of Life (1989) made 12% of its gross abroad. Across all 11 films, $96.3M (100%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Three Fugitives (1989) $40.6M $40.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Mississippi Burning (1989) $34.6M $34.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 DeepStar Six (1989) $8.1M $8.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 The January Man (1989) $4.6M $4.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Physical Evidence (1989) $3.6M $3.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Gleaming the Cube (1989) $2.8M $2.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 Parents (1989) $870.5K $870.5K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 The Terror Within (1989) $858.6K $858.6K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 The Experts (1989) $169.2K $169.2K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Signs of Life (1989) $108.9K $95.8K US & Canada · 88% $13.1K elsewhere · 12%
Gross bands
How Many January 1989 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 11 films reached $100M. 9 films, 82% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $96.3M total.
78% 22%
- $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 2 films, 18% of the list $75.2M · 78% of the gross
- Under $10M 9 films, 82% of the list $21.1M · 22% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of January 1989 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 4 (Jan 22–28) took $79.6M, led by Three Fugitives (1989). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 1 Wk 1 Jan 1–7 Signs of Life (1989) $154.1K Signs of Life (1989)
- Week 2 Wk 2 Jan 8–14 DeepStar Six (1989) $15.7M DeepStar Six (1989)
- Week 3 Wk 3 Jan 15–21 The Terror Within (1989) $858.6K The Terror Within (1989)
- Week 4 Wk 4 Jan 22–28 Three Fugitives (1989) $79.6M Three Fugitives (1989)
- Week 5 Wk 5 Jan 29–Feb 4 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does January 1989 Compare With January in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, January 1988 earned the most: $168.7M from 10 films, led by Good Morning, Vietnam (1988). January 1989 took $96.3M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 1980 5 films | 5 | $4.4M | – | Windows (1980) $2.1M |
| January 1981 6 films · +719% | 6 | $35.7M | +719% | The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981) $20.3M |
| January 1982 7 films · +21% | 7 | $43.3M | +21% | Vice Squad (1982) $13.3M |
| January 1983 4 films · −44% | 4 | $24.2M | −44% | The House on Sorority Row (1983) $10.6M |
| January 1984 8 films · +224% | 8 | $78.5M | +224% | Yentl (1984) $40.2M |
| January 1985 6 films · −75% | 6 | $19.6M | −75% | Tuff Turf (1985) $9.4M |
| January 1986 19 films · +722% | 19 | $161M | +722% | Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986) $62.1M |
| January 1987 14 films · −9% | 14 | $146.4M | −9% | Outrageous Fortune (1987) $52.9M |
| January 1988 10 films · +15% | 10 | $168.7M | +15% | Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) $123.9M |
| January 1989 11 films · −43% | 11 | $96.3M | −43% | Three Fugitives (1989) $40.6M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in January 1989?
Action took $56.3M across 5 films, 58% of the total, ahead of Thriller ($50.9M) and Comedy ($46.2M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $95.5M across 10 films, 99% of the total.
January 1989 Box Office by Genre
-
Action $56.3M5 films · #1 Three Fugitives (1989) -
Thriller $50.9M4 films · #1 Mississippi Burning (1989) -
Comedy $46.2M4 films · #1 Three Fugitives (1989) -
Mystery $42.9M4 films · #1 Mississippi Burning (1989) -
Crime $42.8M3 films · #1 Mississippi Burning (1989) -
Drama $37.5M3 films · #1 Mississippi Burning (1989) -
Horror $9.9M3 films · #1 DeepStar Six (1989) -
Sci-Fi $9M2 films · #1 DeepStar Six (1989) -
Animation $45.2K1 film · #1 Juke-Bar (1989)
Archive
Box Office in 1989, Month by Month
The months of 1989 with their totals: June leads with $1.3B, led by Batman (1989).
- January $96.3M #1 Three Fugitives (1989)
- February $210.2M #1 The 'Burbs (1989)
- March $196.1M #1 Fletch Lives (1989)
- April $374.7M #1 Field of Dreams (1989)
- May $595M #1 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- June $1.3B #1 Batman (1989)
- July $620.9M #1 Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- August $434.6M #1 Parenthood (1989)
- September $285.2M #1 Black Rain (1989)
- October $471.8M #1 Look Who's Talking (1989)
- November $816.1M #1 Back to the Future Part II (1989)
- December $779.2M #1 Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
FAQ
Box Office January 1989: 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 11 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in January 1989?
Three Fugitives (1989) leads with $40.6M worldwide, $40.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Mississippi Burning (1989) at $34.6M and DeepStar Six (1989) at $8.1M.
How much did movies released in January 1989 earn?
11 films released in January 1989 report a worldwide gross, $96.3M in all, or $8.8M per film on average. December 1988 releases took $1B.
How many movies released in January 1989 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Three Fugitives (1989), earned $40.6M.
How is the January 1989 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 January 1989. 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 January 1989 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.