#1 of 24 #1 movie of March 1989
1989 · Mystery, Comedy
$39.5M worldwide · 20% of the chart's total
$35.2M US & Canada · 89% $4.3M elsewhere · 11%
Box office · March 1989
March 1989 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing March Releases
Fletch Lives (1989) is the highest-grossing movie released in March 1989, with $39.5M worldwide, ahead of Lean on Me (1989) at $31.9M and Skin Deep (1989) at $19.7M. 24 films released in March 1989 report a worldwide gross, $196.1M in all, 98% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 7% on February 1989, whose releases took $210.2M. By genre, Comedy leads with $122.2M across 13 releases.
- March 1989 releases with a gross
- 24
- combined worldwide
- $196.1M
- Fletch Lives (1989), the #1
- $39.5M
- vs February 1989
- −7%
#1 of 24 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of March 1989?
Fletch Lives (1989) leads with $39.5M, 20% of the total. The top 5 together took $123M, 63% of what all 24 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 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 March 1989.
- 1 Mar 17, 1989 US and Canada: $35.2M Rest of the world: $4.3M Worldwide: $39.5M
- 2 Mar 3, 1989 US and Canada: $31.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $31.9M
- 3 Mar 3, 1989 US and Canada: $19.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $19.7M
- 4 Mar 10, 1989 US and Canada: $16.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.3M
- 5 Mar 17, 1989 US and Canada: $15.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $15.7M
- 6
Mar 10, 1989 US and Canada: $11.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $11.6M - 7
Mar 10, 1989 US and Canada: $10.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.8M - 8
Mar 3, 1989 US and Canada: $8.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.8M - 9
Mar 24, 1989 US and Canada: $8.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.5M - 10
Mar 24, 1989 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M - 11
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989)Mar 10, 1989 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.1M
Mar 10, 1989 · English · Action, Adventure $8.1M worldwide - 12
Mar 3, 1989 US and Canada: $5.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.6M - 13
Mar 3, 1989 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.4M - 14
Mar 31, 1989 US and Canada: $2.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.3M - 15
Mar 10, 1989 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2M - 16
Mar 17, 1989 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2M - 17
Mar 31, 1989 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: $59.8K Worldwide: $1.2M - 18
Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan (1989)Mar 11, 1989 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $521.9K
Mar 11, 1989 · Japanese · Animation, Fantasy $521.9K worldwide - 19
Mar 30, 1989 US and Canada: $418.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $418.1K - 20
Mar 30, 1989 US and Canada: $418.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $418.1K - 21
Mar 3, 1989 US and Canada: $294.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $294.3K - 22
Mar 28, 1989 US and Canada: $73.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $73.1K - 23
Mar 4, 1989 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $7.6K - 24
Mar 3, 1989 US and Canada: $4.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in March 1989?
Of the top 10, Lean on Me (1989) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Fletch Lives (1989) made 11% of its gross abroad. Across all 24 films, $191.2M (98%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Fletch Lives (1989) $39.5M $35.2M US & Canada · 89% $4.3M elsewhere · 11%
- 2 Lean on Me (1989) $31.9M $31.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Skin Deep (1989) $19.7M $19.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Chances Are (1989) $16.3M $16.3M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Leviathan (1989) $15.7M $15.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989) $11.6M $11.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 7 New York Stories (1989) $10.8M $10.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Scandal (1989) $8.8M $8.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Troop Beverly Hills (1989) $8.5M $8.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Dead Bang (1989) $8.1M $8.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many March 1989 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 24 films reached $100M. 17 films, 71% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $196.1M total.
74% 26%
- $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 7 films, 29% of the list $145.3M · 74% of the gross
- Under $10M 17 films, 71% of the list $50.8M · 26% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of March 1989 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 9 (Feb 26–Mar 4) took $68.7M, led by Lean on Me (1989). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 9 Wk 9 Feb 26–Mar 4 Lean on Me (1989) $68.7M Lean on Me (1989)
- Week 10 Wk 10 Mar 5–11 Chances Are (1989) $49.3M Chances Are (1989)
- Week 11 Wk 11 Mar 12–18 Fletch Lives (1989) $57.2M Fletch Lives (1989)
- Week 12 Wk 12 Mar 19–25 Troop Beverly Hills (1989) $16.6M Troop Beverly Hills (1989)
- Week 13 Wk 13 Mar 26–Apr 1 Sing (1989) $4.3M Sing (1989)
Earlier years
How Does March 1989 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 1989 took $196.1M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1980 13 films | 13 | $132M | – | 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 |
| March 1989 24 films · −31% | 24 | $196.1M | −31% | Fletch Lives (1989) $39.5M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in March 1989?
Comedy took $122.2M across 13 films, 62% of the total, ahead of Drama ($90.3M) and Crime ($62.4M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $160.2M across 20 films, 82% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language films ($521.9K) and Tamil-language films ($7.6K).
March 1989 Box Office by Genre
-
Comedy $122.2M13 films · #1 Fletch Lives (1989) -
Drama $90.3M13 films · #1 Lean on Me (1989) -
Crime $62.4M6 films · #1 Fletch Lives (1989) -
Mystery $55.2M2 films · #1 Fletch Lives (1989) -
Romance $50.3M5 films · #1 Skin Deep (1989) -
Adventure $35.2M5 films · #1 Leviathan (1989) -
Fantasy $25.7M5 films · #1 Chances Are (1989) -
Thriller $24.1M4 films · #1 Leviathan (1989) -
Action $18.3M5 films · #1 Dead Bang (1989) -
Sci-Fi $16.2M2 films · #1 Leviathan (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 March 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 24 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in March 1989?
Fletch Lives (1989) leads with $39.5M worldwide, $35.2M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Lean on Me (1989) at $31.9M and Skin Deep (1989) at $19.7M.
How much did movies released in March 1989 earn?
24 films released in March 1989 report a worldwide gross, $196.1M in all, or $8.2M per film on average. February 1989 releases took $210.2M.
How many movies released in March 1989 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Fletch Lives (1989), earned $39.5M.
How is the March 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 March 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 March 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.