#1 of 25 #1 movie of December 1998
1998 · Drama, Comedy
$289.3M worldwide · 20% of the chart's total
$100.3M US & Canada · 35% $189M elsewhere · 65%
Box office · December 1998
December 1998 Box Office: The Highest-Grossing December Releases
Shakespeare in Love (1998) is the highest-grossing movie released in December 1998, with $289.3M worldwide, ahead of You've Got Mail (1998) at $250.8M and The Prince of Egypt (1998) at $218.6M. 25 films released in December 1998 report a worldwide gross, $1.5B in all, 58% of it from the US & Canada. 6 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. That is down 3% on November 1998, whose releases took $1.5B. By genre, Drama leads with $1B across 18 releases.
- December 1998 releases with a gross
- 25
- combined worldwide
- $1.5B
- films crossed $100M
- 6
- vs November 1998
- −3%
#1 of 25 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Hits of December 1998?
Shakespeare in Love (1998) leads with $289.3M, 20% of the total. The top 5 together took $1.1B, 76% of what all 25 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 1998, 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 1998.
- 1 Dec 11, 1998 US and Canada: $100.3M Rest of the world: $189M Worldwide: $289.3M
- 2 Dec 18, 1998 US and Canada: $115.8M Rest of the world: $135M Worldwide: $250.8M
- 3 Dec 18, 1998 US and Canada: $101.4M Rest of the world: $117.2M Worldwide: $218.6M
- 4 Dec 25, 1998 US and Canada: $135M Rest of the world: $67.3M Worldwide: $202.3M
- 5 Dec 25, 1998 US and Canada: $91.1M Rest of the world: $68.6M Worldwide: $159.7M
- 6
Dec 11, 1998 US and Canada: $70.2M Rest of the world: $42.4M Worldwide: $112.6M - 7
Dec 25, 1998 US and Canada: $56.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $56.7M - 8
Dec 25, 1998 US and Canada: $50.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $50.6M - 9
Dec 25, 1998 US and Canada: $40.3M Rest of the world: $465 Worldwide: $40.3M - 10
Dec 11, 1998 US and Canada: $34.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.6M - 11
Dec 11, 1998 US and Canada: $17.1M Rest of the world: $93.3K Worldwide: $17.2M - 12
Dec 11, 1998 US and Canada: $16.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $16.3M - 13
Dec 30, 1998 US and Canada: $6.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.3M - 14
Dec 25, 1998 US and Canada: $5.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.7M - 15
Dec 30, 1998 US and Canada: $4.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.9M - 16
Dec 4, 1998 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $4.6M - 17
Dec 18, 1998 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.2M - 18
Dec 30, 1998 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1M - 19
Dec 25, 1998 US and Canada: $316K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $316K - 20
Dec 9, 1998 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $281.2K - 21
Dec 30, 1998 US and Canada: $166.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $166.1K - 22
Dec 4, 1998 US and Canada: $106.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $106.1K - 23
Dec 22, 1998 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $82.1K - 24
Dec 23, 1998 US and Canada: $73.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $73.2K - 25
Dec 26, 1998 US and Canada: $6.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.5K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in December 1998?
Of the top 10, A Civil Action (1998) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Shakespeare in Love (1998) made 65% of its gross abroad. Across all 25 films, $854M (58%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Shakespeare in Love (1998) $289.3M $100.3M US & Canada · 35% $189M elsewhere · 65%
- 2 You've Got Mail (1998) $250.8M $115.8M US & Canada · 46% $135M elsewhere · 54%
- 3 The Prince of Egypt (1998) $218.6M $101.4M US & Canada · 46% $117.2M elsewhere · 54%
- 4 Patch Adams (1998) $202.3M $135M US & Canada · 67% $67.3M elsewhere · 33%
- 5 Stepmom (1998) $159.7M $91.1M US & Canada · 57% $68.6M elsewhere · 43%
- 6 Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) $112.6M $70.2M US & Canada · 62% $42.4M elsewhere · 38%
- 7 A Civil Action (1998) $56.7M $56.7M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Mighty Joe Young (1998) $50.6M $50.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 The Faculty (1998) $40.3M $40.3M US & Canada · 100% $465 elsewhere · <1%
- 10 Jack Frost (1998) $34.6M $34.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many December 1998 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
6 of 25 films crossed $100M and took $1.2B between them, 84% of the total. 13 films, 52% of the list, earned under $10M.
84% 15%
- $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 6 films, 24% of the list $1.2B · 84% of the gross
- $10M to $100M 6 films, 24% of the list $215.7M · 15% of the gross
- Under $10M 13 films, 52% of the list $24.8M · 2% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of December 1998 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 52 (Dec 20–26) took $515.8M, led by Patch Adams (1998). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 49 Wk 49 Nov 29–Dec 5 Little Voice (1998) $4.7M Little Voice (1998)
- Week 50 Wk 50 Dec 6–12 Shakespeare in Love (1998) $470.3M Shakespeare in Love (1998)
- Week 51 Wk 51 Dec 13–19 You've Got Mail (1998) $470.6M You've Got Mail (1998)
- Week 52 Wk 52 Dec 20–26 Patch Adams (1998) $515.8M Patch Adams (1998)
- Week 53 Wk 53 Dec 27–31 Affliction (1998) $12.4M Affliction (1998)
Earlier years
How Does December 1998 Compare With December in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, December 1997 earned the most: $3.7B from 25 films, led by Titanic (1997). December 1998 took $1.5B.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1989 18 films | 18 | $779.2M | – | Born on the Fourth of July (1989) $161M |
| December 1990 15 films · −20% | 15 | $624M | −20% | Kindergarten Cop (1990) $202M |
| December 1991 20 films · +50% | 20 | $937.4M | +50% | Hook (1991) $300.9M |
| December 1992 14 films · −27% | 14 | $686.6M | −27% | A Few Good Men (1992) $243.2M |
| December 1993 28 films · +80% | 28 | $1.2B | +80% | Schindler's List (1993) $322.2M |
| December 1994 25 films · −24% | 25 | $942.7M | −24% | Dumb and Dumber (1994) $247.3M |
| December 1995 27 films · +3% | 27 | $970.7M | +3% | Jumanji (1995) $262.8M |
| December 1996 24 films · +29% | 24 | $1.3B | +29% | Jerry Maguire (1996) $273.6M |
| December 1997 25 films · +196% | 25 | $3.7B | +196% | Titanic (1997) $2.3B |
| December 1998 25 films · −60% | 25 | $1.5B | −60% | Shakespeare in Love (1998) $289.3M |
Genres & languages
Which Genres and Languages Earned the Most in December 1998?
Drama took $1B across 18 films, 69% of the total, ahead of Comedy ($958.6M) and Romance ($545.3M). A film counts once for each of its genres. English-language films took $1.4B across 19 films, 98% of the total, ahead of Swedish-language films ($316K) and French-language films ($281.2K).
December 1998 Box Office by Genre
-
Drama $1B18 films · #1 Shakespeare in Love (1998) -
Comedy $958.6M8 films · #1 Shakespeare in Love (1998) -
Romance $545.3M6 films · #1 Shakespeare in Love (1998) -
Adventure $382.1M4 films · #1 The Prince of Egypt (1998) -
Family $304.2M5 films · #1 The Prince of Egypt (1998) -
Thriller $228.4M8 films · #1 Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) -
Animation $219M3 films · #1 The Prince of Egypt (1998) -
Musical $218.6M1 film · #1 The Prince of Egypt (1998) -
Biography $208.4M3 films · #1 Patch Adams (1998) -
Action $163.2M2 films · #1 Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
Archive
Box Office in 1998, Month by Month
The months of 1998 with their totals: July leads with $2.3B, led by Armageddon (1998).
- January $238.5M #1 Great Expectations (1998)
- February $276.3M #1 The Wedding Singer (1998)
- March $457.9M #1 The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
- April $643.5M #1 City of Angels (1998)
- May $1.2B #1 Godzilla (1998)
- June $1.5B #1 Mulan (1998)
- July $2.3B #1 Armageddon (1998)
- August $447M #1 Blade (1998)
- September $453.7M #1 Rush Hour (1998)
- October $872.1M #1 Life Is Beautiful (1998)
- November $1.5B #1 A Bug's Life (1998)
- December $1.5B #1 Shakespeare in Love (1998)
FAQ
Box Office December 1998: 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 25 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing movie in December 1998?
Shakespeare in Love (1998) leads with $289.3M worldwide, $100.3M of it in the US & Canada. Next come You've Got Mail (1998) at $250.8M and The Prince of Egypt (1998) at $218.6M.
How much did movies released in December 1998 earn?
25 films released in December 1998 report a worldwide gross, $1.5B in all, or $59M per film on average. November 1998 releases took $1.5B.
How many movies released in December 1998 made $1 billion?
None. 6 films crossed $100 million, led by Shakespeare in Love (1998) with $289.3M.
How is the December 1998 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 1998. 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 1998 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.