Most Popular Movies 1988
This chart shows the 1988 movie releases that have attracted the most interest on The Numbers web site over the past 24 hours. A share of 100 corresponds to 1 percent of the total views for all 1988 releases.
See also: Domestic Release Schedule for 1988 - Top 1988 Worldwide
| ← 1987 | Most Popular Overall | 1989 → |
1
| Killer Klowns from Outer Space |
| Director: Stephen Chiodo |
| Initial Theatrical Release: May 27, 1988 (Limited) by Trans World Entertainment |
| Keywords: Unbelieving Police, Killer Clowns, Alien Invasion, Intentional B Movie |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Black Comedy, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
International BO: $343 |
2
| Big |
| Director: Penny Marshall |
| Lead Roles: Tom Hanks as Josh |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 3, 1988 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Keywords: Body Swap, Same Role, Multiple Actors, Dysfunctional Family, Voiceover/Narration, Coming of Age, Wish Granters, Romance, First Love, February / May Romance |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Fantasy |
|
Domestic BO: $114,968,774 |
|
International BO: $36,696,573 |
3
| The Land Before Time |
| Director: Don Bluth |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 18, 1988 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Family Adventure, Dinosaurs, Animal Lead, Talking Animals, Young Child Dealing with the Death of a Parent, Road Trip |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Adventure, Hand Animation, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $48,436,211 |
|
International BO: $33,880,000 |
4
| Oliver & Company |
| Director: George Scribner |
| Lead Roles: Bette Midler as Georgette (voice) |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 18, 1988 (Wide) by Walt Disney |
| Keywords: Family Adventure, Animal Lead, Talking Animals, Kidnap, Homeless, Set in New York City, Set in New York, Money Troubles, Loan Shark |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Adventure, Hand Animation, Kids Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $49,576,671 |
5
| Gorillas in the Mist |
| Director: Michael Apted |
| Lead Roles: Sigourney Weaver as Dian Fossey |
| Initial Theatrical Release: September 23, 1988 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Biography, Biographical Drama, Animal Lead, Field Scientists, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, Political Activist, Political Assassination, Environment, Epilogue |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Dramatization |
|
Domestic BO: $24,720,479 |
6
| Rambo III |
| Lead Roles: Sylvester Stallone as John J. Rambo |
| Initial Theatrical Release: May 25, 1988 (Wide) by Sony/TriStar |
| Keywords: War, Set in Afghanistan, Action Adventure, C.I.A., Mercenaries, Set in Thailand, Rescue, Special Ops |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $53,715,611 |
|
International BO: $135,000,000 |
7
| Vice Versa |
| Director: Brian Gilbert |
| Lead Roles: Judge Reinhold as Marshall |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March 11, 1988 (Wide) by Sony Pictures |
| Keywords: Body Swap, Farcical / Slapstick Comedy |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Comedy, Live Action, Fantasy |
|
Domestic BO: $13,664,060 |
8
| Dirty Rotten Scoundrels |
| Director: Frank Oz |
| Lead Roles: Steve Martin as Freddy Benson, Michael Caine as Lawrence Jamieson |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 14, 1988 (Wide) by Orion Pictures |
| Keywords: Confidence Men, Crime Comedy, False Identity, Fake Dating, Surprise Twist |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $42,039,000 |
9
| Twins |
| Director: Ivan Reitman |
| Lead Roles: Arnold Schwarzenegger as Julius Benedict, Danny DeVito as Vincent Benedict |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 9, 1988 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Cloning, Twins, Human Experimentation, Dysfunctional Family, Loan Shark, Money Troubles, 1950s, Prologue, Buddy Comedy |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $111,936,388 |
|
International BO: $104,663,612 |
10
| Young Guns |
| Director: Christopher Cain |
| Lead Roles: Emilio Estevez as William H. Bonney, Kiefer Sutherland as Doc Scurlock, Lou Diamond Phillips as Jose Chavez y Chavez, Charlie Sheen as Richard Brewer, Dermot Mulroney as Dirty Steven Stephens, Casey Siemaszko as Charley Bowdre |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 12, 1988 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Keywords: Revisionist Western, 1870s, Life on a Farm, Revenge, Outlaws, Death of a Mentor |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Western, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $44,726,644 |
11
| Switching Channels |
| Director: Ted Kotcheff |
| Lead Roles: Kathleen Turner as Christy Colleran |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March 4, 1988 (Wide) by Sony/TriStar |
| Keywords: News, Farcical / Slapstick Comedy, Romance, Remake, TV News, TV Industry, Love Triangle, Death Row, Narcotics, Undercover, Political, Prison Break |
| Classification: Based on Play, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $9,000,000 |
12
| Rain Man |
| Director: Barry Levinson |
| Lead Roles: Dustin Hoffman as Raymond Babbitt, Tom Cruise as Charlie Babbitt |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 16, 1988 (Wide) by MGM |
| Keywords: Road Trip, Oscars Best Picture Winner, 1989 Oscars Best Picture Nominee, Comedy Drama, Autism, Dysfunctional Family, Gambling |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $172,825,435 |
|
International BO: $239,974,565 |
13
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| Two Moon Junction |
| Director: Zalman King |
| Lead Roles: Sherilyn Fenn as April Delongpre, Richard Tyson as Perry |
| Initial Theatrical Release: May 1, 1988 (Wide) by Lorimar Motion Pictures |
| Keywords: Erotic Thriller |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Thriller/Suspense, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $1,547,397 |
14
| The Accidental Tourist |
| Director: Lawrence Kasdan |
| Lead Roles: William Hurt as Macon, Kathleen Turner as Sarah |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 23, 1988 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Romantic Drama, Relationships Gone Wrong, Romance, Love Triangle, Set in Paris, Writing and Writers, 1989 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $32,632,000 |
15
| A Fish Called Wanda |
| Director: Charles Crichton |
| Lead Roles: John Cleese as Archibald 'Archie' Leech, Jamie Lee Curtis as Wanda, Kevin Kline as Otto West, Michael Palin as Ken |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 15, 1988 (Wide) by MGM |
| Keywords: Farcical / Slapstick Comedy, Heist, Confidence Men, Double-Crossed, No Honor Among Thieves, Infidelity, Relationships Gone Wrong, Death of a Pet |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $63,493,000 |
16
| A Cry in the Dark |
| Director: Fred Schepisi |
| Lead Roles: Meryl Streep as Lindy Chamberlain |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 11, 1988 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Biographical Drama, Biography, Animals Gone Bad, Death of a Son or Daughter, Unbelieving Police, Falsely Accused, 1980s, Australia, Media Circus |
| Classification: Based on Factual Book/Article, Drama, Live Action, Dramatization |
|
Domestic BO: $6,908,797 |
17
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| Trapped Alive |
| Director: Leszek Burzynski |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 23, 1988 (Limited) by Eagle Films |
| Classification: Horror, Live Action |
18
| Stand and Deliver |
| Director: Ramon Mendendez |
| Initial Theatrical Release: April 1, 1988 (Wide) |
| Keywords: Summer School, Hood Film, Biographical Drama, Biography, Inspirational Teacher, High School, 1980s, Set in Los Angeles, Hispanic |
| Classification: Based on Real Life Events, Drama, Live Action, Dramatization |
|
Domestic BO: $13,994,920 |
19
20
| Child’s Play |
| Director: Tom Holland |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 9, 1988 (Wide) by United Artists |
| Keywords: Living Toys, Supernatural, Supernatural Horror, Voodoo, Killer Inanimate Objects, Fugitive / On the Run, Serial Killer |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $33,244,684 |
|
International BO: $10,952,000 |
21
| Working Girl |
| Director: Mike Nichols |
| Lead Roles: Harrison Ford as Jack Trainer, Melanie Griffith as Tess McGill, Sigourney Weaver as Katherine Parker |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 20, 1988 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Keywords: Comedy Drama, Romance, False Identity, Boss From Hell, Set in New York City, Set in New York, Rags to Riches |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $63,800,000 |
22
| Phantasm II |
| Director: Don Coscarelli |
| Lead Roles: Angus Scrimm as The Tall Man, James LeGros as Mike Pearson |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 8, 1988 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Delayed Sequel, Psychics, Prophetic Dreams, Dwarves, Alternative Dimensions / Parallel universe, Action Horror |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Fantasy |
|
Domestic BO: $7,282,851 |
23
| Picasso Trigger |
| Director: Andy Sidaris |
| Lead Roles: Steve Bond, Dona Speir |
| Initial Theatrical Release: February, 1988 (Limited) by Malibu Bay Films |
| Classification: Action, Live Action |
24
| Poltergeist III |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 10, 1988 (Wide) by MGM |
| Keywords: Supernatural Horror, Supernatural, Posthumous Release, Haunting |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Fantasy |
|
Domestic BO: $14,114,000 |
25
| Bird |
| Director: Clint Eastwood |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 1, 1988 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Biography |
| Classification: Based on Real Life Events, Drama, Live Action, Dramatization |
|
Domestic BO: $2,181,286 |
|
International BO: $426 |