Most Popular Movies 1986
This chart shows the 1986 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 1986 releases.
See also: Domestic Release Schedule for 1986 - Top 1986 Worldwide
| ← 1985 | Most Popular Overall | 1987 → |
1
| Aliens |
| Director: James Cameron |
| Lead Roles: Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 18, 1986 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Keywords: Parasite, Corporate Malfeasance, Nightmare, Dream Sequence, Action Horror |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $85,160,248 |
|
International BO: $98,131,645 |
2
| Crocodile Dundee |
| Director: Peter Faiman |
| Lead Roles: Paul Hogan as Michael J. 'Crocodile' Dundee |
| Initial Theatrical Release: September 26, 1986 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Country Mouse, City Mouse, Romance, Culture Clash, Writing and Writers, Suicide Attempt, LGBTQ+, Relationships Gone Wrong, Set in New York, Action Comedy |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $174,803,506 |
|
International BO: $153,400,000 |
3
| Top Gun |
| Director: Tony Scott |
| Lead Roles: Tom Cruise as Maverick, Kelly McGillis as Charlie |
| Initial Theatrical Release: May 16, 1986 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: In a Plane, War, Intertitle, 3D Re-release, 3-D, IMAX: DMR, Romance, Action Adventure, Death of a Partner |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $180,470,489 |
|
International BO: $176,993,259 |
4
| Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home |
| Director: Leonard Nimoy |
| Lead Roles: William Shatner as Admiral/Captain James T. Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Captain Spock, DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy, James Doohan as Captain Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott, George Takei as Cmdr. Hikaru Sulu, Walter Koenig as Commander Pavel Chekov, Nichelle Nichols as Commander Nyota Uhura |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 26, 1986 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Visual Effects, Time Travel, Chase Adventure, Animal Lead, 1980s, Set in Outer Space, Space Opera, Ensemble |
| Classification: Based on TV, Adventure, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $109,713,132 |
|
International BO: $23,286,868 |
5
| Ferris Bueller’s Day Off |
| Director: John Hughes |
| Lead Roles: Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 11, 1986 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Breaking the Fourth Wall, Buddy Comedy, Scene in End Credits, Dysfunctional Family, Sibling Rivalry, Coming of Age, Set in Chicago, Skipping School, High School, Slow Motion Scene |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $70,136,369 |
|
International BO: $41,891 |
6
| Back to School |
| Director: Alan Metter |
| Lead Roles: Rodney Dangerfield as Thornton Melon |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 13, 1986 (Wide) by Orion Pictures |
| Keywords: College, Rags to Riches, Farcical / Slapstick Comedy |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $91,258,000 |
7
| Howard the Duck |
| Director: Willard Huyck |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 1, 1986 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Marvel Comics, Action Comedy, Romance, Interspecies Romance, Famously Bad, Friendly Alien on Earth, Cult Movie |
| Classification: Based on Comic/Graphic Novel, Action, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $16,295,774 |
8
| The Karate Kid, Part II |
| Director: John G. Avildsen |
| Lead Roles: Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, Pat Morita as Mr. Kesuge Miyagi |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 20, 1986 (Wide) by Sony Pictures |
| Keywords: Martial Arts, Sports Action, You Can't Go Home Again, Revenge, Arranged Marriage, Love Triangle, Extreme Weather, Dysfunctional Family, Hostage, Death Sports |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $115,103,979 |
9
| My Little Pony: The Movie |
| Director: Michael Joens |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 6, 1986 (Wide) by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group |
| Keywords: Toy Adaptations, Family Adventure, Good vs. Evil, Animal Lead, Talking Animals |
| Classification: Based on Game, Adventure, Hand Animation, Kids Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $5,958,456 |
10
| Platoon |
| Director: Oliver Stone |
| Lead Roles: Tom Berenger as Sgt. Barnes, Willem Dafoe as Sgt. Elias, Charlie Sheen as Pvt. Chris Taylor |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 19, 1986 (Wide) by Orion Pictures |
| Keywords: Vietnam War, War, War Crimes, Sex Crimes, Voiceover/Narration, Inspired by a True Story, Oscars Best Picture Winner, War Drama, 1987 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $137,963,328 |
|
International BO: $15,067 |
11
| Police Academy 3: Back in Training |
| Director: Jerry Paris |
| Lead Roles: Steve Guttenberg as Carey Mahoney |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March 21, 1986 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Farcical / Slapstick Comedy, Police life, Beat Cops, Corrupt Cops, Government Corruption, Epilogue, Heist |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $43,579,163 |
12
| Troll |
| Director: John Carl Buechler |
| Initial Theatrical Release: January 17, 1986 (Wide) by Empire Pictures |
| Keywords: Horror Comedy, Fairies, Witches, Shapeshifter, Revenge |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Fantasy |
|
Domestic BO: $4,542,346 |
13
| The Naked Cage |
| Director: Paul Nicholas |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March 7, 1986 (Wide) by Cannon |
| Keywords: Prison |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $897,589 |
14
| Rad |
| Director: Hal Needham |
| Lead Roles: Bill Allen as Cru |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March 21, 1986 (Wide) by Sony Pictures |
| Keywords: Miscellaneous Sports |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $2,523,882 |
Synopsis
The story of one young man, Cru Jones, who has the intensity and desire to win a BMX race called Helltrack.
15
| Peggy Sue Got Married |
| Director: Francis Ford Coppola |
| Lead Roles: Nicolas Cage as Charlie Bodell, Kathleen Turner as Peggy Sue |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 10, 1986 (Wide) by Sony/TriStar |
| Keywords: Time Travel, High School Reunions, Romance, Infidelity, Relationships Gone Wrong, Surprise Twist, Comedy Drama, Writing and Writers, Singers, Love Triangle |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Fantasy |
|
Domestic BO: $41,382,841 |
16
| Fair Game |
| Director: Mario Andreacchio |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 24, 1986 (Limited), released as She Was Fair Game (Australia) |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Thriller/Suspense, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
17
| Flight of the Spruce Goose |
| Director: Lech Majewski |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June, 1986 (Limited) |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
18
| F/X |
| Director: Robert Mandel |
| Lead Roles: Brian Dennehy as Police Lieutenant Leo McCarthy |
| Initial Theatrical Release: February 7, 1986 (Wide) by Orion Pictures |
| Keywords: Mafia, Action Thriller, Surprise Twist, Faked Death, Corrupt Cops, Witness Protection |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $20,603,715 |
19
| Lady Jane |
| Director: Trevor Nunn |
| Lead Roles: Helena Bonham Carter as Lady Jane Grey, Cary Elwes as Guilford Dudley |
| Initial Theatrical Release: February 7, 1986 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Biography |
| Classification: Based on Real Life Events, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $277,646 |
20
| Heathcliff: The Movie |
| Initial Theatrical Release: January 17, 1986 (Wide) by Atlantic |
| Classification: Based on Comic/Graphic Novel, Adventure, Hand Animation, Kids Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $2,091,504 |
21
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| Kamikaze Hearts |
| Director: Juliet Bashore |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November, 1986 (Limited) by Facets |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $6,669 |
Synopsis
Alternately distressing, instructive, contestable, and fascinating, Juliet Bashore’s quasi-documentary plunge into the 1980s porn industry takes an unsparing look at issues of misogyny, drug abuse, and exploitation via the story of two women — the naive newcomer Tigr and her partner, the magnetic, imperious porn veteran Sharon Mitchell — caught in a toxic romance. By turns mesmerizing and unsettling, Kamikaze Hearts is both a fascinating record of the pre-gentrification of San Francisco’s X-rated underground and an intense, searing love story. The film offers a disturbing glimpse of the modification of bodies, feelings, and lives.
22
| She's Gotta Have It |
| Director: Spike Lee |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 8, 1986 (Wide) by Island |
| Keywords: African Americans, Comedy Drama, Romance, Relationships Gone Wrong, Love Triangle, Sex Crimes, Epilogue, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Retro Black and White |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $7,137,502 |
23
| Never too Young to Die |
| Director: Gil Bettman |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 13, 1986 (Limited) by Paul Entertainment |
| Keywords: Secret Agent, Dysfunctional Family, Gangs, High School, Gymnastics, Terrorism, Cover Up |
| Classification: Adventure, Live Action |
|
Domestic BO: $129,508 |
24
| A Room with a View |
| Director: James Ivory |
| Lead Roles: Helena Bonham Carter as Lucy Honeychurch, Miss Bartlett's cousin and Charge, Julian Sands as George Emerson |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March 7, 1986 (Wide) by Cinecom |
| Keywords: Romantic Drama, 1900s, Relationships Gone Wrong, Set in Italy, Set in London, Cross-Class Romance, 1987 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $20,966,644 |
|
International BO: $75,363 |
25
| Nobody's Fool |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 1, 1986 (Wide) |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Romantic Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $563,568 |