Most Popular Movies 1989
This chart shows the 1989 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 1989 releases.
See also: Domestic Release Schedule for 1989 - Top 1989 Worldwide
| ← 1988 | Most Popular Overall | 1990 → |
1
| Batman |
| Director: Tim Burton |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 23, 1989 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Visual Effects, D.C. Comics, Film Noir, Action Adventure, Vigilante, Investigative Journalist, Revenge, Organized Crime |
| Classification: Based on Comic/Graphic Novel, Action, Live Action, Super Hero |
|
Domestic BO: $251,188,924 |
|
International BO: $160,160,000 |
2
| The Little Mermaid |
| Director: Ron Clements, John Musker |
| Lead Roles: Jodi Benson as Ariel, Christopher Daniel Barnes as Prince Eric |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 15, 1989 (Wide) by Walt Disney |
| Keywords: Underwater, Family Movie, 3D Re-release, Posthumous Release, Family Adventure, Animal Lead, Talking Animals, Faustian |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Adventure, Hand Animation, Kids Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $111,543,479 |
|
International BO: $110,724,135 |
3
| Dead Poets Society |
| Director: Peter Weir |
| Lead Roles: Robin Williams as John Keating |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 2, 1989 (Wide) by Walt Disney |
| Keywords: Boarding School, Coming of Age, Inspirational Teacher, New Guy/Girl in School, Dysfunctional Family, Suicide, First Love, Writing and Writers, Performing Arts, Inspired by a True Story, Coming-of-Age Drama, Filmed in St. Andrew’s School, Middletown, DE, Filmed in Middletown, DE, Filmed in New Castle County, DE, Filmed in Delaware, United States, Filmed in United States, Filmed in New Castle, DE, Filmed in Wilmington, DE, Filmed in Everett Theatre, Middletown, DE, Filmed in Beaver Valley Rock Shelter/Indian Cave, Wilmington, DE, 1990 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $95,860,116 |
|
International BO: $143,639,884 |
4
| Parenthood |
| Director: Ron Howard |
| Lead Roles: Steve Martin as Gil Buckman, Tom Hulce as Larry Buckman, Rick Moranis as Nathan Merrick, Martha Plimpton as Julie Buckman-Lampkin Hawkes, Keanu Reeves as Tod, Jason Robards, Jr. as Frank Buckman, Mary Steenburgen as Karen Buckman, Dianne Wiest as Helen, Zachary Lavoy as Justin, Erika Rafuls as Amy |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 2, 1989 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Turned Into a TV Show |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $100,047,830 |
|
International BO: $26,250,000 |
5
| Ghostbusters II |
| Director: Ivan Reitman |
| Lead Roles: Bill Murray as Doctor Peter Venkman, Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 16, 1989 (Wide) by Sony Pictures |
| Keywords: Possessed, Reincarnation, Paranormal Investigation, Supernatural |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $112,494,738 |
|
International BO: $103,005,262 |
6
| Sex, Lies, and Videotape |
| Director: Steven Soderbergh |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 4, 1989 (Limited) by Miramax |
| Keywords: Romantic Drama, Romance, Relationships Gone Wrong, Infidelity, Friends Reuniting, Dysfunctional Family, Sibling Rivalry, Erotic Drama |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Drama, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $24,741,667 |
|
International BO: $12,000,000 |
7
| Her Alibi |
| Director: Bruce Beresford |
| Lead Roles: Tom Selleck as Phil Blackwood, Paulina Porizkova as Nina |
| Initial Theatrical Release: February 3, 1989 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Crime Comedy, Writing and Writers, Writer's Block, Falsely Accused, Romance, Relationships Gone Wrong, Political, Catholic |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $17,195,050 |
8
| Black Rain |
| Director: Ridley Scott |
| Lead Roles: Michael Douglas as Nick |
| Initial Theatrical Release: September 22, 1989 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Mafia, Organized Crime, Film Noir, Crime Thriller, Culture Clash, Police Detective, Death of a Partner, Set in Japan, Set in New York City, Set in New York, NYPD, Yakuza |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Thriller/Suspense, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $45,892,212 |
|
International BO: $88,000,000 |
9
| No Retreat, No Surrender 2 |
| Director: Corey Yuen |
| Initial Theatrical Release: January 27, 1989 (Limited) |
| Keywords: Martial Arts |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $108,154 |
10
| To the Limit |
| Director: Greg MacGillivray |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 15, 1989 (Limited) |
| Keywords: Short Film, Sports Documentary, Extreme Sports, Mountain Climbing, Voiceover/Narration |
| Classification: Based on Real Life Events, Documentary, Live Action, Factual |
|
Domestic BO: $53,000,000 |
11
| Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers |
| Director: Dominique Othenin-Girard |
| Lead Roles: Danielle Harris as Jamie Lloyd, Don Shanks as Michael Myers/Man in Black |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 13, 1989 (Wide) by Galaxy International Releasing |
| Keywords: Slasher Horror, Supernatural |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Horror, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $11,642,254 |
12
| Driving Miss Daisy |
| Director: Bruce Beresford |
| Lead Roles: Morgan Freeman as Hoke Colburn , Jessica Tandy as Daisy Werthan |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 13, 1989 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Oscars Best Picture Winner, African Americans, Historical Drama, 1990 Oscars Best Picture Nominee |
| Classification: Based on Play, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $106,593,296 |
13
| For Queen & Country |
| Director: Martin Stellman |
| Lead Roles: Denzel Washington as Reuben James |
| Initial Theatrical Release: May 19, 1989 (Wide) by Atlantic, released as For Queen and Country |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $191,051 |
14
| The Abyss |
| Director: James Cameron |
| Initial Theatrical Release: August 9, 1989 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Keywords: Underwater, First Contact, Cold War, Relationships Gone Wrong, Exes in Love, Chase Adventure, Friendly Alien on Earth, Alien Encounters |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Adventure, Live Action, Science Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $54,763,229 |
|
International BO: $30,205 |
15
| Valmont |
| Director: Miloš Forman |
| Initial Theatrical Release: November 1, 1989 (Wide) by Orion Pictures |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $1,132,000 |
16
| Lethal Weapon 2 |
| Director: Richard Donner |
| Lead Roles: Mel Gibson as Martin Riggs, Danny Glover as Roger Murtaugh |
| Initial Theatrical Release: July 7, 1989 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Buddy Cop |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $147,253,986 |
|
International BO: $80,046,014 |
17
| Dad |
| Director: Gary David Goldberg |
| Lead Roles: Jack Lemmon as Jake Tremont, Ted Danson as John Tremont, Ethan Hawke as Billy |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 27, 1989 (Wide) by Universal |
| Keywords: Comedy Drama, Dysfunctional Family, Autumn Years, Terminal Illness, Coma, Medical and Hospitals, Adult Child Dealing with the Death of a Parent |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $19,738,015 |
18
| Pet Sematary |
| Director: Mary Lambert |
| Lead Roles: Dale Midkiff as Louis Creed |
| Initial Theatrical Release: April 21, 1989 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Novel or Other Work Adapted by Author, Voiceover/Narration, Scary Kids, Non-Chronological, Zombies, Curses, Dream Sequence, In-Laws / Future In-Laws, Haunting, Terminal Illness, Dysfunctional Family, Doctors, Supernatural Horror, Supernatural |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Horror, Live Action, Fantasy |
|
Domestic BO: $57,469,179 |
|
International BO: $671 |
19
| The War of the Roses |
| Director: Danny DeVito |
| Lead Roles: Michael Douglas as Oliver Rose, Kathleen Turner as Barbara Rose, Danny DeVito as Gavin D'Amato |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 8, 1989 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| Keywords: Relationships Gone Wrong, Non-Chronological, Lawyers, Directing Yourself, Empty Nest, Revenge |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Black Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $83,699,711 |
20
| Glory |
| Director: Edward Zwick |
| Lead Roles: Matthew Broderick as Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, Denzel Washington as Trip |
| Initial Theatrical Release: December 13, 1989 (Limited) by Sony Pictures |
| Keywords: Historical Battles, War, African Americans, Historical Drama, The Civil War, 1860s, Bigotry, Slavery |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Drama, Live Action, Dramatization |
|
Domestic BO: $26,828,365 |
21
| No Holds Barred |
| Director: Thomas J. Wright |
| Initial Theatrical Release: June 2, 1989 (Wide) by New Line |
| Keywords: Wrestling, Sports Action, Corporate Espionage, Corporate Malfeasance, Professional Rivalry |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Action, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $16,093,651 |
22
| L'Ours |
| Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud |
| Initial Theatrical Release: October 25, 1989 (Wide) by Sony/TriStar, released as The Bear |
| Keywords: Family Adventure, Animal Lead, 1880s, Set in British Columbia |
| Classification: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story, Adventure, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $29,564,471 |
23
| Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade |
| Director: Steven Spielberg |
| Lead Roles: Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones, Denholm Elliott as Marcus Brody, Alison Doody as Dr. Elsa Schneider, John Rhys-Davies as Sallah, Sean Connery as Professor Henry Jones, Michael Byrne as Vogel |
| Initial Theatrical Release: May 24, 1989 (Wide) by Paramount Pictures |
| Keywords: Treasure Hunters, Archaeology, Dysfunctional Family, Prologue, Same Role, Multiple Actors, Sequels With Returning Stars, Rescue, Nazis, Religious, Intertitle, Missing Person, Character's Journey Shown on Map, Chase Adventure |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Adventure, Live Action, Historical Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $197,171,806 |
|
International BO: $277,000,000 |
25
| Police Academy 6: City Under Siege |
| Director: Peter Bonerz |
| Lead Roles: Bubba Smith as Lt. Moses Hightower, Michael Winslow as Sgt. Larvell Jones, David Graf as Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry, Marion Ramsey as Sgt. Laverne Hooks, Leslie Easterbrook as Capt. Debbie Callahan, Lance Kinsey as Lt. Proctor, Bruce Mahler, Kenneth Mars as The Mayor/The Mastermind, Matt McCoy, G.W. Bailey as Capt. Thaddeus Harris, George Gaynes as Commandant Lassard |
| Initial Theatrical Release: March 10, 1989 (Wide) by Warner Bros. |
| Keywords: Farcical / Slapstick Comedy, Police life, Gangs, Secret Identity, Surprise Twist, Crime |
| Classification: Original Screenplay, Comedy, Live Action, Contemporary Fiction |
|
Domestic BO: $11,567,000 |