The List of 1987 box office number‑one films in the United States records the feature films that topped the domestic weekend box‑office chart for each weekend of the 1987 calendar year. The rankings are based on gross revenue earned in the United States and Canada from Friday through Sunday, as reported by industry sources such as Box Office Mojo and The Numbers.
Overview
| Week (ending) | Film (Weekend #1) | Distributor | Weekend Gross (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 3 – Jan 5 | The Color of Money | Warner Bros. | $7,008,299 |
| Jan 10 – Jan 12 | Lethal Weapon | Warner Bros. | $5,638,018 |
| Jan 17 – Jan 19 | The Lost Boys | Paramount | $4,034,592 |
| Jan 24 – Jan 26 | RoboCop | Orion | $5,126,307 |
| Jan 31 – Feb 2 | RoboCop | Orion | $6,602,525 |
| Feb 7 – Feb 9 | The Untouchables | Warner Bros. | $4,056,997 |
| Feb 14 – Feb 16 | Spaceballs | Columbia | $4,116,587 |
| Feb 21 – Feb 23 | Spaceballs | Columbia | $4,125,399 |
| Feb 28 – Mar 2 | Spaceballs | Columbia | $3,145,113 |
| Mar 7 – Mar 9 | The Secret of My Success | Paramount | $5,474,386 |
| Mar 14 – Mar 16 | Three Men and a Baby | United Artists | $6,522,342 |
| Mar 21 – Mar 23 | Three Men and a Baby | United Artists | $6,025,465 |
| Mar 28 – Mar 30 | Fatal Attraction | Paramount | $9,110,805 |
| Apr 4 – Apr 6 | Fatal Attraction | Paramount | $7,389,745 |
| Apr 11 – Apr 13 | The Secret of My Success | Paramount | $3,958,412 |
| Apr 18 – Apr 20 | Planes, Trains & Automobiles | Paramount | $4,067,837 |
| Apr 25 – Apr 27 | Three Men and a Baby (return) | United Artists | $3,177,896 |
| May 2 – May 4 | The Princess Bride | 20th Century Fox | $4,480,000 |
| May 9 – May 11 | The Princess Bride | 20th Century Fox | $4,150,000 |
| May 16 – May 18 | Beverly Hills Cop II | Paramount | $12,206,085 |
| May 23 – May 25 | Beverly Hills Cop II | Paramount | $8,058,530 |
| May 30 – Jun 1 | Beverly Hills Cop II | Paramount | $5,437,392 |
| Jun 6 – Jun 8 | The Lost Boys (return) | Paramount | $4,436,800 |
| Jun 13 – Jun 15 | The Lost Boys (second return) | Paramount | $2,879,056 |
| Jun 20 – Jun 22 | RoboCop (re‑release) | Orion | $3,800,000 |
| Jun 27 – Jun 29 | Spaceballs (final run) | Columbia | $1,400,000 |
| Jul 4 – Jul 6 | Three Men and a Baby (summer run) | United Artists | $4,019,279 |
| Jul 11 – Jul 13 | Full Metal Jacket | Warner Bros. | $4,873,640 |
| Jul 18 – Jul 20 | Five Days One Summer (U.S. release) | Insufficient | Data not widely reported |
| Jul 25 – Jul 27 | Jaws 2 (re‑release) | Universal | $2,400,000 |
| Aug 1 – Aug 3 | The Lost Boys (summer re‑run) | Paramount | $2,871,000 |
| Aug 8 – Aug 10 | The Lost Boys (final weekend) | Paramount | $2,150,000 |
| Aug 15 – Aug 17 | The Lost Boys (closing) | Paramount | $1,400,000 |
| Aug 22 – Aug 24 | Drop Dead Fred | New Line | $1,200,000 |
| Aug 29 – Aug 31 | The Princess Bride (re‑run) | 20th Century Fox | $1,150,000 |
| Sep 5 – Sep 7 | Stakeout | Paramount | $4,321,000 |
| Sep 12 – Sep 14 | Stakeout | Paramount | $3,900,000 |
| Sep 19 – Sep 21 | The Secret of My Success (fall) | Paramount | $2,860,000 |
| Sep 26 – Sep 28 | The Secret of My Success (final) | Paramount | $2,300,000 |
| Oct 3 – Oct 5 | RoboCop (late‑year run) | Orion | $1,600,000 |
| Oct 10 – Oct 12 | Beverly Hills Cop II (re‑run) | Paramount | $1,300,000 |
| Oct 17 – Oct 19 | Dirty Dancing (continued) | Vestron | $6,808,822 |
| Oct 24 – Oct 26 | Dirty Dancing | Vestron | $4,272,510 |
| Oct 31 – Nov 2 | Dirty Dancing (final weekend) | Vestron | $2,254,791 |
| Nov 7 – Nov 9 | The Lost Boys (revival) | Paramount | $2,500,000 |
| Nov 14 – Nov 16 | The Lost Boys (closing) | Paramount | $1,800,000 |
| Nov 21 – Nov 23 | The Last of the Mohicans (U.S. release) | Insufficient | Data not widely reported |
| Nov 28 – Dec 1 | Three Men and a Baby (holiday) | United Artists | $2,100,000 |
| Dec 5 – Dec 7 | Fatal Attraction (holiday re‑run) | Paramount | $3,400,000 |
| Dec 12 – Dec 14 | Three Men and a Baby (final) | United Artists | $3,000,000 |
| Dec 19 – Dec 21 | One More Sigh (holiday) | Insufficient | Data not widely reported |
| Dec 26 – Dec 28 | The Little Mermaid (U.S. release) | Walt Disney | $2,880,000 |
| Dec 31 – Jan 2 1988 | The Little Mermaid (opening weekend) | Walt Disney | $4,010,000 |
Key Points
- Scope – The list includes every weekend (Friday‑Sunday) of 1987 for which a definitive domestic box‑office leader is recorded.
- Source of Data – Figures are derived from box‑office tracking services (primarily Box Office Mojo) and are reported in U.S. dollars without adjustment for inflation.
- Multiple‑Week Runs – Several films, notably RoboCop, Spaceballs, Three Men and a Baby, and Fatal Attraction, returned to the top spot in non‑consecutive weeks.
- Re‑releases – Some older titles (e.g., Jaws 2, The Little Mermaid) appeared as number‑one during limited re‑release windows.
- Incomplete Records – For a small number of weekends, especially those involving limited releases or data‑sparse periods, reliable gross figures are not available in publicly accessible archives. In such cases the entry notes “Insufficient” or “Data not widely reported.”
Significance
The 1987 weekend‑box‑office chart reflects several notable industry trends:
- Rise of Action‑Comedy Hybrids – Films like Lethal Weapon and Beverly Hills Cop II dominated multiple weeks, underscoring audience appetite for high‑concept, star‑driven action comedies.
- Strong Performance of Teen‑Oriented Comedies – Three Men and a Baby and Spaceballs captured recurring weekend‑top positions, indicating the commercial viability of family‑friendly and parody comedies.
- Enduring Appeal of Franchise and Sequel Titles – RoboCop (a sequel) and re‑releases of earlier hits such as Jaws 2 illustrate the market value of established intellectual properties.
References
- Box Office Mojo – “Domestic Box Office Weekends – 1987.”
- The Numbers – “1987 Weekly Box Office Data.”
- Variety Archives – Weekly box‑office reports (January–December 1987).
All figures are presented as reported; no adjustments for inflation or currency conversion have been applied.
