The Abyss (1989)

The Abyss
Theatrical Performance
Domestic Box Office $54,763,229Details
International Box Office $30,768Details
Worldwide Box Office $54,793,997
OpusData ID: 9840100
Further financial details...

Metrics

Opening Weekend:$9,319,797 (17.0% of total gross)
Legs:5.88 (domestic box office/biggest weekend)
Domestic Share:99.9% (domestic box office/worldwide)
Production Budget:$70,000,000 (worldwide box office is 0.8 times production budget)
Theater counts:1,533 opening theaters/1,538 max. theaters, 6.6 weeks average run per theater
Infl. Adj. Dom. BO $154,294,515

Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists

RecordRankAmount
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 1,701-1,800) 1,743 $54,763,229
All Time International Box Office (Rank 24,101-24,200) 24,167 $30,768
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 3,001-3,100) 3,022 $54,793,997

See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.


Movie Details

Domestic Releases: August 9th, 1989 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox
International Releases: December 14th, 1989 (Wide) (Australia)
December 10th, 2020 (Limited) (Australia)
December 7th, 2023 (Limited) (Special Edition) (Australia)
January 25th, 2024 (Limited) (Special Edition 4K Remaster) (New Zealand)
Video Release: May 14th, 1996 by Fox Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language and some scenes of action (Special Edition)
Running Time: 140 minutes
Comparisons: vs. Aliens
Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Underwater, First Contact, Cold War, Relationships Gone Wrong, Exes in Love, Chase Adventure, Friendly Alien on Earth, Alien Encounters
Source:Original Screenplay
Genre:Adventure
Production Method:Live Action
Creative Type:Science Fiction
Production/Financing Companies: 20th Century Fox
Production Countries: United States
Languages: English

Ranking on other Records and Milestones

RecordRankAmountChart
Date		Days In
Release
Labor Day (All Movies, 3-Day) 194 $5,532,135 Sep 1, 1989 26
Labor Day (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 90 $16,235,915 Sep 1, 1989 26

Compare this performance with other movies…

Domestic Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 1,701-1,800) 1,743 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Inflation Adjusted Box Office (Rank 1,001-1,100) 1,075 $154,294,515
All Time Domestic Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 1,301-1,400) 1,302 $54,763,229
Top-grossing movies at the domestic box office first released in 1989 24 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Box Office for Original Screenplay Movies (Rank 801-900) 833 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 1,301-1,400) 1,396 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Box Office for Science Fiction Movies (Rank 201-300) 215 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Box Office for Adventure Movies (Rank 301-400) 396 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 701-800) 722 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Box Office for 20th Century Fox Movies (Rank 101-200) 192 $54,763,229

Weekend Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Aug 11, 1989 2 $9,319,797   1,533 $6,079   $13,027,411 1
Aug 18, 1989 3 $7,213,102 -23% 1,538 $4,690   $24,745,404 2
Aug 25, 1989 3 $4,734,287 -34% 1,525 $3,104   $32,963,185 3
Sep 1, 1989 3 $5,532,135 +17% 1,532 $3,611   $40,726,991 4
Sep 8, 1989 5 $2,865,779 -48% 1,498 $1,913   $44,540,211 5
Sep 15, 1989 7 $2,150,879 -25% 1,361 $1,580   $47,594,385 6
Sep 22, 1989 8 $1,512,309 -30% 1,176 $1,286   $49,710,458 7

Daily Box Office Performance

DateRankGross%YD%LWTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossDays
Dec 6, 2023 5 $520,104     570 $912   $54,763,229 12,538

Weekly Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Aug 11, 1989 2 $13,824,688   1,533 $9,018   $17,532,302 2
Aug 18, 1989 3 $10,696,596 -23% 1,538 $6,955   $28,228,898 3
Aug 25, 1989 3 $6,965,958 -35% 1,525 $4,568   $35,194,856 4
Sep 1, 1989 3 $6,479,576 -7% 1,532 $4,229   $41,674,432 5
Sep 8, 1989 5 $3,769,074 -42% 1,498 $2,516   $45,443,506 6
Sep 15, 1989 7 $2,754,643 -27% 1,361 $2,024   $48,198,149 7

Box Office Summary Per Territory

Territory Release
Date		 Opening
Weekend		 Opening
Weekend
Screens		 Maximum
Screens		 Theatrical
Engagements		 Total
Box Office		 Report
Date
Australia 12/14/1989 $0 0 36 37 $23,706 12/11/2023
New Zealand 1/25/2024 $4,892 13 13 16 $7,062 4/14/2025
 
International Total$30,768 4/14/2025

International Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time International Box Office (Rank 24,101-24,200) 24,167 $30,768
All Time International Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 22,601-22,700) 22,647 $30,768
All Time International Box Office for Original Screenplay Movies (Rank 14,501-14,600) 14,575 $30,768
All Time International Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 20,701-20,800) 20,720 $30,768
All Time International Box Office for Science Fiction Movies (Rank 901-1,000) 963 $30,768
All Time International Box Office for Adventure Movies (Rank 2,401-2,500) 2,402 $30,768
All Time International Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 2,201-2,300) 2,291 $30,768
All Time International Box Office for 20th Century Fox Movies (Rank 301-400) 379 $30,768

Worldwide Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 3,001-3,100) 3,022 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 2,301-2,400) 2,374 $54,793,997
Top 1989 Movies at the Worldwide Box Office 28 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Original Screenplay Movies (Rank 1,501-1,600) 1,554 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 2,501-2,600) 2,525 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Science Fiction Movies (Rank 301-400) 328 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Adventure Movies (Rank 501-600) 567 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 1,001-1,100) 1,078 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Box Office for 20th Century Fox Movies (Rank 201-300) 279 $54,793,997

Weekly US Blu-ray Sales

DateRankUnits
this
Week		% ChangeTotal
Units		Spending
this
Week		Total
Spending		Weeks
in
Release
Mar 17, 2024413,653 13,653$410,409$410,4091,453
Mar 24, 2024511,797 25,450$354,618$765,0271,454
Mar 31, 2024116,996 32,446$210,300$975,3271,455
Apr 7, 2024192,404 34,850$72,264$1,047,5911,456
Apr 14, 2024113,854 38,704$115,851$1,163,4421,457
Apr 21, 202466,718 45,422$201,943$1,365,3851,458
Apr 28, 2024410,541 55,963$316,862$1,682,2471,459
May 5, 2024153,427 59,390$103,016$1,785,2631,460

Our DVD and Blu-ray sales estimates are based on weekly retail surveys, which we use to build a weekly market share estimate for each title we are tracking. The market share is converted into a weekly sales estimate based on industry reports on the overall size of the market, including reports published in Media Play News.

For example, if our weekly retail survey estimates that a particular title sold 1% of all units that week, and the industry reports sales of 1,500,000 units in total, we will estimate 15,000 units were sold of that title. The consumer spending estimate is based on the average sales price for the title in the retailers we survey.

We refine our estimates from week to week as more data becomes available. In particular, we adjust weekly sales figures for the quarter once the total market estimates are published by the Digital Entertainment Group. Figures will therefore fluctuate each week, and totals for individual titles can go up or down as we update our estimates.

Because sales figures are estimated based on sampling, they will be more accurate for higher-selling titles.

Supporting Cast

Ed Harris    Virgil "Bud" Brigman
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio    Lindsey Brigman
Michael Biehn    Lt. Hiram Coffey
Leo Burmester    Catfish De Vries
Todd Graff    Alan 'Hippy' Carnes
John Bedford Lloyd    Jammer Willis
J.C. Quinn    Arliss 'Sonny' Dawson
Kimberly A. Scott    Lisa 'One Night' Standing
Captain Kidd Brewer, Jr.    Lew Finler
George Robert Klek    Wilhite
Christopher Murphy    Schoenick
Adam Nelson    Ensign Monk
Richard Warlock    Dwight Perry
Jimmie Ray Weeks    Leland McBride
J. Kenneth Campbell    DeMarco
Ken Jenkins    Gerard Kirkhill
Chris Elliott    Bendix
Peter Ratray    Captain
Michael Beach    Barnes
Brad Sullivan    Executive
Frank Lloyd    Navigator
Phillip Darlington    Crew Member
Joseph Nemec III    Crew Member
Joe Farago    Anchorman
William Wisher    Bill Tyler

For a description of the different acting role types we use to categorize acting perfomances, see our Glossary.

Production and Technical Credits

James Cameron    Director
James Cameron    Screenwriter
Gale Anne Hurd    Producer
Mikael Salomon    Director of Photography
Leslie Dilley    Production Designer
Alan Silvestri    Composer
Robin Oliver    Assistant Director
Stephen J. Fisher    Assistant Director
Newt Arnold    Assistant Director
Charles Skouras III    Production Manager
Peter Childs    Supervising Art Director
Russell Christian    Art Director
Joseph Nemec III    Art Director
Anne Kuljian    Set Decorator
Al Giddings    Underwater Photography
John Bruno    Visual Effects Supervisor
Dennis Muren    Visual Effects Supervisor
Hoyt Yeatman    Visual Effects Supervisor
Dennis Skotak    Visual Effects Designer
Deborah Everton    Costume Designer
Deena Appel    Costume Supervisor
Joel Goodman    Editor
Howard Smith    Co-Editor
Conrad Buff    Co-Editor
Lee Orloff    Sound Mixer
Don Bassman    Re-recording Mixer
Kevin F. Cleary    Re-recording Mixer
Richard Overton    Re-recording Mixer
Kevin E. Carpenter    Re-recording Mixer
Dody Dorn    Supervising Sound Editor
John Hoeren    Sound Editor
Peter Michael Sullivan    Sound Editor
Michael Dressel    Sound Editor
Stuart Copley    Sound Editor
Sarah Rothenberg    Sound Editor
Blake Leyh    Sound Designer
Kenneth Karman    Music Editor
Emanuel Millar    Hairstylist
Howard Feuer    Casting Director
Richard Warlock    Stunt Coordinator

The bold credits above the line are the "above-the-line" credits, the other the "below-the-line" credits.


  1. Summary
  2. News
  3. Box Office
  4. International
  5. Video Sales
  6. Cast & Crew
  7. Trailer

Metrics

Opening Weekend:$9,319,797 (17.0% of total gross)
Legs:5.88 (domestic box office/biggest weekend)
Domestic Share:99.9% (domestic box office/worldwide)
Production Budget:$70,000,000 (worldwide box office is 0.8 times production budget)
Theater counts:1,533 opening theaters/1,538 max. theaters, 6.6 weeks average run per theater
Infl. Adj. Dom. BO $154,294,515

Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists

RecordRankAmount
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 1,701-1,800) 1,743 $54,763,229
All Time International Box Office (Rank 24,101-24,200) 24,167 $30,768
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 3,001-3,100) 3,022 $54,793,997

See the Box Office tab (Domestic) and International tab (International and Worldwide) for more Cumulative Box Office Records.


Movie Details

Domestic Releases: August 9th, 1989 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox
International Releases: December 14th, 1989 (Wide) (Australia)
December 10th, 2020 (Limited) (Australia)
December 7th, 2023 (Limited) (Special Edition) (Australia)
January 25th, 2024 (Limited) (Special Edition 4K Remaster) (New Zealand)
Video Release: May 14th, 1996 by Fox Home Entertainment
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language and some scenes of action (Special Edition)
Running Time: 140 minutes
Comparisons: vs. Aliens
Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Underwater, First Contact, Cold War, Relationships Gone Wrong, Exes in Love, Chase Adventure, Friendly Alien on Earth, Alien Encounters
Source:Original Screenplay
Genre:Adventure
Production Method:Live Action
Creative Type:Science Fiction
Production/Financing Companies: 20th Century Fox
Production Countries: United States
Languages: English

Ranking on other Records and Milestones

RecordRankAmountChart
Date		Days In
Release
Labor Day (All Movies, 3-Day) 194 $5,532,135 Sep 1, 1989 26
Labor Day (All Movies, 3-Day, Inflation Adjusted) 90 $16,235,915 Sep 1, 1989 26

Supporting Cast

Ed Harris    Virgil "Bud" Brigman
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio    Lindsey Brigman
Michael Biehn    Lt. Hiram Coffey
Leo Burmester    Catfish De Vries
Todd Graff    Alan 'Hippy' Carnes
John Bedford Lloyd    Jammer Willis
J.C. Quinn    Arliss 'Sonny' Dawson
Kimberly A. Scott    Lisa 'One Night' Standing
Captain Kidd Brewer, Jr.    Lew Finler
George Robert Klek    Wilhite
Christopher Murphy    Schoenick
Adam Nelson    Ensign Monk
Richard Warlock    Dwight Perry
Jimmie Ray Weeks    Leland McBride
J. Kenneth Campbell    DeMarco
Ken Jenkins    Gerard Kirkhill
Chris Elliott    Bendix
Peter Ratray    Captain
Michael Beach    Barnes
Brad Sullivan    Executive
Frank Lloyd    Navigator
Phillip Darlington    Crew Member
Joseph Nemec III    Crew Member
Joe Farago    Anchorman
William Wisher    Bill Tyler

For a description of the different acting role types we use to categorize acting perfomances, see our Glossary.

Production and Technical Credits

James Cameron    Director
James Cameron    Screenwriter
Gale Anne Hurd    Producer
Mikael Salomon    Director of Photography
Leslie Dilley    Production Designer
Alan Silvestri    Composer
Robin Oliver    Assistant Director
Stephen J. Fisher    Assistant Director
Newt Arnold    Assistant Director
Charles Skouras III    Production Manager
Peter Childs    Supervising Art Director
Russell Christian    Art Director
Joseph Nemec III    Art Director
Anne Kuljian    Set Decorator
Al Giddings    Underwater Photography
John Bruno    Visual Effects Supervisor
Dennis Muren    Visual Effects Supervisor
Hoyt Yeatman    Visual Effects Supervisor
Dennis Skotak    Visual Effects Designer
Deborah Everton    Costume Designer
Deena Appel    Costume Supervisor
Joel Goodman    Editor
Howard Smith    Co-Editor
Conrad Buff    Co-Editor
Lee Orloff    Sound Mixer
Don Bassman    Re-recording Mixer
Kevin F. Cleary    Re-recording Mixer
Richard Overton    Re-recording Mixer
Kevin E. Carpenter    Re-recording Mixer
Dody Dorn    Supervising Sound Editor
John Hoeren    Sound Editor
Peter Michael Sullivan    Sound Editor
Michael Dressel    Sound Editor
Stuart Copley    Sound Editor
Sarah Rothenberg    Sound Editor
Blake Leyh    Sound Designer
Kenneth Karman    Music Editor
Emanuel Millar    Hairstylist
Howard Feuer    Casting Director
Richard Warlock    Stunt Coordinator

The bold credits above the line are the "above-the-line" credits, the other the "below-the-line" credits.

Compare this performance with other movies…

Domestic Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 1,701-1,800) 1,743 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Inflation Adjusted Box Office (Rank 1,001-1,100) 1,075 $154,294,515
All Time Domestic Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 1,301-1,400) 1,302 $54,763,229
Top-grossing movies at the domestic box office first released in 1989 24 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Box Office for Original Screenplay Movies (Rank 801-900) 833 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 1,301-1,400) 1,396 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Box Office for Science Fiction Movies (Rank 201-300) 215 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Box Office for Adventure Movies (Rank 301-400) 396 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 701-800) 722 $54,763,229
All Time Domestic Box Office for 20th Century Fox Movies (Rank 101-200) 192 $54,763,229

Weekend Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Aug 11, 1989 2 $9,319,797   1,533 $6,079   $13,027,411 1
Aug 18, 1989 3 $7,213,102 -23% 1,538 $4,690   $24,745,404 2
Aug 25, 1989 3 $4,734,287 -34% 1,525 $3,104   $32,963,185 3
Sep 1, 1989 3 $5,532,135 +17% 1,532 $3,611   $40,726,991 4
Sep 8, 1989 5 $2,865,779 -48% 1,498 $1,913   $44,540,211 5
Sep 15, 1989 7 $2,150,879 -25% 1,361 $1,580   $47,594,385 6
Sep 22, 1989 8 $1,512,309 -30% 1,176 $1,286   $49,710,458 7

Daily Box Office Performance

DateRankGross%YD%LWTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossDays
Dec 6, 2023 5 $520,104     570 $912   $54,763,229 12,538

Weekly Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Aug 11, 1989 2 $13,824,688   1,533 $9,018   $17,532,302 2
Aug 18, 1989 3 $10,696,596 -23% 1,538 $6,955   $28,228,898 3
Aug 25, 1989 3 $6,965,958 -35% 1,525 $4,568   $35,194,856 4
Sep 1, 1989 3 $6,479,576 -7% 1,532 $4,229   $41,674,432 5
Sep 8, 1989 5 $3,769,074 -42% 1,498 $2,516   $45,443,506 6
Sep 15, 1989 7 $2,754,643 -27% 1,361 $2,024   $48,198,149 7

Box Office Summary Per Territory

Territory Release
Date		 Opening
Weekend		 Opening
Weekend
Screens		 Maximum
Screens		 Theatrical
Engagements		 Total
Box Office		 Report
Date
Australia 12/14/1989 $0 0 36 37 $23,706 12/11/2023
New Zealand 1/25/2024 $4,892 13 13 16 $7,062 4/14/2025
 
International Total$30,768 4/14/2025

International Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time International Box Office (Rank 24,101-24,200) 24,167 $30,768
All Time International Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 22,601-22,700) 22,647 $30,768
All Time International Box Office for Original Screenplay Movies (Rank 14,501-14,600) 14,575 $30,768
All Time International Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 20,701-20,800) 20,720 $30,768
All Time International Box Office for Science Fiction Movies (Rank 901-1,000) 963 $30,768
All Time International Box Office for Adventure Movies (Rank 2,401-2,500) 2,402 $30,768
All Time International Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 2,201-2,300) 2,291 $30,768
All Time International Box Office for 20th Century Fox Movies (Rank 301-400) 379 $30,768

Worldwide Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 3,001-3,100) 3,022 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 2,301-2,400) 2,374 $54,793,997
Top 1989 Movies at the Worldwide Box Office 28 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Original Screenplay Movies (Rank 1,501-1,600) 1,554 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 2,501-2,600) 2,525 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Science Fiction Movies (Rank 301-400) 328 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Adventure Movies (Rank 501-600) 567 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 1,001-1,100) 1,078 $54,793,997
All Time Worldwide Box Office for 20th Century Fox Movies (Rank 201-300) 279 $54,793,997

Weekly US Blu-ray Sales

DateRankUnits
this
Week		% ChangeTotal
Units		Spending
this
Week		Total
Spending		Weeks
in
Release
Mar 17, 2024413,653 13,653$410,409$410,4091,453
Mar 24, 2024511,797 25,450$354,618$765,0271,454
Mar 31, 2024116,996 32,446$210,300$975,3271,455
Apr 7, 2024192,404 34,850$72,264$1,047,5911,456
Apr 14, 2024113,854 38,704$115,851$1,163,4421,457
Apr 21, 202466,718 45,422$201,943$1,365,3851,458
Apr 28, 2024410,541 55,963$316,862$1,682,2471,459
May 5, 2024153,427 59,390$103,016$1,785,2631,460

Our DVD and Blu-ray sales estimates are based on weekly retail surveys, which we use to build a weekly market share estimate for each title we are tracking. The market share is converted into a weekly sales estimate based on industry reports on the overall size of the market, including reports published in Media Play News.

For example, if our weekly retail survey estimates that a particular title sold 1% of all units that week, and the industry reports sales of 1,500,000 units in total, we will estimate 15,000 units were sold of that title. The consumer spending estimate is based on the average sales price for the title in the retailers we survey.

We refine our estimates from week to week as more data becomes available. In particular, we adjust weekly sales figures for the quarter once the total market estimates are published by the Digital Entertainment Group. Figures will therefore fluctuate each week, and totals for individual titles can go up or down as we update our estimates.

Because sales figures are estimated based on sampling, they will be more accurate for higher-selling titles.