Top 50 films
in Australia in 1996, ranked by reported gross Australian box office
as at 31 December 1996; Australian films listed in bold
The top 10 films accounted for 31 per cent of
the total Australian box office in 1996; the top 50 accounted for 72
per cent.
Rank
Title
Distributor
Release date
Box office ($)1
1
Independence Day
Fox
29 Aug 1996
29,290,655
2
Babe
UIP/Universal
14 Dec 1995
25,804,186
3
Twister
UIP
30 May 1996
23,438,404
4
Mission Impossible
UIP/Paramount
27 Jun 1996
15,032,277
5
Jumanji
Tristar
21 Mar 1996
13,210,257
6
Ransom
BVI/Touchstone
14 Nov 1996
13,200,952
7
Birdcage
UIP/UA
18 Apr 1996
12,387,553
8
The Rock
BVI/Hollywood
25 Jul 1996
12,098,600
9
Nutty Professor
UIP/Universal
19 Sep 1996
11,468,549
10
First Wives Club
UIP/Paramount
24 Oct 1996
10,824,206
11
Goldeneye
UIP/United Artists
26 Dec 1995
9,388,245
12
Get Shorty
UIP/MGM
25 Jan 1996
9,038,371
13
Broken Arrow
Fox
28 Mar 1996
8,074,222
14
Toy Story
BVI/Disney
7 Dec 1995
7,752,930
15
Sense and Sensibility
Columbia
29 Feb 1996
7,688,386
16
Heat
Warner Bros
15 Feb 1996
7,463,694
17
Copycat
Warner Bros
4 Jan 1996
7,236,169
18
12 Monkeys
UIP/Universal
14 Mar 1996
7,009,070
19
Father of the Bride 2
BVI/Touchstone
26 Dec 1995
6,773,158
20
Shine
Ronin
15 Aug 1996
6,764,493
21
Eraser
Warner Bros
19 Sep 1996
6,184,048
22
Up Close and Personal
Roadshow
6 Jun 1996
6,140,494
23
Phenomenon
BVI/Touchstone
8 Aug 1996
5,873,807
24
Sleepers
PolyGram
7 Nov 1996
5,838,946
25
Executive Decision
Warner Bros
25 Apr 1996
5,594,375
26
Hunchback of Notre Dame
BVI/Disney
12 Sep 1996
5,527,924
27
The American President
UIP/Universal
14 Dec 1995
5,431,800
28
The Cable Guy
Columbia
20 Jun 1996
5,364,698
29
Matilda
Tristar
19 Sep 1996
5,304,781
30
The Truth about Cats and Dogs
Fox
11 Jul 1996
5,226,578
31
Muppet Treasure Island
BVI/Disney
20 Jun 1996
5,204,382
32
Space Jam
Warner Bros
12 Dec 1996
5,153,152
33
The Phantom
UIP/Paramount
26 Sep 1996
4,988,665
34
Mr Holland's Opus
REP
7 Mar 1996
4,923,570
35
Star Trek: First Contact (96 R/1)
UIP/Paramount
28 Nov 1996
4,751,038
36
Trainspotting
PolyGram
23 May 1996
4,665,717
37
101 Dalmations (Live)
Disney
5 Dec 1996
4,652,315
38
To Die For
Fox
22 Feb 1996
4,593,516
39
A Time To Kill
Warner Bros
15 Aug 1996
4,491,119
40
Jingle All the Way
Fox
21 Nov 1996
4,486,337
41
Primal Fear
UIP/Paramount
16 May 1996
4,123,498
42
How to Make an American Quilt
UIP/Universal
9 May 1996
4,116,103
43
Sabrina
UIP/Paramount
15 Feb 1996
3,984,309
44
Casino
UIP/Universal
7 Mar 1996
3,974,550
45
Striptease
Columbia
1 Aug 1996
3,794,283
46
Courage under Fire
Fox
12 Sep 1996
3,590,018
47
Dragonheart
UIP/Universal
12 Dec 1996
3,584,076
48
Emma
REP
7 Nov 1996
3,564,241
49
The Craft
Columbia
4 Jul 1996
3,351,230
50
A Little Princess
Warner Bros
21 Dec 1995
3,158,122
Source: Motion Picture Distributors Association
of Australia (MPDAA).
Notes:
1. Earnings are in current dollars (i.e. not adjusted for inflation)
and per calendar year so totals do not necessarily represent total earnings
for a film. Box office data from 1 January to 31 December 1996, as reported
in January 1997.
