Context
Cameron and Hurd holding a theatrical poster for Aliens in 1986The 1986 summer film season began in mid-May. The season had been starting earlier each year as studios attempted to beat each other with their biggest films. Fifty-five films were scheduled for release between May and September, including the action drama Top Gun and the comedic Sweet Liberty, but the season was not expected to break financial records due to fewer sequels, anticipated blockbusters, and films by Steven Spielberg or starring popular comedians that had dominated the earlier half of the decade. Some industry experts also blamed the burgeoning home-video market, which had grown from 7 million rentals in 1983 to 58 million by 1985.[100][101] Films expected to do well were aimed at younger audiences and featured comedy or horror, such as Back to School, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and SpaceCamp.[101] Some films targeted at adults were also seen as potential successes, including Legal Eagles, Ruthless People, and Cobra.[101]
Aliens was seen by industry professionals as a potential sleeper hit based on positive industry word-of-mouth during filming, enthusiastic industry screenings, and favorable pre-release reviews.[25][29][86] The film's success was considered dependent on its ability to attract audiences outside the young males and blue-collar workers typical for the genre.[102] The tagline was, "This time, it's war".[85]
Box office
Aliens began a wide release in the United States (U.S.) and Canada on July 18, 1986.[3] During its opening weekend, the film earned $10.1 million from 1,437 theaters—an average of $6,995 per theater. It was the weekend's number-one film, ahead of the martial-arts drama The Karate Kid Part II ($5.6 million in its fifth weekend) and the black comedy Ruthless People ($4.5 million in its fourth weekend).[103] Based on its opening-five-day total ($13.4 million), Aliens exceeded Fox's expectations and was anticipated to become the summer's top film, surpassing The Karate Kid Part II, Back to School, and Top Gun.[25][102] The Los Angeles Times reported long lines to see Aliens, even on weekday afternoons.[25]
The film retained the number-one position in its second weekend with an additional gross of $8.6 million, ahead of the debuting comedy-drama Heartburn ($5.8 million) and The Karate Kid Part II ($5 million).[104] Aliens remained the number-one film of its third weekend with a gross of $7.1 million, ahead of the debuts of Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives ($6.8 million) and the comedy Howard the Duck ($5.1 million).[105][106] The film fell to third place in its fifth weekend with a gross of $4.30 million, behind the debuts of the science-fiction horror film The Fly ($7 million) and the comedy Armed and Dangerous ($4.33 million).[107] Aliens was one of the top ten highest-grossing films for 11 weeks.[108]
By the end of its theatrical run, Aliens had grossed about $85.1 million.[108][109][f] This figure made it the year's seventh highest-grossing film, behind Back to School ($91.3 million), science-fiction film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ($109.6 million), The Karate Kid Part II ($115.1 million), war film Platoon (138.5 million), action comedy Crocodile Dundee ($174.8 million) and Top Gun ($176.8 million).[110][111] Aliens' box-office returns to the studio, minus the theaters' share, was $42.5 million.[112]
Box office figures outside the U.S. and Canada are inconsistent and not available for all 1986 films. According to the box-office tracking websites Box Office Mojo and the Numbers, Aliens earned from $45.9 million to $98.1 million.[g] This gives Aliens a worldwide gross of $131.1 million to $183.3 million, making it the year's fourth-highest-grossing film, behind Platoon ($138 million), Crocodile Dundee ($328.2 million), and Top Gun ($356.8 million), or the third-highest-grossing film behind Crocodile Dundee and Top Gun.[113][114] According to Fox's 1992 estimate, Aliens had earned $157 million worldwide.[115][h] The New York Times described the film as "extremely successful."[112]
