The Last Emperor (1987)

Theatrical Performance
Domestic Box Office $43,984,987Details
International Box Office $20,448Details
Worldwide Box Office $44,005,435
OpusData ID: 12590100
Further financial details...

Metrics

Legs:12.94 (domestic box office/biggest weekend)
Domestic Share:100.0% (domestic box office/worldwide)
Production Budget:$25,000,000 (worldwide box office is 1.8 times production budget)
Infl. Adj. Dom. BO $122,341,695

Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists

RecordRankAmount
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 2,101-2,200) 2,180 $43,984,987
All Time International Box Office (Rank 25,501-25,600) 25,547 $20,448
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 3,501-3,600) 3,526 $44,005,435
Leggiest Movies 52 12.94

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


Movie Details

Domestic Releases: November 20th, 1987 (Limited) by Sony Pictures
November 25th, 1998 (Limited) by Artisan
International Releases: December 19th, 1987 (Wide), released as O Último Imperador (Portugal)
December 23rd, 1988 (Limited) (South Korea)
March 7th, 2024 (Limited), released as The Last Emperor (Ο ΤΕΛΕΥΤΑΙΟΣ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΑΣ) (Greece)
May 15th, 2025 (Limited), released as The Last Emperor (Последний император) (Russia (CIS))
July 1st, 2025 (Limited), released as Der letzte Kaiser (Germany)
... Show all releases
Video Release: January 6th, 2009 by Criterion
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 219 minutes
Comparisons: Best Picture Oscar Winners
vs. Rain Man
Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Oscars Best Picture Winner, Biographical Drama, Set in China, 1900s, 1950s, Non-Chronological, Communism, Political Prisoner, 1988 Oscars Best Picture Nominee
Source:Based on Fiction Book/Short Story
Genre:Drama
Production Method:Live Action
Creative Type:Dramatization
Production/Financing Companies: Columbia Pictures, Hemdale Film Corporation, Jeremy Thomas Productions
Production Countries: United Kingdom, Italy, France, China

Ranking on other Records and Milestones

RecordRankAmountChart
Date		Days In
Release
Biggest Domestic 27th Weekend 19 $930,729 May 20, 1988 185
Biggest Domestic 26th Weekend 18 $1,055,977 May 13, 1988 178
Biggest Domestic 25th Weekend 18 $1,256,177 May 6, 1988 171
Biggest Domestic 24th Weekend 15 $1,780,196 Apr 29, 1988 164
Biggest Domestic 23rd Weekend 9 $2,597,418 Apr 22, 1988 157
Biggest Domestic 22nd Weekend 3 $3,398,662 Apr 15, 1988 150
Biggest Domestic 21st Weekend 60 $837,400 Apr 8, 1988 143
Biggest Domestic 19th Weekend 79 $842,611 Mar 25, 1988 129
Biggest Domestic 18th Weekend 97 $876,913 Mar 18, 1988 122
Biggest Domestic 17th Weekend 94 $1,106,588 Mar 11, 1988 115
Theater Average 10th Weekend 72 $6,285 Jan 22, 1988 66
Theater Average 7th Weekend 21 $11,959 Jan 1, 1988 45
Theater Average 6th Weekend 55 $10,859 Dec 25, 1987 38
Theater Average 4th Weekend 91 $13,871 Dec 11, 1987 24

Compare this performance with other movies…

Domestic Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 2,101-2,200) 2,180 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Inflation Adjusted Box Office (Rank 1,401-1,500) 1,468 $122,341,695
All Time Domestic Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 1,601-1,700) 1,675 $43,984,987
Top-grossing movies at the domestic box office first released in 1987 24 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Box Office for Based on Fiction Book/Short Story Movies (Rank 401-500) 490 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 1,801-1,900) 1,803 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Box Office for Dramatization Movies (Rank 101-200) 142 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Box Office for Drama Movies (Rank 301-400) 337 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 801-900) 870 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Box Office for Sony Pictures Movies (Rank 201-300) 282 $43,984,987
Leggiest Movies 52 12.94

Weekend Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Dec 11, 1987 13 $402,257   29 $13,871   $1,327,583 4
Dec 25, 1987 14 $999,042   92 $10,859   $3,676,398 6
Jan 1, 1988 15 $1,124,142 +13% 94 $11,959   $5,565,638 7
Jan 22, 1988 17 $678,798   108 $6,285   $8,778,734 10
Mar 11, 1988 11 $1,106,588   479 $2,310   $20,966,245 17
Mar 18, 1988 11 $876,913 -21% 371 $2,364   $22,146,384 18
Mar 25, 1988 12 $842,611 -4% 428 $1,969   $23,349,260 19
Apr 1, 1988 13 $560,501 -33% 386 $1,452   $24,058,739 20
Apr 8, 1988 12 $837,400 +49% 460 $1,820   $25,169,033 21
Apr 15, 1988 4 $3,398,662 +306% 877 $3,875   $29,320,303 22
Apr 22, 1988 6 $2,597,418 -24% 877 $2,962   $33,097,200 23
Apr 29, 1988 9 $1,780,196 -31% 851 $2,092   $35,635,164 24
May 6, 1988 8 $1,256,177 -29% 817 $1,538   $37,419,329 25
May 13, 1988 9 $1,055,977 -16% 763 $1,384   $38,914,923 26
May 20, 1988 10 $930,729 -12% 792 $1,175   $40,295,591 27

Daily Box Office Performance

Weekly Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Dec 25, 1987 13 $1,764,140   92 $19,175   $4,441,496 6
Feb 5, 1988 6 $2,339,210   371 $6,305   $12,310,368 12
Feb 12, 1988 9 $1,987,584 -15% 372 $5,343   $14,297,952 13
Feb 19, 1988 8 $2,211,421 +11% 375 $5,897   $16,509,373 14
Feb 26, 1988 8 $1,606,492 -27% 377 $4,261   $18,115,865 15
Mar 4, 1988 9 $1,743,792 +9% 494 $3,530   $19,859,657 16
Mar 11, 1988 9 $1,409,814 -19% 479 $2,943   $21,269,471 17
Mar 18, 1988 8 $1,237,178 -12% 371 $3,335   $22,506,649 18
Mar 25, 1988 10 $991,589 -20% 428 $2,317   $23,498,238 19
Apr 1, 1988 11 $833,395 -16% 386 $2,159   $24,331,633 20
Apr 8, 1988 8 $1,590,008 +91% 460 $3,457   $25,921,641 21
Apr 15, 1988 3 $4,578,141 +188% 877 $5,220   $30,499,782 22
Apr 22, 1988 6 $3,355,186 -27% 877 $3,826   $33,854,968 23
Apr 29, 1988 7 $2,308,184 -31% 851 $2,712   $36,163,152 24
May 6, 1988 7 $1,695,794 -27% 817 $2,076   $37,858,946 25
May 13, 1988 9 $1,505,916 -11% 763 $1,974   $39,364,862 26

Box Office Summary Per Territory

Territory Release
Date		 Opening
Weekend		 Opening
Weekend
Screens		 Maximum
Screens		 Theatrical
Engagements		 Total
Box Office		 Report
Date
Germany 7/1/2025 $0000$0
Greece 3/7/2024 $0000$0
Portugal 12/19/1987 $0 0 1 1 $362 10/19/2022
Russia (CIS) 5/15/2025 $0000$0
South Korea 12/23/1988 $0 0 1 1 $20,086 8/10/2018
 
International Total$20,448 10/19/2022

International Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time International Box Office (Rank 25,501-25,600) 25,547 $20,448
All Time International Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 24,001-24,100) 24,007 $20,448
All Time International Box Office for Based on Fiction Book/Short Story Movies (Rank 2,401-2,500) 2,468 $20,448
All Time International Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 21,901-22,000) 21,970 $20,448
All Time International Box Office for Dramatization Movies (Rank 1,501-1,600) 1,507 $20,448
All Time International Box Office for Drama Movies (Rank 7,501-7,600) 7,519 $20,448
All Time International Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 2,301-2,400) 2,316 $20,448
All Time International Box Office for Sony Pictures Movies (Rank 501-600) 588 $20,448

Worldwide Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 3,501-3,600) 3,526 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 2,801-2,900) 2,824 $44,005,435
Top 1987 Movies at the Worldwide Box Office 25 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Based on Fiction Book/Short Story Movies (Rank 701-800) 724 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 2,901-3,000) 2,991 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Dramatization Movies (Rank 201-300) 254 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Drama Movies (Rank 601-700) 668 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 1,201-1,300) 1,204 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Sony Pictures Movies (Rank 401-500) 409 $44,005,435

Uncategorized

John Lone   
Joan Chen   
Peter O'Toole   
Victor Wong   
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa   

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

Production and Technical Credits

Bernardo Bertolucci    Director

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

Metrics

Legs:12.94 (domestic box office/biggest weekend)
Domestic Share:100.0% (domestic box office/worldwide)
Production Budget:$25,000,000 (worldwide box office is 1.8 times production budget)
Infl. Adj. Dom. BO $122,341,695

Latest Ranking on Cumulative Box Office Lists

RecordRankAmount
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 2,101-2,200) 2,180 $43,984,987
All Time International Box Office (Rank 25,501-25,600) 25,547 $20,448
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 3,501-3,600) 3,526 $44,005,435
Leggiest Movies 52 12.94

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


Movie Details

Domestic Releases: November 20th, 1987 (Limited) by Sony Pictures
November 25th, 1998 (Limited) by Artisan
International Releases: December 19th, 1987 (Wide), released as O Último Imperador (Portugal)
December 23rd, 1988 (Limited) (South Korea)
March 7th, 2024 (Limited), released as The Last Emperor (Ο ΤΕΛΕΥΤΑΙΟΣ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΑΣ) (Greece)
May 15th, 2025 (Limited), released as The Last Emperor (Последний император) (Russia (CIS))
July 1st, 2025 (Limited), released as Der letzte Kaiser (Germany)
... Show all releases
Video Release: January 6th, 2009 by Criterion
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 219 minutes
Comparisons: Best Picture Oscar Winners
vs. Rain Man
Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Oscars Best Picture Winner, Biographical Drama, Set in China, 1900s, 1950s, Non-Chronological, Communism, Political Prisoner, 1988 Oscars Best Picture Nominee
Source:Based on Fiction Book/Short Story
Genre:Drama
Production Method:Live Action
Creative Type:Dramatization
Production/Financing Companies: Columbia Pictures, Hemdale Film Corporation, Jeremy Thomas Productions
Production Countries: United Kingdom, Italy, France, China

Ranking on other Records and Milestones

RecordRankAmountChart
Date		Days In
Release
Biggest Domestic 27th Weekend 19 $930,729 May 20, 1988 185
Biggest Domestic 26th Weekend 18 $1,055,977 May 13, 1988 178
Biggest Domestic 25th Weekend 18 $1,256,177 May 6, 1988 171
Biggest Domestic 24th Weekend 15 $1,780,196 Apr 29, 1988 164
Biggest Domestic 23rd Weekend 9 $2,597,418 Apr 22, 1988 157
Biggest Domestic 22nd Weekend 3 $3,398,662 Apr 15, 1988 150
Biggest Domestic 21st Weekend 60 $837,400 Apr 8, 1988 143
Biggest Domestic 19th Weekend 79 $842,611 Mar 25, 1988 129
Biggest Domestic 18th Weekend 97 $876,913 Mar 18, 1988 122
Biggest Domestic 17th Weekend 94 $1,106,588 Mar 11, 1988 115
Theater Average 10th Weekend 72 $6,285 Jan 22, 1988 66
Theater Average 7th Weekend 21 $11,959 Jan 1, 1988 45
Theater Average 6th Weekend 55 $10,859 Dec 25, 1987 38
Theater Average 4th Weekend 91 $13,871 Dec 11, 1987 24

Uncategorized

John Lone   
Joan Chen   
Peter O'Toole   
Victor Wong   
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa   

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

Production and Technical Credits

Bernardo Bertolucci    Director

Compare this performance with other movies…

Domestic Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Domestic Box Office (Rank 2,101-2,200) 2,180 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Inflation Adjusted Box Office (Rank 1,401-1,500) 1,468 $122,341,695
All Time Domestic Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 1,601-1,700) 1,675 $43,984,987
Top-grossing movies at the domestic box office first released in 1987 24 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Box Office for Based on Fiction Book/Short Story Movies (Rank 401-500) 490 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 1,801-1,900) 1,803 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Box Office for Dramatization Movies (Rank 101-200) 142 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Box Office for Drama Movies (Rank 301-400) 337 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 801-900) 870 $43,984,987
All Time Domestic Box Office for Sony Pictures Movies (Rank 201-300) 282 $43,984,987
Leggiest Movies 52 12.94

Weekend Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Dec 11, 1987 13 $402,257   29 $13,871   $1,327,583 4
Dec 25, 1987 14 $999,042   92 $10,859   $3,676,398 6
Jan 1, 1988 15 $1,124,142 +13% 94 $11,959   $5,565,638 7
Jan 22, 1988 17 $678,798   108 $6,285   $8,778,734 10
Mar 11, 1988 11 $1,106,588   479 $2,310   $20,966,245 17
Mar 18, 1988 11 $876,913 -21% 371 $2,364   $22,146,384 18
Mar 25, 1988 12 $842,611 -4% 428 $1,969   $23,349,260 19
Apr 1, 1988 13 $560,501 -33% 386 $1,452   $24,058,739 20
Apr 8, 1988 12 $837,400 +49% 460 $1,820   $25,169,033 21
Apr 15, 1988 4 $3,398,662 +306% 877 $3,875   $29,320,303 22
Apr 22, 1988 6 $2,597,418 -24% 877 $2,962   $33,097,200 23
Apr 29, 1988 9 $1,780,196 -31% 851 $2,092   $35,635,164 24
May 6, 1988 8 $1,256,177 -29% 817 $1,538   $37,419,329 25
May 13, 1988 9 $1,055,977 -16% 763 $1,384   $38,914,923 26
May 20, 1988 10 $930,729 -12% 792 $1,175   $40,295,591 27

Daily Box Office Performance

Weekly Box Office Performance

DateRankGross% ChangeTheatersPer TheaterTotal GrossWeek
Dec 25, 1987 13 $1,764,140   92 $19,175   $4,441,496 6
Feb 5, 1988 6 $2,339,210   371 $6,305   $12,310,368 12
Feb 12, 1988 9 $1,987,584 -15% 372 $5,343   $14,297,952 13
Feb 19, 1988 8 $2,211,421 +11% 375 $5,897   $16,509,373 14
Feb 26, 1988 8 $1,606,492 -27% 377 $4,261   $18,115,865 15
Mar 4, 1988 9 $1,743,792 +9% 494 $3,530   $19,859,657 16
Mar 11, 1988 9 $1,409,814 -19% 479 $2,943   $21,269,471 17
Mar 18, 1988 8 $1,237,178 -12% 371 $3,335   $22,506,649 18
Mar 25, 1988 10 $991,589 -20% 428 $2,317   $23,498,238 19
Apr 1, 1988 11 $833,395 -16% 386 $2,159   $24,331,633 20
Apr 8, 1988 8 $1,590,008 +91% 460 $3,457   $25,921,641 21
Apr 15, 1988 3 $4,578,141 +188% 877 $5,220   $30,499,782 22
Apr 22, 1988 6 $3,355,186 -27% 877 $3,826   $33,854,968 23
Apr 29, 1988 7 $2,308,184 -31% 851 $2,712   $36,163,152 24
May 6, 1988 7 $1,695,794 -27% 817 $2,076   $37,858,946 25
May 13, 1988 9 $1,505,916 -11% 763 $1,974   $39,364,862 26

Box Office Summary Per Territory

Territory Release
Date		 Opening
Weekend		 Opening
Weekend
Screens		 Maximum
Screens		 Theatrical
Engagements		 Total
Box Office		 Report
Date
Germany 7/1/2025 $0000$0
Greece 3/7/2024 $0000$0
Portugal 12/19/1987 $0 0 1 1 $362 10/19/2022
Russia (CIS) 5/15/2025 $0000$0
South Korea 12/23/1988 $0 0 1 1 $20,086 8/10/2018
 
International Total$20,448 10/19/2022

International Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time International Box Office (Rank 25,501-25,600) 25,547 $20,448
All Time International Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 24,001-24,100) 24,007 $20,448
All Time International Box Office for Based on Fiction Book/Short Story Movies (Rank 2,401-2,500) 2,468 $20,448
All Time International Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 21,901-22,000) 21,970 $20,448
All Time International Box Office for Dramatization Movies (Rank 1,501-1,600) 1,507 $20,448
All Time International Box Office for Drama Movies (Rank 7,501-7,600) 7,519 $20,448
All Time International Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 2,301-2,400) 2,316 $20,448
All Time International Box Office for Sony Pictures Movies (Rank 501-600) 588 $20,448

Worldwide Cumulative Box Office Records

RecordRankRevenue
All Time Worldwide Box Office (Rank 3,501-3,600) 3,526 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Non-Sequel Box Office (Rank 2,801-2,900) 2,824 $44,005,435
Top 1987 Movies at the Worldwide Box Office 25 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Based on Fiction Book/Short Story Movies (Rank 701-800) 724 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Live Action Movies (Rank 2,901-3,000) 2,991 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Dramatization Movies (Rank 201-300) 254 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Drama Movies (Rank 601-700) 668 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Box Office for PG-13 Movies (Rank 1,201-1,300) 1,204 $44,005,435
All Time Worldwide Box Office for Sony Pictures Movies (Rank 401-500) 409 $44,005,435