Ah, the month of September. Leaves begin to change colors, kids go back to school, and the summer blockbuster season comes to an end. Certain months throughout the year are notoriously known as “dumping ground” months when movies are released that studios have less confidence in. January and February are known great examples of this, and so is the month of focus in this piece, September. When you begin to look at the films released in September and which ones had the most financial success, some do stand out as particularly impressive films. These are the 10 all-time highest-grossing films released in September.
10Sweet Home Alabama (2002) - $127 Million
When you think of classic romantic comedies from the early 2000s,Sweet Home Alabamastands out among the crop. Starring an ultra-charming Reese Witherspoon, the movie itself would unfortunately not endear itself to critics, with most citing the overused tropes within the movie. Despite the rather negative reviews, the movie would enjoy tremendous box office success, with an opening weekend of $35 million en route to a domestic box office total of $127 million.
9American Beauty (1999) - $130 Million
Every once in a while, an Oscar-worthy film will drop in the month of September. In the case ofAmerican Beauty, the Sam Mendes-directed drama witha troubled legacyroared into theaters to rave reviews from critics, as praise was heaped on the performances given by Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening, as well as the tremendous direction of Mendes. The film would go on to make over $130 million at the box office, and win five out of the eight Academy Awards it was nominated for,including best picture.
8Rush Hour (1998) - $141 Million
Rush Houris one of thefunniest buddy-cop moviesof all time, and moviegoers in 1998 let their money do the talking to prove that point. This Brett Ratner-directed comedy brought together comedian Chris Tucker and martial arts master Jackie Chan as they reluctantly teamed up to rescue the missing daughter of a Chinese diplomat. The movie would hold the record for highest grossing September weekend release for three years before I was knocked off by fellow list-mateSweet Home Alabamain 2002.
7Hotel Transylvania (2012) - $148 Million
WhileHotel Transylvaniawas criticized, albeit unfairly, for being too kid-like for a kids' movie… audiences nevertheless flocked to theaters to see the Adam Sandler-led animated feature. Bringing in over $40 million on its opening weekend, the film would go on to eclipse $148 million domestically during its run. Its financial success would spawn three sequels, one of which you may see further down the list.
6Fatal Attraction (1987) - $156 Million
To make a transition fromHotel TransylvaniatoFatal Attractionis not an easy one to make, but here we are. The iconic psychological thriller starring Michael Douglas and Glenn Close would make over $150 million during its domestic run while racking up six Academy Award nominations. Anall-time steamy thriller,Fatal Attractionremains one of the most successful September releases of all time.
Related:10 Great Movies Based on Short Films
5Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) - $169 Million
AFatal Attractionsandwich between twoHotel Transylvaniapieces of bread. Our next entry is the sequel to the previously discussed monster movie.Hotel Transylvania2sees the return of all the lovable characters from the original film. With an IP history now backing it, this follow-up would do better at the domestic box office as it eclipsed $169 million.
4Crocodile Dundee (1986) - $174 Million
I bet you weren’t expecting to see this movie on the list. That’s right, the 1986 action comedyCrocodile Dundeeis one of the highest-grossing movies released in the month of September. Thisall-time great Australian moviebrought in nearly $175 million at the box office and was even nominated for an Academy Award.
3IT: Chapter Two (2019) - $211 Million
September is a perfect month for the spookiest of movies to be released. As fall begins to set in, and we creep closer to Halloween, moviegoers love to be able to go to the theater for a good scare.IT: Chapter Twoconcludes the epic story of Pennywise the Clown and The Losers Club. While not as outright scary as the first installment, there are still good frights to be had. While horror movies are not typically known for their high box office numbers, this sequel would scare up over $200 million domestically.
2Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) - $224 Million
The post-Avengers: Endgameworld of the MCU has had its fair share of ups and downs, and fans have adjusted to the newly oversaturated world. However, one standout of the new era of heroes is without a doubtShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The movie introduced new and fresh characters and worlds of the MCU to fans, and they responded in kind at the box office. While most Marvel movies are financial successes, to do so in a month like September is quite the feat. The film would make over $224 million during its domestic run.
Related:14 of the Favorite MCU Superhero Sidekicks
1IT (2017) - $327 Million
When it comes to franchises, we typically see higher box office numbers from the sequels within that series of films. However, that is not the case with the big-screen adaptations of Stephen King’s famed novel. The terrifying first entry ofITbrought in a staggering $327 million dollars during its theatrical run, over $100 millionmore than the sequel. Despite this, the original certainly shattered the September box office records that it still holds today.
