The War of the Roses (1989)
| Theatrical Performance | ||
| Domestic Box Office | $83,699,711 | Details |
| International Box Office | $73,300,000 | Details |
| Worldwide Box Office | $156,999,711 | |
| OpusData ID: 5390100 More info... | ||
| Further financial details... | ||
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $9,688,794 (11.6% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 7.98 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 53.3% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Theater counts: | 1,259 opening theaters/1,559 max. theaters, 9.9 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $231,090,817 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | December 8th, 1989 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| International Releases: | August 28th, 2025 (Limited), released as The War of the Roses (Война супругов Роуз) (Russia (CIS)) |
| Video Release: | September 18th, 2012 by Fox Home Entertainment |
| MPA Rating: | R |
| Running Time: | 116 minutes |
| Cast, crew, or production detail: | Directing Yourself |
| Plot point: | Divorce Lawyer, Empty Nest, Lawyers, Non-Chronological, Relationships Gone Wrong, Revenge |
| Subgenre: | Black Comedy |
| Source: | Based on Fiction Book/Short Story |
| Genre: | Black Comedy |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Regency Enterprises, Gracie Films, Twentieth Century Fox |
| Production Countries: | United States |
| Languages: | English |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 8, 1989 | 1 | $9,688,794 | 1,259 | $7,696 | $9,688,794 | 1 | |
| Dec 15, 1989 | 2 | $6,975,488 | -28% | 1,395 | $5,000 | $19,183,952 | 2 |
| Dec 22, 1989 | 3 | $5,518,959 | -21% | 1,455 | $3,793 | $27,464,450 | 3 |
| Dec 29, 1989 | 1 | $10,490,781 | +90% | 1,526 | $6,875 | $43,322,832 | 4 |
| Jan 5, 1990 | 2 | $7,006,812 | -33% | 1,525 | $4,595 | $52,923,028 | 5 |
| Jan 12, 1990 | 2 | $5,693,242 | -19% | 1,559 | $3,652 | $60,458,722 | 6 |
| Jan 19, 1990 | 3 | $4,235,026 | -26% | 1,532 | $2,764 | $66,528,739 | 7 |
| Jan 26, 1990 | 4 | $3,234,491 | -24% | 1,523 | $2,124 | $70,885,170 | 8 |
| Feb 2, 1990 | 7 | $2,600,487 | -20% | 1,432 | $1,816 | $74,486,348 | 9 |
| Feb 9, 1990 | 8 | $1,732,715 | -33% | 1,054 | $1,644 | $76,921,484 | 10 |
| Feb 23, 1990 | 12 | $942,372 | 779 | $1,210 | $80,022,312 | 12 | |
| Mar 23, 1990 | 26 | $310,940 | 384 | $810 | $83,216,475 | 16 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 8, 1989 | 1 | $12,208,464 | 1,259 | $9,697 | $12,208,464 | 1 | |
| Dec 15, 1989 | 2 | $9,737,027 | -20% | 1,395 | $6,980 | $21,945,491 | 2 |
| Dec 22, 1989 | 3 | $10,886,560 | +12% | 1,455 | $7,482 | $32,832,051 | 3 |
| Dec 29, 1989 | 1 | $13,084,165 | +20% | 1,526 | $8,574 | $45,916,216 | 4 |
| Jan 5, 1990 | 2 | $8,849,264 | -32% | 1,525 | $5,803 | $54,765,480 | 5 |
| Jan 12, 1990 | 2 | $7,528,233 | -15% | 1,559 | $4,829 | $62,293,713 | 6 |
| Jan 19, 1990 | 4 | $5,356,966 | -29% | 1,532 | $3,497 | $67,650,679 | 7 |
| Jan 26, 1990 | 5 | $4,235,182 | -21% | 1,523 | $2,781 | $71,885,861 | 8 |
| Feb 2, 1990 | 6 | $3,302,908 | -22% | 1,432 | $2,307 | $75,188,769 | 9 |
Top International Territories
Box Office Summary Per Territory
| Territory | Release Date |
Opening Weekend |
Opening Weekend Screens/Theaters |
Maximum Screens/Theaters |
Theatrical Engagements |
Total Box Office |
Report Date |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia (CIS) | 8/28/2025 | $71,288 | 131 | 131 | 131 | $71,288 | 4/6/2026 | |||
| Rest of World | $73,228,712 | |||||||||
| International Total | $73,300,000 | 4/6/2026 | ||||||||
Note: Territories vary in whether they report screens or theaters. Full details on international box office data are available via our OpusData service.
Leading
| Michael Douglas | Oliver Rose | |
| Kathleen Turner | Barbara Rose | |
| Danny DeVito | Gavin D'Amato |
Supporting
| Sean Astin | Josh at 17 | |
| Heather Fairfield | Carolyn at 17 | |
| Peter Donat | Larrabee | |
| Dan Castellaneta | Man in chair |
Production and Technical Credits
| Danny DeVito | Director | |
| James L. Brooks | Producer | |
| Arnon Milchan | Producer | |
| Warren Adler | Story Creator | |
| Michael Leeson | Screenwriter | |
| Michael Leeson | Co-Producer | |
| Polly Platt | Executive Producer | |
| Doug Claybourne | Executive Producer | |
| Stephen H. Burum | Director of Photography | |
| Ida Random | Production Designer | |
| Lynzee Klingman | Editor | |
| David Newman | Composer |
Cast and crew with above-the-line roles are marked in bold. The line marks the division between above-the-line and below-the-line roles.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $9,688,794 (11.6% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 7.98 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 53.3% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Theater counts: | 1,259 opening theaters/1,559 max. theaters, 9.9 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $231,090,817 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | December 8th, 1989 (Wide) by 20th Century Fox |
| International Releases: | August 28th, 2025 (Limited), released as The War of the Roses (Война супругов Роуз) (Russia (CIS)) |
| Video Release: | September 18th, 2012 by Fox Home Entertainment |
| MPA Rating: | R |
| Running Time: | 116 minutes |
| Cast, crew, or production detail: | Directing Yourself |
| Plot point: | Divorce Lawyer, Empty Nest, Lawyers, Non-Chronological, Relationships Gone Wrong, Revenge |
| Subgenre: | Black Comedy |
| Source: | Based on Fiction Book/Short Story |
| Genre: | Black Comedy |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Regency Enterprises, Gracie Films, Twentieth Century Fox |
| Production Countries: | United States |
| Languages: | English |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 8, 1989 | 1 | $9,688,794 | 1,259 | $7,696 | $9,688,794 | 1 | |
| Dec 15, 1989 | 2 | $6,975,488 | -28% | 1,395 | $5,000 | $19,183,952 | 2 |
| Dec 22, 1989 | 3 | $5,518,959 | -21% | 1,455 | $3,793 | $27,464,450 | 3 |
| Dec 29, 1989 | 1 | $10,490,781 | +90% | 1,526 | $6,875 | $43,322,832 | 4 |
| Jan 5, 1990 | 2 | $7,006,812 | -33% | 1,525 | $4,595 | $52,923,028 | 5 |
| Jan 12, 1990 | 2 | $5,693,242 | -19% | 1,559 | $3,652 | $60,458,722 | 6 |
| Jan 19, 1990 | 3 | $4,235,026 | -26% | 1,532 | $2,764 | $66,528,739 | 7 |
| Jan 26, 1990 | 4 | $3,234,491 | -24% | 1,523 | $2,124 | $70,885,170 | 8 |
| Feb 2, 1990 | 7 | $2,600,487 | -20% | 1,432 | $1,816 | $74,486,348 | 9 |
| Feb 9, 1990 | 8 | $1,732,715 | -33% | 1,054 | $1,644 | $76,921,484 | 10 |
| Feb 23, 1990 | 12 | $942,372 | 779 | $1,210 | $80,022,312 | 12 | |
| Mar 23, 1990 | 26 | $310,940 | 384 | $810 | $83,216,475 | 16 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 8, 1989 | 1 | $12,208,464 | 1,259 | $9,697 | $12,208,464 | 1 | |
| Dec 15, 1989 | 2 | $9,737,027 | -20% | 1,395 | $6,980 | $21,945,491 | 2 |
| Dec 22, 1989 | 3 | $10,886,560 | +12% | 1,455 | $7,482 | $32,832,051 | 3 |
| Dec 29, 1989 | 1 | $13,084,165 | +20% | 1,526 | $8,574 | $45,916,216 | 4 |
| Jan 5, 1990 | 2 | $8,849,264 | -32% | 1,525 | $5,803 | $54,765,480 | 5 |
| Jan 12, 1990 | 2 | $7,528,233 | -15% | 1,559 | $4,829 | $62,293,713 | 6 |
| Jan 19, 1990 | 4 | $5,356,966 | -29% | 1,532 | $3,497 | $67,650,679 | 7 |
| Jan 26, 1990 | 5 | $4,235,182 | -21% | 1,523 | $2,781 | $71,885,861 | 8 |
| Feb 2, 1990 | 6 | $3,302,908 | -22% | 1,432 | $2,307 | $75,188,769 | 9 |
Top International Territories
Box Office Summary Per Territory
| Territory | Release Date |
Opening Weekend |
Opening Weekend Screens/Theaters |
Maximum Screens/Theaters |
Theatrical Engagements |
Total Box Office |
Report Date |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia (CIS) | 8/28/2025 | $71,288 | 131 | 131 | 131 | $71,288 | 4/6/2026 | |||
| Rest of World | $73,228,712 | |||||||||
| International Total | $73,300,000 | 4/6/2026 | ||||||||
Note: Territories vary in whether they report screens or theaters. Full details on international box office data are available via our OpusData service.
Leading
| Michael Douglas | Oliver Rose | |
| Kathleen Turner | Barbara Rose | |
| Danny DeVito | Gavin D'Amato |
Supporting
| Sean Astin | Josh at 17 | |
| Heather Fairfield | Carolyn at 17 | |
| Peter Donat | Larrabee | |
| Dan Castellaneta | Man in chair |
Production and Technical Credits
| Danny DeVito | Director | |
| James L. Brooks | Producer | |
| Arnon Milchan | Producer | |
| Warren Adler | Story Creator | |
| Michael Leeson | Screenwriter | |
| Michael Leeson | Co-Producer | |
| Polly Platt | Executive Producer | |
| Doug Claybourne | Executive Producer | |
| Stephen H. Burum | Director of Photography | |
| Ida Random | Production Designer | |
| Lynzee Klingman | Editor | |
| David Newman | Composer |
Cast and crew with above-the-line roles are marked in bold. The line marks the division between above-the-line and below-the-line roles.