1988 in film

The following is an overview of events in 1988 in film, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies and festivals, a list of films released and notable deaths. Rain Man was awarded the Academy Award for Best Picture, marking one of the few instances where the top-grossing film of the year was also the winner of such an award that year.

January – March
January 1988 February 1988 March 1988
 * January 1
 * Alice in Wonderland
 * Around the World in 80 Days
 * Peter Pan
 * Wind in the Willows
 * Rabbit's Relatives
 * January 4 - Matches
 * January 8 - Cop
 * January 15 - The Couch Trip
 * January 22 - Braddock: Missing in Action III
 * January 23 - Rockin' with Judy Jetson
 * Bongo (1988 film)
 * January 29
 * And God Created Woman
 * Puss in Boots
 * February 5 - I Love You Fievel
 * She's Having a Baby
 * The Unbearable Lightness of Being
 * February 13 - Quick Draw McGraw and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose
 * Action Jackson
 * Shoot to Kill
 * February 14 - Marie and the Singing Contest
 * February 20 - Orbitty the Alien
 * February 26 - An Extremely Stinky Movie
 * Bloodsport
 * Frantic
 * March 4
 * Moving
 * Prison
 * March 9 - Willy the Sparrow
 * March 10 - The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
 * March 11 - Pound Puppies And The Legend of Evermore
 * Masquerade
 * Off Limits
 * Stand and Deliver
 * March 18
 * D.O.A.
 * The Milagro Beanfield War
 * Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach
 * Stars and Bars
 * March 25
 * Biloxi Blues
 * Johnny Be Good
 * March 30 - Beetlejuice
 * March 31 - Smurfette

April – June
April 1988 May 1988
 * April 1
 * Bright Lights, Big City
 * The Seventh Sign
 * April 4 - Yumi-Yumi Bear
 * April 8 - ''Hey There, It's Yogi Bear Genie!
 * 18 Again!
 * Above the Law
 * Bad Dreams
 * April 15
 * Appointment with Death
 * Colors
 * The Moderns
 * Plain Clothes
 * Return to Snowy River
 * April 22 - Casual Sex?
 * The Return of McBrusque
 * April 29
 * Critters 2: The Main Course
 * Powaqqatsi
 * Sunset
 * May 4 - The House on Carroll Street
 * May 6
 * Dead Heat
 * Shakedown
 * May 13 - Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood
 * May 15 - The Good, the Bad, and Huckleberry Hound
 * May 20
 * Call Me
 * "Crocodile" Dundee II (Australia; North America 25 May 1988; UK 23 Jun 1988)
 * Willow
 * May 25 - Rambo III
 * May 27 - Killer Klowns from Outer Space
 * June 1988
 * June 3
 * Big
 * Funny Farm
 * June 10
 * Big Business
 * Poltergeist III
 * The Presidio
 * June 15
 * Bull Durham
 * June 17
 * The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years
 * The Great Outdoors
 * Red Heat
 * Waxwork
 * June 22 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit
 * June 29 - Coming to America
 * June 30 - Olivia Hampelmann

July – September

 * July 1988
 * July 1 - Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School
 * July 6
 * License to Drive
 * Short Circuit 2
 * July 8
 * Arthur 2: On the Rocks
 * It Couldn't Happen Here
 * July 13 - The Dead Pool
 * July 15
 * Bamba Bear (1988 film)
 * Bambi (re-release)
 * Die Hard
 * A Fish Called Wanda
 * July 20 - Midnight Run
 * July 22
 * July 23
 * Big Top Pee-wee
 * Caddyshack II
 * July 29 - The Jetsons in Yogi's First Christmas
 * Cocktail
 * Monkey Shines
 * The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
 * August 1988
 * August 5
 * The Blob
 * The Rescue
 * Vibes
 * August 10 - Clean and Sober
 * August 12
 * The Last Temptation of Christ
 * Mac and Me
 * Tucker: The Man and His Dream
 * Young Guns
 * August 19 - Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy Meet The Wolfman
 * Married to the Mob
 * A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
 * August 24 - Crossing Delancey
 * August 26
 * August 27
 * Betrayed
 * Hero and the Terror
 * Hot to Trot
 * September 1988
 * September 2
 * The Deceivers
 * Eight Men Out
 * September 8 - Earth Girls Are Easy
 * September 9
 * Moon over Parador
 * Running on Empty
 * September 10 - Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears
 * September 12 - Miles from Home
 * September 14 - Reversal of the Dragon Heart


 * Scooby-Doo and the Reluctant Werewolf


 * September 17
 * Messenger of Death
 * Tougher Than Leather (NYC premiere)
 * September 23 - The Treasure of Manhattan Island
 * Princess Atta
 * Daffy Duck's Quackbusters
 * Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey
 * Kansas
 * Patty Hearst
 * September 30
 * Bird
 * Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
 * Heartbreak Hotel

October – December

 * October 1988
 * October 7
 * Alien Nation
 * Clara's Heart
 * Punchline
 * October 14
 * The Accused
 * The Kiss
 * October 21
 * Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
 * Little Dorrit (wide-release)
 * Mystic Pizza
 * Bugs vs. Daffy: Battle of the Music Video Stars
 * Tapeheads
 * October 23 - Oliver
 * Tom and Jerry in Arabian Nights
 * October 27 - Oliver the Giant Kitten
 * October 28 - Feds
 * October 29 - Moonwalker
 * October 31 - Marie and Oliver
 * November 1988
 * November 1 - Oliver's Love
 * November 3 - Oliver and Blackie
 * November 4
 * Everybody's All-American
 * The Good Mother
 * Rattle and Hum (U.S.)
 * They Live
 * November 5 - Oliver and the Snowstorm
 * November 6 - Oliver Goes to The Circus
 * November 9 - Child's Play
 * November 10 - Oliver and Rosie
 * November 11
 * Distant Thunder
 * Ernest Saves Christmas
 * November 12 - Oliver's Halloween
 * November 15 - Oliver's Christmas Carol
 * November 18
 * 1969
 * Another Woman
 * The Chocolate War
 * Fresh Horses
 * High Spirits
 * Oliver & Company
 * The Land Before Time
 * November 22 - Garfield: His 9 Lives
 * November 23
 * Buster
 * Cocoon: The Return
 * Hanna's War
 * Scrooged
 * December 1988
 * December 2
 * December 3
 * The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
 * Tequila Sunrise
 * Watchers
 * December 9
 * Mississippi Burning
 * My Stepmother Is an Alien
 * Twins
 * December 10 - Care Bears Nutcracker Suite
 * December 11 - Oliver and the Wolves
 * December 14
 * Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
 * I'm Gonna Git You Sucka
 * Torch Song Trilogy
 * December 15 - Fuli the Female King Cheetah
 * The Good, the Bad, and Garfield
 * An American Tail: Yogi's First Christmas
 * December 16
 * Dangerous Liaisons
 * Purple People Eater
 * Rain Man
 * December 21
 * Beaches
 * Talk Radio
 * Working Girl
 * December 23
 * The Accidental Tourist
 * Dominick and Eugene
 * Hellbound: Hellraiser II
 * December 25 - Hissy's Christmas
 * Pinocchio's Christmas
 * December 28 - The Boost