| Rank
| Release
| Genre
| Budget
| Running Time
| Gross | Max Theaters | Total Gross | % of Total | Release Date | Distributor
|
|---|
| 1 | Independence Day | - | - | - | $256,756,659 | 2,977 | $306,169,268 | 83.9% | Jul 3, 1996 | Twentieth Century Fox |
| 2 | The Nutty Professor | - | - | - | $95,782,984 | 2,239 | $128,814,019 | 74.4% | Jun 28, 1996 | Universal Pictures |
| 3 | Phenomenon | - | - | - | $83,263,555 | 2,139 | $104,636,382 | 79.6% | Jul 5, 1996 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 4 | A Time to Kill | - | - | - | $55,308,181 | 2,313 | $108,766,007 | 50.9% | Jul 24, 1996 | Warner Bros. |
| 5 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | - | - | - | $48,662,051 | 2,835 | $100,138,851 | 48.6% | Jun 21, 1996 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 6 | Courage Under Fire | - | - | - | $46,981,841 | 2,001 | $59,031,057 | 79.6% | Jul 12, 1996 | Twentieth Century Fox |
| 7 | Eraser | - | - | - | $45,852,238 | 2,556 | $101,295,562 | 45.3% | Jun 21, 1996 | Warner Bros. |
| 8 | The Rock | - | - | - | $28,888,823 | 2,426 | $134,069,511 | 21.5% | Jun 7, 1996 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 9 | Harriet the Spy | - | - | - | $26,570,048 | 1,876 | $26,570,048 | 100% | Jul 12, 1996 | Paramount Pictures |
| 10 | Striptease | - | - | - | $25,568,274 | 1,979 | $33,109,743 | 77.2% | Jun 28, 1996 | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| 11 | Multiplicity | - | - | - | $21,075,014 | 2,134 | $21,075,014 | 100% | Jul 19, 1996 | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| 12 | Kazaam | - | - | - | $18,937,262 | 2,019 | $18,937,262 | 100% | Jul 19, 1996 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 13 | Kingpin | - | - | - | $18,418,786 | 1,975 | $25,023,434 | 73.6% | Jul 26, 1996 | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) |
| 14 | Matilda | - | - | - | $17,488,584 | 2,006 | $33,459,416 | 52.3% | Aug 2, 1996 | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| 15 | Fled | - | - | - | $17,193,231 | 2,104 | $17,193,231 | 100% | Jul 19, 1996 | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) |
| 16 | The Frighteners | - | - | - | $16,759,216 | 1,675 | $16,759,216 | 100% | Jul 19, 1996 | Universal Pictures |
| 17 | Twister | - | - | - | $15,145,333 | 2,808 | $241,721,524 | 6.3% | May 10, 1996 | Warner Bros. |
| 18 | The Adventures of Pinocchio | - | - | - | $15,094,530 | 1,879 | $15,094,530 | 100% | Jul 26, 1996 | New Line Cinema |
| 19 | Chain Reaction | - | - | - | $13,618,211 | 2,256 | $21,226,204 | 64.2% | Aug 2, 1996 | Twentieth Century Fox |
| 20 | Supercop | - | - | - | $11,528,886 | 1,469 | $16,270,600 | 70.9% | Jul 26, 1996 | Miramax |
| 21 | Lone Star | - | - | - | $11,320,805 | 143 | $12,408,986 | 91.2% | Jun 21, 1996 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 22 | Mission: Impossible | - | - | - | $10,651,310 | 3,012 | $180,981,856 | 5.9% | May 22, 1996 | Paramount Pictures |
| 23 | The Cable Guy | - | - | - | $8,552,204 | 2,657 | $60,240,295 | 14.2% | Jun 14, 1996 | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| 24 | DragonHeart | - | - | - | $8,086,988 | 2,193 | $51,367,375 | 15.7% | May 31, 1996 | Universal Pictures |
| 25 | Jack | - | - | - | $7,835,997 | 2,232 | $58,620,973 | 13.4% | Aug 9, 1996 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 26 | Escape from L.A. | - | - | - | $5,510,745 | 2,312 | $25,477,365 | 21.6% | Aug 9, 1996 | Paramount Pictures |
| 27 | Trainspotting | - | - | - | $5,217,062 | 357 | $16,491,080 | 31.6% | Jul 19, 1996 | Miramax |
| 28 | Joe's Apartment | - | - | - | $4,619,014 | 1,512 | $4,619,014 | 100% | Jul 26, 1996 | Warner Bros. |
| 29 | Eddie | - | - | - | $2,588,404 | 2,000 | $31,387,164 | 8.2% | May 31, 1996 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 30 | The Phantom | - | - | - | $2,064,303 | 2,163 | $17,323,326 | 11.9% | Jun 7, 1996 | Paramount Pictures |
| 31 | Emma | - | - | - | $1,428,300 | 848 | $22,231,658 | 6.4% | Aug 2, 1996 | Miramax |
| 32 | Phat Beach | - | - | - | $1,383,553 | 408 | $1,383,553 | 100% | Aug 2, 1996 | Orion Pictures |
| 33 | Toy Story | - | - | - | $1,079,234 | 2,574 | $191,796,233 | 0.6% | Nov 22, 1995 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 34 | Heavy | - | - | - | $907,321 | 22 | $941,414 | 96.4% | Jun 5, 1996 | Lionsgate |
| 35 | Stonewall | - | - | - | $692,400 | 17 | $692,400 | 100% | Jul 26, 1996 | Strand Releasing |
| 36 | The Visitors | - | - | - | $659,810 | 4 | $659,810 | 100% | Jul 12, 1996 | Miramax |
| 37 | Alaska | - | - | - | $379,824 | 1,566 | $11,829,959 | 3.2% | Aug 14, 1996 | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| 38 | House Arrest | - | - | - | $362,577 | 1,623 | $7,032,782 | 5.2% | Aug 16, 1996 | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) |
| 39 | Cyclo | - | - | - | $283,637 | 6 | $284,692 | 99.6% | Aug 1, 1996 | Lionsgate |
| 40 | A Perfect Candidate | - | - | - | $123,485 | 8 | $134,485 | 91.8% | Jun 19, 1996 | Seventh Art Releasing |
| 41 | Basquiat | - | - | - | $65,760 | 109 | $3,011,195 | 2.2% | Aug 9, 1996 | Miramax |
| 42 | Manny & Lo | - | - | - | $34,117 | 27 | $502,313 | 6.8% | Jul 26, 1996 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 43 | Flirt | - | - | - | $18,083 | 7 | $263,192 | 6.9% | Aug 7, 1996 | Lionsgate |
| 44 | Girlfriends | - | - | - | $18,000 | 1 | $18,000 | 100% | Jul 19, 1996 | First Run |
| 45 | Small Faces | - | - | - | $2,049 | 12 | $155,239 | 1.3% | Aug 14, 1996 | October Films |
