How a $14 million sequel outpaced Rambo III at the box office

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Critics may have loathed it, but the numbers tell a different story. Despite scathing reviews, Crocodile Dundee II arrived with massive momentum, breaking release records across the globe and proving that even a 'disappointing' follow-up can become a commercial powerhouse.

Released in May 1988, Crocodile Dundee II followed the massive success of its 1986 predecessor. While the film faced a critical onslaught—earning a 12% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 'two thumbs down' from Roger Ebert—its commercial performance was undeniable. In its first six days in the United States, the film earned US$29.2 million, actually surpassing the opening of Rambo III, which brought in $21.2 million during the same period.

The film's financial reach was truly global. In the United Kingdom, it achieved the largest opening ever for the country at that time, with a weekly gross of £2,797,164. In Australia, it became the second highest-grossing Australian film in the country, earning an original A$2,005,536 during its opening weekend and a total gross of A$24,916,805. To put that in perspective, that Australian total is equivalent to approximately $59,890,392 in 2022 dollars.

The plot shifted the setting from the Australian outback to New York City, where Mick Dundee and Sue Charlton faced a Colombian drug cartel led by Luis Rico. Despite critics like Janet Maslin of The New York Times noting that the 'novelty has begun to wear thin,' the film maintained a strong connection to its audience, earning a 'B+' CinemaScore—the same grade as the original. The sequel eventually concluded with a return to the Australian outback, where the characters finally found peace.

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