#1 of 4,018 Highest-grossing documentary movie ever
2009 · Music, Documentary
$268M worldwide
$72.1M US & Canada · 27% $195.9M elsewhere · 73%
Documentary box office · All time
Highest-Grossing Documentary Movies of All Time, Page 10
This Is It (2009) is the highest-grossing documentary movie in our database, with $268M worldwide, ahead of Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) at $222.4M and Jackass 3-D (2010) at $178.1M. 4,018 documentary films in our database report a worldwide gross, $5.8B in all, 52% of it from the US & Canada. 7 films crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion. By language, English leads with $4.7B across 2,792 documentary releases.
- films with a reported gross
- 4,018
- combined worldwide
- $5.8B
- films crossed $100M
- 7
- earned in the US & Canada
- 52%
#1 of 4,018 Page 10 of 81
All 4,018 Documentary Movies, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 451 to 500 of 4,018. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada.
- 451
Nov 5, 1999 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: $450 Worldwide: $1.2M - 452
Apr 1, 2016 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.2M - 453
Oct 2, 2015 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.2M - 454
Aug 4, 2017 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: $6.5K Worldwide: $1.2M - 455
Nov 24, 2004 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: $31K Worldwide: $1.2M - 456
Jul 3, 2015 US and Canada: $704.4K Rest of the world: $441.6K Worldwide: $1.1M - 457
Jul 10, 2009 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.1M - 458
Sep 9, 2016 US and Canada: $71.9K Rest of the world: $1.1M Worldwide: $1.1M - 459
Jul 25, 2008 US and Canada: $942.4K Rest of the world: $187.8K Worldwide: $1.1M - 460
Jan 8, 2009 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 461
Sep 11, 2009 US and Canada: $567.5K Rest of the world: $557.3K Worldwide: $1.1M - 462
Nov 14, 2014 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 463
Jul 17, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 464
Jul 21, 2022 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 465
Nov 9, 2012 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.1M - 466
Apr 22, 2004 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.1M - 467
Sep 12, 1982 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.1M - 468
Dec 6, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 469
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (2017)Nov 24, 2017 US and Canada: $820.3K Rest of the world: $272.6K Worldwide: $1.1M
Nov 24, 2017 · English · Biography, History, War $1.1M worldwide - 470
Oct 12, 2007 US and Canada: $47.7K Rest of the world: $1M Worldwide: $1.1M - 471
Oct 25, 2019 US and Canada: $973K Rest of the world: $109.6K Worldwide: $1.1M - 472
Jul 7, 2021 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 473
Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times (2011)Jun 17, 2011 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: $11K Worldwide: $1.1M Jun 17, 2011 · English · Documentary $1.1M worldwide - 474
May 24, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 475
Apr 15, 2016 US and Canada: $527.5K Rest of the world: $545.5K Worldwide: $1.1M - 476
Sep 23, 2021 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 477
Jan 8, 2010 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 478
Oct 8, 2021 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.1M - 479
Jun 1, 1985 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1M - 480
Nov 30, 2012 US and Canada: $151.1K Rest of the world: $891.5K Worldwide: $1M - 481
Jul 12, 2002 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1M - 482
May 17, 2025 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1M - 483
Jul 21, 2000 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1M - 484
Apr 25, 2008 US and Canada: $784K Rest of the world: $245.2K Worldwide: $1M - 485
Sep 19, 2025 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1M - 486
Oct 1, 2021 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1M - 487
Sep 22, 2006 US and Canada: $902.5K Rest of the world: $111.1K Worldwide: $1M - 488
Apr 1, 2016 US and Canada: $307K Rest of the world: $701.1K Worldwide: $1M - 489
The Meaning and Mystery of Life (2023)Nov 23, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1M
Nov 23, 2023 · Czech · Fantasy, Documentary, Drama $1M worldwide - 490
Oct 12, 2001 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1M - 491
All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live! (2001)Apr 6, 2001 US and Canada: $992.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $992.7K Apr 6, 2001 · English · Music, Documentary $992.7K worldwide - 492
May 27, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $992.1K - 493
Mar 1, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $991.2K - 494
Dec 2, 2005 US and Canada: $750.8K Rest of the world: $237.6K Worldwide: $988.4K - 495
Aug 17, 2007 US and Canada: $707.3K Rest of the world: $277.9K Worldwide: $985.2K - 496
Jul 6, 2018 US and Canada: $117.5K Rest of the world: $867.3K Worldwide: $984.8K - 497
Documentary of AKB48 The Time Has Come (2014)Jul 4, 2014 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $984.8K
Jul 4, 2014 · Japanese · Music, Documentary $984.8K worldwide - 498
Feb 22, 2013 US and Canada: $81.1K Rest of the world: $896.6K Worldwide: $977.7K - 499
Jan 26, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $977.6K - 500
Dec 5, 2024 US and Canada: $714.1K Rest of the world: $261.7K Worldwide: $975.8K
Archive
Documentary Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1918 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2013 leads with $696.2M, led by Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013).
2020s 7 years · $644.6M
2010s 10 years · $2.7B
- 2019 $145.4M #1 Apollo 11 (2019)
- 2018 $257.3M #1 Believer (2018)
- 2017 $172.8M #1 Reset (2017)
- 2016 $149.8M #1 A Beautiful Planet (2016)
- 2015 $203.5M #1 Northern Limit Line (2015)
- 2014 $126.7M #1 Bears (2014)
- 2013 $696.2M #1 Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013)
- 2012 $288M #1 Switch (2012)
- 2011 $288.8M #1 Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011)
- 2010 $338.6M #1 Jackass 3-D (2010)
2000s 10 years · $2.1B
- 2009 $401.6M #1 This Is It (2009)
- 2008 $118.2M #1 U2 3D (2008)
- 2007 $137.8M #1 Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure (2007)
- 2006 $286.9M #1 Deep Sea (2006)
- 2005 $284.9M #1 March of the Penguins (2005)
- 2004 $339.9M #1 Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
- 2003 $123.3M #1 Bugs! (2003)
- 2002 $239M #1 Space Station 3D (2002)
- 2001 $39.4M #1 Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001)
- 2000 $81.4M #1 The Original Kings of Comedy (2000)
1990s 10 years · $226.1M
- 1999 $50.2M #1 Buena Vista Social Club (1999)
- 1998 $60.8M #1 Mysteries of Egypt (1998)
- 1997 $22M #1 Thrill Ride: The Science of Fun (1997)
- 1996 $5.9M #1 When We Were Kings (1996)
- 1995 $13.9M #1 Born to Be Wild (1995)
- 1994 $26.8M #1 Hoop Dreams (1994)
- 1993 $733.8K #1 The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993)
- 1992 $7.2M #1 My Crasy Life (1992)
- 1991 $37.7M #1 Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991)
- 1990 $785.7K #1 Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones (1990)
1980s 10 years · $174.2M
- 1989 $9.3M #1 Roger & Me (1989)
- 1988 $15.3M #1 U2: Rattle and Hum (1988)
- 1987 $54.3M #1 Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987)
- 1986 $1.4M #1 Home of the Brave: A Film by Laurie Anderson (1986)
- 1985 $1.8M #1 The Dream Is Alive (1985)
- 1984 $24.1M #1 Stop Making Sense (1984)
- 1983 $16.2M #1 Richard Pryor: Here and Now (1983)
- 1982 $44.4M #1 Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982)
- 1981 $2.1M #1 This Is Elvis (1981)
- 1980 $5.3M #1 Divine Madness (1980)
1970s 9 years · $33.9M
- 1978 $363.8K #1 The Last Waltz (1978)
- 1977 $298.5K #1 ABBA: The Movie (1977)
- 1976 $5M #1 That's Entertainment, Part II (1976)
- 1975 $40.9K #1 Grey Gardens (1975)
- 1974 $27.2M #1 That's Entertainment! (1974)
- 1973 $16.7K #1 Wattstax (1973)
- 1972 $676.7K #1 Elvis on Tour (1972)
- 1971 $31.4K #1 Bushman (1971)
- 1970 $357.4K #1 Woodstock (1970)