#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 15
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 15 of 81
All 4,018 Documentary Movies, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 701 to 750 of 4,018. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada.
- 701
Feb 27, 2015 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $549.4K - 702
Oct 21, 2016 US and Canada: $45.3K Rest of the world: $502.9K Worldwide: $548.1K - 703
May 22, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $547.7K - 704
Sep 20, 2006 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $547.4K - 705
Sep 5, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $546.7K - 706
Sep 5, 2017 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $546.2K - 707
Feb 26, 2010 US and Canada: $544.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $544.9K - 708
Sep 1, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $544.2K - 709
The Flamenco Guitar of Yerai Cortés (2024)Sep 20, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $543.6K
Sep 20, 2024 · Spanish · Music, Documentary $543.6K worldwide - 710
On Any Sunday: The Next Chapter (2014)Nov 7, 2014 US and Canada: $543K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $543K
Nov 7, 2014 · English · Action, Adventure, Sport $543K worldwide - 711
Feb 3, 2011 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $542.1K - 712
Mar 17, 2006 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $541.8K - 713
Nov 7, 2013 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $540.2K - 714
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band (2020)Feb 21, 2020 US and Canada: $449.6K Rest of the world: $87K Worldwide: $536.5K Feb 21, 2020 · English · Biography, History, Music $536.5K worldwide - 715
Aug 5, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $533.9K - 716
Jan 16, 1997 US and Canada: $533.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $533.8K - 717
Aug 7, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $533.5K - 718
Mar 25, 2011 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $532.9K - 719
Oct 3, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $531.4K - 720
Mar 6, 2014 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $530.9K - 721
Sep 6, 1991 US and Canada: $530.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $530.4K - 722
Nov 23, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $527.8K - 723
Aug 31, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $527.6K - 724
Sep 27, 1994 US and Canada: $527K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $527K - 725
Nov 6, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $525K - 726
Mar 7, 1982 US and Canada: $524.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $524.2K - 727
Nov 6, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $523.6K - 728
Of Time and the City (2009)Jan 21, 2009 US and Canada: $32.7K Rest of the world: $490.7K Worldwide: $523.4K Jan 21, 2009 · English · Biography, History, Documentary $523.4K worldwide - 729
Aug 22, 2008 US and Canada: $520.2K Rest of the world: $2.6K Worldwide: $522.8K - 730
Sep 25, 2002 US and Canada: $516.7K Rest of the world: $4.5K Worldwide: $521.3K - 731
Jan 31, 2013 US and Canada: $422.9K Rest of the world: $98.3K Worldwide: $521.2K - 732
May 24, 2019 US and Canada: $519.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $519.5K - 733
Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988)Oct 25, 1988 US and Canada: $518.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $518.9K Oct 25, 1988 · English · Documentary, Music $518.9K worldwide - 734
May 3, 2013 US and Canada: $518.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $518.3K - 735
May 13, 2011 US and Canada: $312.5K Rest of the world: $204.5K Worldwide: $517K - 736
Jul 29, 2015 US and Canada: $425.8K Rest of the world: $90.5K Worldwide: $516.3K - 737
Apr 15, 2016 US and Canada: $100.1K Rest of the world: $411.6K Worldwide: $511.7K - 738
Mar 12, 2009 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $511.1K - 739
Nov 4, 2022 US and Canada: $307K Rest of the world: $202K Worldwide: $509K - 740
May 31, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $508.8K - 741
Jun 1, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $508.1K - 742
Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. (1999)Dec 29, 1999 US and Canada: $507.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $507.9K Dec 29, 1999 · English · Biography, Documentary $507.9K worldwide - 743
Shackleton: The Greatest Story of Survival (2023)Mar 9, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $507.2K Mar 9, 2023 · English · Documentary $507.2K worldwide - 744
Oct 29, 2008 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $507.2K - 745
Jun 2, 2017 US and Canada: $359.7K Rest of the world: $143.2K Worldwide: $502.9K - 746
Feb 27, 2015 US and Canada: $502.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $502.3K - 747
Jul 1, 2022 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $502.1K - 748
Oct 19, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $500.6K - 749
Mar 26, 2010 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $499.5K - 750
Jan 14, 2005 US and Canada: $381.2K Rest of the world: $116.9K Worldwide: $498.1K
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)