#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 21
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 21 of 81
All 4,018 Documentary Movies, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1,001 to 1,050 of 4,018. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada.
- 1001
Oct 1, 2009 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $300.9K - 1002
Mar 21, 2008 US and Canada: $273.9K Rest of the world: $26.6K Worldwide: $300.4K - 1003
David Attenborough’s Natural History Museum Alive (2014)2014 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $298.1K
2014 · English · Documentary $298.1K worldwide - 1004
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $42.2K Rest of the world: $255.3K Worldwide: $297.5K - 1005
2011 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $297.2K - 1006
Jun 20, 2003 US and Canada: $296.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $296.2K - 1007
Jan 11, 2022 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $296K - 1008
May 22, 2026 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $294.9K - 1009
Nov 30, 2011 US and Canada: $39.5K Rest of the world: $255.1K Worldwide: $294.6K - 1010
Jan 18, 2008 US and Canada: $274.7K Rest of the world: $19.6K Worldwide: $294.3K - 1011
Sep 12, 2013 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $293.6K - 1012
Jun 25, 2024 US and Canada: $283.4K Rest of the world: $9.6K Worldwide: $293K - 1013
Jan 28, 2009 US and Canada: $49.9K Rest of the world: $243K Worldwide: $292.9K - 1014
Power and Terror: Noam Chomsky in Our Times (2002)Nov 22, 2002 US and Canada: $292.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $292.5K Nov 22, 2002 · English · Documentary $292.5K worldwide - 1015
Aug 3, 2012 US and Canada: $8.4K Rest of the world: $283.5K Worldwide: $291.9K - 1016
Sep 28, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $291.6K - 1017
Oct 29, 2010 US and Canada: $187.7K Rest of the world: $103.6K Worldwide: $291.3K - 1018
Aug 24, 2007 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $290.2K - 1019
Feb 15, 2002 US and Canada: $289.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $289.9K - 1020
May 8, 2019 US and Canada: $68K Rest of the world: $221.5K Worldwide: $289.5K - 1021
Oct 18, 2019 US and Canada: $62.6K Rest of the world: $226.1K Worldwide: $288.8K - 1022
Antarctica: A Year on Ice (2014)Nov 28, 2014 US and Canada: $288.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $288.8K Nov 28, 2014 · English · Adventure, Biography, Drama $288.8K worldwide - 1023
Jan 30, 2015 US and Canada: $288.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $288.8K - 1024
May 26, 2017 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $288.6K - 1025
May 26, 2017 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $288.6K - 1026
Jun 9, 2000 US and Canada: $287.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $287.7K - 1027
Jul 23, 2010 US and Canada: $272K Rest of the world: $15.7K Worldwide: $287.7K - 1028
Jul 20, 2018 US and Canada: $237.7K Rest of the world: $50K Worldwide: $287.7K - 1029
Aug 26, 2022 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $287.1K - 1030
Jul 29, 2011 US and Canada: $282.4K Rest of the world: $4K Worldwide: $286.5K - 1031
Jun 25, 2010 US and Canada: $198.6K Rest of the world: $85.6K Worldwide: $284.2K - 1032
May 2, 2007 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $283.6K - 1033
Oct 22, 2021 US and Canada: $231.7K Rest of the world: $50.9K Worldwide: $282.6K - 1034
Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words (2020)Jan 31, 2020 US and Canada: $282.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $282.1K Jan 31, 2020 · English · Documentary $282.1K worldwide - 1035
Jul 17, 2026 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $281.3K - 1036
Jul 26, 2019 US and Canada: $281.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $281.2K - 1037
The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (2020)Dec 12, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $280.4K Dec 12, 2020 · English · Music, Documentary $280.4K worldwide - 1038
Sep 9, 2011 US and Canada: $273.7K Rest of the world: $6.5K Worldwide: $280.3K - 1039
That's Entertainment! III (1994)Jul 1, 1994 US and Canada: $280.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $280.2K Jul 1, 1994 · English · Family, Musical, Documentary $280.2K worldwide - 1040
Jan 31, 2018 US and Canada: $100.8K Rest of the world: $178.6K Worldwide: $279.4K - 1041
May 26, 2004 US and Canada: $165.8K Rest of the world: $113.2K Worldwide: $279K - 1042
Aug 1, 2025 US and Canada: $117.3K Rest of the world: $161.6K Worldwide: $278.9K - 1043
Apr 12, 2005 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $278.7K - 1044
Sep 20, 2013 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $278K - 1045
Oct 14, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $277.8K - 1046
Oct 4, 2013 US and Canada: $243.6K Rest of the world: $34.1K Worldwide: $277.7K - 1047
Sep 14, 2018 US and Canada: $276.2K Rest of the world: $1.1K Worldwide: $277.3K - 1048
Jun 30, 2023 US and Canada: $276.4K Rest of the world: $479 Worldwide: $276.9K - 1049
Jun 10, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $275.8K - 1050
Oct 17, 2008 US and Canada: $275.5K Rest of the world: $279 Worldwide: $275.8K
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)