#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 3
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 3 of 81
All 4,018 Documentary Movies, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 101 to 150 of 4,018. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada.
- 101
Aug 10, 2012 US and Canada: $7.2M Rest of the world: $5.5M Worldwide: $12.7M - 102
Jun 5, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $12.6M - 103
Sep 11, 2026 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: $10.6M Worldwide: $12.5M - 104
Aug 7, 2019 US and Canada: $4.8M Rest of the world: $7.3M Worldwide: $12.2M - 105
Dave Chappelle's Block Party (2006)Mar 3, 2006 US and Canada: $11.7M Rest of the world: $333.3K Worldwide: $12.1M
Mar 3, 2006 · English · Comedy, Music, Documentary $12.1M worldwide - 106
Oct 27, 2023 US and Canada: $11.5M Rest of the world: $352.5K Worldwide: $11.8M - 107
Oct 14, 1994 US and Canada: $7.8M Rest of the world: $4M Worldwide: $11.8M - 108
Nov 25, 2016 US and Canada: $150.1K Rest of the world: $11.3M Worldwide: $11.4M - 109
Aug 23, 2019 US and Canada: $667.8K Rest of the world: $10.5M Worldwide: $11.1M - 110
2002 US and Canada: $11M Rest of the world: $17.9K Worldwide: $11M - 111
Dec 25, 2013 US and Canada: $6.2M Rest of the world: $4.8M Worldwide: $11M - 112
Jan 27, 2006 US and Canada: $10.4M Rest of the world: $571K Worldwide: $11M - 113
Flying Monsters 3D with David Attenborough (2011)May 6, 2011 US and Canada: $5.7M Rest of the world: $5.1M Worldwide: $10.8M May 6, 2011 · English · Documentary $10.8M worldwide - 114
Sep 18, 2024 US and Canada: $2.6M Rest of the world: $8.2M Worldwide: $10.8M - 115
Apr 22, 1999 US and Canada: $10.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.7M - 116
Once Upon a Time in Norway (2007)Oct 18, 2007 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $10.6M
Oct 18, 2007 · Norwegian · Music, Documentary, Crime $10.6M worldwide - 117
May 7, 2010 US and Canada: $7.3M Rest of the world: $2.9M Worldwide: $10.2M - 118
Aug 12, 2011 US and Canada: $1.6M Rest of the world: $8.6M Worldwide: $10.2M - 119
Apr 27, 1994 US and Canada: $10.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10.2M - 120
Oct 26, 1984 US and Canada: $10M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $10M - 121
Dec 1, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $9.7M - 122
Searching for Sugar Man (2012)Jun 29, 2012 US and Canada: $3.7M Rest of the world: $5.7M Worldwide: $9.4M Jun 29, 2012 · English · Biography, Music, Documentary $9.4M worldwide - 123
The Story of the Weeping Camel (2004)Jun 4, 2004 US and Canada: $1.8M Rest of the world: $7.6M Worldwide: $9.3M
Jun 4, 2004 · Mongolian · Drama, Family, Documentary $9.3M worldwide - 124
Sep 20, 2013 US and Canada: $8M Rest of the world: $1.3M Worldwide: $9.3M - 125
May 13, 2005 US and Canada: $8.1M Rest of the world: $986.4K Worldwide: $9.1M - 126
Oct 18, 2013 US and Canada: $3.3M Rest of the world: $5.8M Worldwide: $9.1M - 127
Aug 7, 1999 US and Canada: $9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $9M - 128
Sep 10, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $9M - 129
Mar 25, 2014 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.8M - 130
2009 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.7M - 131
May 18, 2018 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: $6.6M Worldwide: $8.6M - 132
Nov 3, 1988 US and Canada: $8.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.6M - 133
Jun 25, 2021 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.6M - 134
Dec 9, 2016 US and Canada: $7.1M Rest of the world: $1.2M Worldwide: $8.3M - 135
Dec 15, 2017 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8.3M - 136
Apr 29, 2011 US and Canada: $5.3M Rest of the world: $2.9M Worldwide: $8.2M - 137
Jun 7, 2019 US and Canada: $4.6M Rest of the world: $3.5M Worldwide: $8.1M - 138
Jan 6, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $8M - 139
Oct 8, 2010 US and Canada: $4.3M Rest of the world: $3.6M Worldwide: $7.9M - 140
Mar 2, 2005 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $7.9M - 141
Apr 6, 2018 US and Canada: $7.6M Rest of the world: $248K Worldwide: $7.8M - 142
Nov 14, 2003 US and Canada: $7.7M Rest of the world: $89.6K Worldwide: $7.8M - 143
Nov 23, 2018 US and Canada: $4.5M Rest of the world: $3.3M Worldwide: $7.8M - 144
Apr 18, 2008 US and Canada: $7.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.7M - 145
Dec 20, 1989 US and Canada: $6.7M Rest of the world: $1M Worldwide: $7.7M - 146
Apr 17, 2019 US and Canada: $7.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $7.7M - 147
Feb 24, 2017 US and Canada: $12.5K Rest of the world: $7.5M Worldwide: $7.6M - 148
Nov 24, 2020 US and Canada: $280.9K Rest of the world: $7.2M Worldwide: $7.5M - 149
Apr 30, 2003 US and Canada: $5.7M Rest of the world: $1.7M Worldwide: $7.5M - 150
Apr 9, 2008 US and Canada: $4M Rest of the world: $3.1M Worldwide: $7.1M
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)