#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 34
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 34 of 81
All 4,018 Documentary Movies, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1,651 to 1,700 of 4,018. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada.
- 1651
Goya, Carrière & the Ghost of Buñuel (2022)May 17, 2022 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $102.9K
May 17, 2022 · French · Documentary, History $102.9K worldwide - 1652
Sep 29, 2017 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $102.7K - 1653
Jan 18, 2017 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $102.6K - 1654
Jun 10, 2022 US and Canada: $102.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $102.5K - 1655
Aug 19, 2022 US and Canada: $90.1K Rest of the world: $12.1K Worldwide: $102.3K - 1656
May 18, 2007 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $102.2K - 1657
Nov 4, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $102.1K - 1658
May 15, 2013 US and Canada: $62.7K Rest of the world: $39.4K Worldwide: $102K - 1659
Aug 28, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $102K - 1660
Dec 25, 2020 US and Canada: $57K Rest of the world: $45K Worldwide: $102K - 1661
Oct 12, 2016 US and Canada: $102K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $102K - 1662
Billy Connolly: Big Banana Feet (1977)Aug 24, 1977 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $102K
Aug 24, 1977 · English · Comedy, Music, Documentary $102K worldwide - 1663
Sep 24, 1957 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $101.9K - 1664
Nov 18, 2016 US and Canada: $8.9K Rest of the world: $92.8K Worldwide: $101.7K - 1665
Jul 31, 2015 US and Canada: $101.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $101.5K - 1666
Sep 19, 2003 US and Canada: $101.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $101.4K - 1667
May 7, 2019 US and Canada: $51.9K Rest of the world: $49.5K Worldwide: $101.3K - 1668
May 30, 2014 US and Canada: $101.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $101.3K - 1669
A Mother's Courage: Talking Back to Autism (2010)Sep 24, 2010 US and Canada: $1.9K Rest of the world: $98.8K Worldwide: $100.7K Sep 24, 2010 · English · Documentary $100.7K worldwide - 1670
Jul 17, 2015 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $100.6K - 1671
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008)Jul 11, 2008 US and Canada: $59.2K Rest of the world: $41.3K Worldwide: $100.5K Jul 11, 2008 · English · Crime, Documentary $100.5K worldwide - 1672
Aug 23, 2013 US and Canada: $100.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $100.4K - 1673
One Track Heart: The Story of Krishna Das (2013)May 8, 2013 US and Canada: $100.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $100.4K May 8, 2013 · English · Biography, Music, Documentary $100.4K worldwide - 1674
Jun 18, 2010 US and Canada: $100.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $100.3K - 1675
Jun 3, 2011 US and Canada: $100.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $100.2K - 1676
Oct 13, 2003 US and Canada: $38K Rest of the world: $62.2K Worldwide: $100.2K - 1677
Dec 3, 2010 US and Canada: $100.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $100.2K - 1678
Sep 6, 2021 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $100.1K - 1679
Nov 18, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $100.1K - 1680
May 22, 2022 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $100K - 1681
Aug 24, 2001 US and Canada: $99.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $99.9K - 1682
Jun 20, 2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $99.9K - 1683
Jan 9, 2002 US and Canada: $99.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $99.8K - 1684
Sep 9, 2016 US and Canada: $86K Rest of the world: $13.7K Worldwide: $99.7K - 1685
Sep 13, 2000 US and Canada: $96.6K Rest of the world: $3K Worldwide: $99.7K - 1686
Feb 21, 2010 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $99.5K - 1687
Mar 10, 2018 US and Canada: $99.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $99.5K - 1688
Mar 22, 2024 US and Canada: $99.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $99.4K - 1689
Oct 27, 2006 US and Canada: $66.2K Rest of the world: $32.5K Worldwide: $98.7K - 1690
Jun 19, 2009 US and Canada: $98.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $98.5K - 1691
Dec 16, 2022 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $98.5K - 1692
Jun 11, 2015 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $98.3K - 1693
Sep 6, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $98K - 1694
2010 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $97.6K - 1695
Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2004)Jan 9, 2004 US and Canada: $97.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $97.4K Jan 9, 2004 · English · Crime, Documentary $97.4K worldwide - 1696
Feb 10, 1981 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $97.2K - 1697
May 10, 2021 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $97.1K - 1698
May 9, 1974 US and Canada: $96.6K Rest of the world: $183 Worldwide: $96.8K - 1699
May 22, 2015 US and Canada: $88.1K Rest of the world: $8.6K Worldwide: $96.7K - 1700
Oct 6, 2017 US and Canada: $90.5K Rest of the world: $6K Worldwide: $96.5K
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)