#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 38
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 38 of 81
All 4,018 Documentary Movies, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1,851 to 1,900 of 4,018. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada.
- 1851
Jul 25, 2018 US and Canada: $76.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $76.1K - 1852
Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger (2014)Jun 27, 2014 US and Canada: $75.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $75.9K
Jun 27, 2014 · English · Biography, Crime, Documentary $75.9K worldwide - 1853
Mar 19, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $75.5K - 1854
Aug 23, 1959 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $75.4K - 1855
Oct 27, 2017 US and Canada: $74.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $74.9K - 1856
Jul 22, 2013 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $74.9K - 1857
May 17, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $74.8K - 1858
Aug 16, 2009 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $74.7K - 1859
Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey To Tomorrow (2018)Oct 5, 2018 US and Canada: $74.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $74.7K Oct 5, 2018 · English · Documentary $74.7K worldwide - 1860
Jun 26, 2015 US and Canada: $74.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $74.7K - 1861
Aug 14, 2015 US and Canada: $50.9K Rest of the world: $23.7K Worldwide: $74.6K - 1862
Feb 4, 2005 US and Canada: $74.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $74.6K - 1863
Oct 17, 2014 US and Canada: $1.5K Rest of the world: $73K Worldwide: $74.5K - 1864
Dec 1, 2007 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $74.2K - 1865
Mar 25, 2017 US and Canada: $73.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $73.9K - 1866
Feb 16, 2022 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $73.8K - 1867
Sep 25, 2015 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $73.6K - 1868
Nov 3, 2017 US and Canada: $73.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $73.6K - 1869
Aug 29, 2008 US and Canada: $73.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $73.5K - 1870
Jun 23, 2017 US and Canada: $52.2K Rest of the world: $21.3K Worldwide: $73.5K - 1871
Mar 8, 2018 US and Canada: $20.2K Rest of the world: $53.1K Worldwide: $73.3K - 1872
Nov 6, 2018 US and Canada: $20.2K Rest of the world: $53.1K Worldwide: $73.3K - 1873
Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco (2018)Sep 14, 2018 US and Canada: $43.2K Rest of the world: $30K Worldwide: $73.1K Sep 14, 2018 · English · Biography, Documentary $73.1K worldwide - 1874
Mar 22, 2024 US and Canada: $68.4K Rest of the world: $4.6K Worldwide: $73K - 1875
Jun 14, 2019 US and Canada: $73K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $73K - 1876
Sep 30, 2016 US and Canada: $72.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $72.8K - 1877
Aug 10, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $72.5K - 1878
Aug 10, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $72.4K - 1879
Oct 9, 2020 US and Canada: $72.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $72.3K - 1880
Jun 11, 2022 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $72.2K - 1881
Sep 20, 2013 US and Canada: $72.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $72.1K - 1882
Oct 21, 2005 US and Canada: $72.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $72.1K - 1883
Jun 22, 2012 US and Canada: $72K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $72K - 1884
Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made (2016)Jun 17, 2016 US and Canada: $71.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $71.9K Jun 17, 2016 · English · Adventure, Biography, Drama $71.9K worldwide - 1885
Nov 22, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $71.9K - 1886
Apr 4, 2025 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $71.9K - 1887
Sep 25, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $71.8K - 1888
Nov 24, 2006 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $71.8K - 1889
Sep 23, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $71.7K - 1890
Apr 9, 2008 US and Canada: $71.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $71.7K - 1891
Feb 5, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $71.5K - 1892
Aug 30, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $71.5K - 1893
Aug 6, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $71.3K - 1894
Jun 22, 1994 US and Canada: $71.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $71.2K - 1895
Spirits’ Homecoming, Unfinished Story (2017)Sep 14, 2017 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $71.2K
Sep 14, 2017 · Korean · Drama, Documentary $71.2K worldwide - 1896
Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger (2024)Jul 12, 2024 US and Canada: $7.1K Rest of the world: $64K Worldwide: $71K Jul 12, 2024 · English · Documentary $71K worldwide - 1897
Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You (2016)Jul 8, 2016 US and Canada: $71K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $71K Jul 8, 2016 · English · Biography, History, Documentary $71K worldwide - 1898
Nov 27, 2015 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $70.9K - 1899
Apr 28, 2023 US and Canada: $48.1K Rest of the world: $22.6K Worldwide: $70.7K - 1900
May 17, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $70.6K
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)