#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 42
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 42 of 81
All 4,018 Documentary Movies, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 2,051 to 2,100 of 4,018. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada.
- 2051
Mar 16, 2018 US and Canada: $57.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $57.3K - 2052
Apr 17, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $57.3K - 2053
Jan 13, 2017 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $57.2K - 2054
Aug 26, 2005 US and Canada: $14.5K Rest of the world: $42.3K Worldwide: $56.9K - 2055
Feb 13, 2017 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $56.8K - 2056
Sep 2, 2022 US and Canada: $46.2K Rest of the world: $10.4K Worldwide: $56.6K - 2057
Jul 8, 2011 US and Canada: $56.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $56.6K - 2058
Mar 14, 2014 US and Canada: $56.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $56.3K - 2059
Mar 5, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $56.3K - 2060
May 18, 2018 US and Canada: $56.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $56.2K - 2061
Mar 17, 2004 US and Canada: $56.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $56.2K - 2062
Nov 20, 2021 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $56.2K - 2063
Aug 12, 2022 US and Canada: $50.1K Rest of the world: $6K Worldwide: $56.1K - 2064
Aug 31, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $56K - 2065
Jul 12, 2013 US and Canada: $55.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $55.8K - 2066
Nov 15, 2019 US and Canada: $55.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $55.6K - 2067
Oct 17, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $55.6K - 2068
Sep 30, 2011 US and Canada: $55.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $55.5K - 2069
May 22, 2009 US and Canada: $55.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $55.5K - 2070
Oct 25, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $55.4K - 2071
Jan 13, 2006 US and Canada: $55.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $55.4K - 2072
Aug 30, 2024 US and Canada: $52.9K Rest of the world: $2.5K Worldwide: $55.4K - 2073
Feb 2, 2011 US and Canada: $55.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $55.4K - 2074
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy (2023)Jun 1, 2023 US and Canada: $55.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $55.1K
Jun 1, 2023 · English · Documentary $55.1K worldwide - 2075
May 1, 1963 US and Canada: $55K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $55K - 2076
Dec 30, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $54.9K - 2077
Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation (2021)Jun 18, 2021 US and Canada: $54.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $54.8K Jun 18, 2021 · English · Documentary $54.8K worldwide - 2078
May 28, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $54.8K - 2079
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $54.8K - 2080
Mar 9, 2008 US and Canada: $54.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $54.6K - 2081
Nov 6, 2015 US and Canada: $40.1K Rest of the world: $14.5K Worldwide: $54.6K - 2082
Jun 11, 2010 US and Canada: $54.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $54.5K - 2083
Oct 29, 2008 US and Canada: $54.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $54.3K - 2084
The Wolves Always Come at Night (2024)Sep 9, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $54.3K
Sep 9, 2024 · Mongolian · Drama, Documentary $54.3K worldwide - 2085
Jan 2, 2015 US and Canada: $54.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $54.3K - 2086
Sep 13, 2024 US and Canada: $54.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $54.2K - 2087
Aug 11, 2023 US and Canada: $54.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $54.1K - 2088
Apr 20, 2012 US and Canada: $54K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $54K - 2089
Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché (2022)Feb 2, 2022 US and Canada: $48.5K Rest of the world: $5.4K Worldwide: $53.9K Feb 2, 2022 · English · Biography, Music, Documentary $53.9K worldwide - 2090
Aug 2, 2013 US and Canada: $38.6K Rest of the world: $15.2K Worldwide: $53.8K - 2091
Nov 2, 2011 US and Canada: $53.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $53.7K - 2092
Nov 13, 2013 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $53.5K - 2093
High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass Music (1991)1991 US and Canada: $53.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $53.3K 1991 · English · Documentary, Music $53.3K worldwide - 2094
Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex (2022)Jun 10, 2022 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $53.2K Jun 10, 2022 · English · Music, Documentary $53.2K worldwide - 2095
Jan 15, 2021 US and Canada: $43.5K Rest of the world: $9.7K Worldwide: $53.2K - 2096
Nov 17, 2023 US and Canada: $49.1K Rest of the world: $4.1K Worldwide: $53.2K - 2097
May 28, 2013 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $53.1K - 2098
Aug 15, 2021 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $53K - 2099
Jan 17, 2025 US and Canada: $47.1K Rest of the world: $5.9K Worldwide: $53K - 2100
Oct 14, 2014 US and Canada: $41.1K Rest of the world: $11.8K Worldwide: $52.9K
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)