#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 5
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 5 of 81
All 4,018 Documentary Movies, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 201 to 250 of 4,018. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada.
- 201
Apr 12, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4.1M - 202
May 30, 2003 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: $957.9K Worldwide: $4.1M - 203
Oct 15, 2008 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4.1M - 204
Aug 12, 2005 US and Canada: $3.2M Rest of the world: $886.6K Worldwide: $4.1M - 205
Aug 8, 2003 US and Canada: $3.7M Rest of the world: $359.8K Worldwide: $4M - 206
Oct 13, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4M - 207
Documentary of AKB48 Show Must Go On (2012)Jan 27, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4M
Jan 27, 2012 · Japanese · Documentary, Music $4M worldwide - 208
Oct 6, 2017 US and Canada: $953.7K Rest of the world: $3M Worldwide: $4M - 209
Aug 1, 1991 US and Canada: $3.9M Rest of the world: $709 Worldwide: $3.9M - 210
Apr 20, 2012 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: $2.4M Worldwide: $3.8M - 211
Nov 2, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.8M - 212
Oct 15, 1982 US and Canada: $3.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.8M - 213
Oct 24, 2014 US and Canada: $2.8M Rest of the world: $979.8K Worldwide: $3.8M - 214
Sep 30, 1988 US and Canada: $3.8M Rest of the world: $296 Worldwide: $3.8M - 215
Dec 1, 1995 US and Canada: $3.7M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.7M - 216
Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021)Jul 2, 2021 US and Canada: $2.3M Rest of the world: $1.4M Worldwide: $3.7M
Jul 2, 2021 · English · Documentary $3.7M worldwide - 217
Sep 12, 2019 US and Canada: $1.6M Rest of the world: $2.1M Worldwide: $3.7M - 218
Nov 1, 2024 US and Canada: $2.5M Rest of the world: $1.1M Worldwide: $3.7M - 219
Jun 9, 2016 US and Canada: $3.5M Rest of the world: $143.8K Worldwide: $3.6M - 220
The Journey: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli (2023)Apr 2, 2023 US and Canada: $3.6M Rest of the world: $24.1K Worldwide: $3.6M
Apr 2, 2023 · Italian · Music, Documentary $3.6M worldwide - 221
Sep 17, 2010 US and Canada: $3.2M Rest of the world: $296.4K Worldwide: $3.5M - 222
Nov 1, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.5M - 223
Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)Dec 8, 2004 US and Canada: $3.5M Rest of the world: $14.1K Worldwide: $3.5M Dec 8, 2004 · English · Documentary $3.5M worldwide - 224
Mar 15, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.5M - 225
Mar 29, 2019 US and Canada: $2.2M Rest of the world: $1.3M Worldwide: $3.5M - 226
Jun 28, 2019 US and Canada: $3.2M Rest of the world: $326.3K Worldwide: $3.5M - 227
Feb 28, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.5M - 228
Oct 2, 2015 US and Canada: $2.7M Rest of the world: $764.7K Worldwide: $3.4M - 229
2019 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.4M - 230
Apr 19, 2013 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.4M - 231
May 24, 2019 US and Canada: $3.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.4M - 232
Jul 5, 2019 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: $2.3M Worldwide: $3.3M - 233
Jan 19, 1992 US and Canada: $3.3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3.3M - 234
Mar 13, 2015 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.3M - 235
Sep 14, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.3M - 236
Feb 6, 2015 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.2M - 237
Jul 9, 2004 US and Canada: $2.3M Rest of the world: $939.7K Worldwide: $3.2M - 238
Oct 19, 2014 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.2M - 239
Aug 8, 2025 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: $1.7M Worldwide: $3.2M - 240
Jun 16, 2006 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: $56.4K Worldwide: $3.2M - 241
Sep 21, 2018 US and Canada: $889.3K Rest of the world: $2.3M Worldwide: $3.2M - 242
Jun 15, 2001 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.1M - 243
May 27, 2005 US and Canada: $16.4K Rest of the world: $3.1M Worldwide: $3.1M - 244
Sep 10, 2005 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.1M - 245
Sep 8, 2020 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.1M - 246
Oct 31, 2014 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3M - 247
Apr 28, 1995 US and Canada: $3M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $3M - 248
Apr 22, 2011 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3M - 249
Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition (2026)May 7, 2026 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3M May 7, 2026 · English · Documentary, Biography, Music $3M worldwide - 250
May 18, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3M
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)