#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 54
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 54 of 81
All 4,018 Documentary Movies, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 2,651 to 2,700 of 4,018. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada.
- 2651
Nov 19, 2014 US and Canada: $23.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.9K - 2652
Jun 17, 2016 US and Canada: $14.9K Rest of the world: $9K Worldwide: $23.9K - 2653
Oct 21, 2005 US and Canada: $23.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.7K - 2654
Greenwich Village: Music That Defined a Generation (2013)Jan 18, 2013 US and Canada: $23.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.7K
Jan 18, 2013 · English · Documentary $23.7K worldwide - 2655
May 20, 2011 US and Canada: $23.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.6K - 2656
S21: The Khmer Rouge Death Machine (2004)May 19, 2004 US and Canada: $22.6K Rest of the world: $944 Worldwide: $23.6K
May 19, 2004 · Khmer · History, War, Documentary $23.6K worldwide - 2657
S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine (2003)May 17, 2003 US and Canada: $22.6K Rest of the world: $944 Worldwide: $23.6K
May 17, 2003 · French · History, War, Documentary $23.6K worldwide - 2658
Jul 23, 2003 US and Canada: $16.8K Rest of the world: $6.8K Worldwide: $23.5K - 2659
Sep 1, 2022 US and Canada: $23.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.3K - 2660
Oct 1, 2023 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $23.2K - 2661
Apr 13, 2018 US and Canada: $22.3K Rest of the world: $870 Worldwide: $23.1K - 2662
Gary Numan: Android In La La Land (2016)Mar 14, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $23.1K Mar 14, 2016 · English · Music, Documentary $23.1K worldwide - 2663
Apr 14, 2017 US and Canada: $23.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.1K - 2664
Sep 28, 2012 US and Canada: $23.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.1K - 2665
Sep 10, 2026 US and Canada: $23.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.1K - 2666
Jul 18, 2014 US and Canada: $23K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23K - 2667
Sep 5, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $23K - 2668
Nov 12, 2021 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $23K - 2669
Jul 7, 2006 US and Canada: $22.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.9K - 2670
Sep 21, 2012 US and Canada: $22.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.9K - 2671
May 3, 2002 US and Canada: $9.1K Rest of the world: $13.8K Worldwide: $22.9K - 2672
Nov 21, 2025 US and Canada: $20K Rest of the world: $2.8K Worldwide: $22.8K - 2673
Jun 27, 2021 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.8K - 2674
Apr 14, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.8K - 2675
Carol Channing: Larger Than Life (2012)Jan 20, 2012 US and Canada: $22.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.7K Jan 20, 2012 · English · Biography, Comedy, Musical $22.7K worldwide - 2676
Sep 13, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.7K - 2677
B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989 (2015)Feb 5, 2015 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.7K Feb 5, 2015 · English · Documentary, Music $22.7K worldwide - 2678
Oct 11, 2013 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.7K - 2679
Oct 26, 2012 US and Canada: $22.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.7K - 2680
Aug 1, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.7K - 2681
Sep 8, 2017 US and Canada: $21.4K Rest of the world: $1.1K Worldwide: $22.6K - 2682
Sep 17, 2010 US and Canada: $22.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.5K - 2683
Jul 26, 2013 US and Canada: $18.2K Rest of the world: $4.3K Worldwide: $22.5K - 2684
Oct 24, 2025 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.4K - 2685
Apr 15, 2016 US and Canada: $22.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.4K - 2686
Jan 9, 2009 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.4K - 2687
Oct 30, 2007 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.4K - 2688
Sep 7, 2012 US and Canada: $21.2K Rest of the world: $1.2K Worldwide: $22.4K - 2689
Sep 17, 2010 US and Canada: $12K Rest of the world: $10.4K Worldwide: $22.4K - 2690
Sep 19, 2010 US and Canada: $12K Rest of the world: $10.4K Worldwide: $22.4K - 2691
Mar 17, 1982 US and Canada: $22.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.3K - 2692
Sep 23, 2016 US and Canada: $22.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.3K - 2693
Jul 12, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.3K - 2694
Feb 15, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.2K - 2695
Jul 6, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.2K - 2696
Jul 6, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22.2K - 2697
Dec 10, 2010 US and Canada: $22.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22.1K - 2698
Apr 17, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $22K - 2699
May 12, 2006 US and Canada: $22K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $22K - 2700
Oct 31, 2008 US and Canada: $21.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.8K
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)