#1 of 6 #1 documentary movie of 1991
1991 · Music, Documentary
$29M worldwide · 77% of the chart's total
$15M US & Canada · 52% $14M elsewhere · 48%
Documentary box office · 1991
Documentary Box Office 1991: Highest-Grossing Documentary Movies
Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) is the highest-grossing documentary movie released in 1991, with $29M worldwide, ahead of Paris Is Burning (1991) at $3.9M and The Media Project (1991) at $2.9M. 6 documentary films released in 1991 report a worldwide gross, $37.7M in all, 63% of it from the US & Canada. By language, English leads with $37.7M across 6 documentary releases.
- 1991 releases with a gross
- 6
- combined worldwide
- $37.7M
- Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991), the #1
- $29M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 63%
#1 of 6 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Documentary Hits of 1991?
Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) leads with $29M, 77% of the total. The top 5 together took $37.6M, almost all of what the 6 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 $1.3M Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991)$1.3M US & Canada · 99% $14.9K elsewhere · 1% -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Documentary Release of 1991, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1991.
- 1 May 24, 1991 US and Canada: $15M Rest of the world: $14M Worldwide: $29M
- 2 Aug 1, 1991 US and Canada: $3.9M Rest of the world: $709 Worldwide: $3.9M
- 3 Dec 31, 1991 US and Canada: $2.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.9M
- 4 Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991)May 1, 1991 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: $14.9K Worldwide: $1.3M
May 1, 1991 · English · Documentary $1.3M worldwide - 5 Sep 6, 1991 US and Canada: $530.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $530.4K
- 6
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
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 1991?
Of the top 6, The Media Project (1991) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) made 48% of its gross abroad. Across all 6 films, $23.7M (63%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) $29M $15M US & Canada · 52% $14M elsewhere · 48%
- 2 Paris Is Burning (1991) $3.9M $3.9M US & Canada · 100% $709 elsewhere · <1%
- 3 The Media Project (1991) $2.9M $2.9M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991) $1.3M $1.3M US & Canada · 99% $14.9K elsewhere · 1%
- 5 Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll (1991) $530.4K $530.4K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass Music (1991) $53.3K $53.3K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
By release month
Which Month of 1991 Earned the Most?
May releases took the most, $30.3M from 2 films, led by Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991). January was the quietest month ($53.3K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass Music (1991) $53.3K High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass Music (1991)
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) $30.3M Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991)
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug Paris Is Burning (1991) $3.9M Paris Is Burning (1991)
- September Sep Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll (1991) $530.4K Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll (1991)
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec The Media Project (1991) $2.9M The Media Project (1991)
Last 10 years
How Does 1991 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1987 earned the most: $54.3M from 4 films, led by Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987). 1991 took $37.7M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 8 films | 8 | $44.4M | – | Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip (1982) $36.3M |
| 1983 3 films · −64% | 3 | $16.2M | −64% | Richard Pryor: Here and Now (1983) $16.2M |
| 1984 7 films · +49% | 7 | $24.1M | +49% | Stop Making Sense (1984) $13.1M |
| 1985 6 films · −93% | 6 | $1.8M | −93% | The Dream Is Alive (1985) $1M |
| 1986 3 films · −23% | 3 | $1.4M | −23% | Home of the Brave: A Film by Laurie Anderson (1986) $1.3M |
| 1987 4 films · +3833% | 4 | $54.3M | +3833% | Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987) $50.5M |
| 1988 12 films · −72% | 12 | $15.3M | −72% | U2: Rattle and Hum (1988) $8.6M |
| 1989 4 films · −39% | 4 | $9.3M | −39% | Roger & Me (1989) $7.7M |
| 1990 3 films · −92% | 3 | $785.7K | −92% | Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones (1990) $776.7K |
| 1991 6 films · +4697% | 6 | $37.7M | +4697% | Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) $29M |
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)
1960s 6 years · $143K
1950s 5 years · $233.2K
1920s 2 years · $201.5K
1910s 1 year · $9.7K
FAQ
Documentary Box Office 1991: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 6 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing documentary movie in 1991?
Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) leads with $29M worldwide, $15M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Paris Is Burning (1991) at $3.9M and The Media Project (1991) at $2.9M.
How much did documentary movies released in 1991 earn?
6 documentary films released in 1991 report a worldwide gross, $37.7M in all, or $6.3M per film on average.
How many documentary movies released in 1991 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991), earned $29M.
How is the 1991 documentary box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in 1991. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact.
How often is the 1991 documentary box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.