#1 of 5 #1 documentary movie of October 1996
1996 · History, Sport
$2.8M worldwide · 49% of the chart's total
$2.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Documentary box office · October 1996
Documentary Box Office, October 1996: Top-Grossing Releases
When We Were Kings (1996) is the highest-grossing documentary movie released in October 1996, with $2.8M worldwide, ahead of Microcosmos (1996) at $1.4M and Looking for Richard (1996) at $1.4M. 5 documentary films released in October 1996 report a worldwide gross, $5.7M in all, 99% of it from the US & Canada. By language, English leads with $4.3M across 4 documentary releases.
- October 1996 releases with a gross
- 5
- combined worldwide
- $5.7M
- When We Were Kings (1996), the #1
- $2.8M
- earned in the US & Canada
- 99%
#1 of 5 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Documentary Hits of October 1996?
When We Were Kings (1996) leads with $2.8M, 49% of the total. The top 5 together took $5.7M, almost all of what the 5 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 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Documentary Release of October 1996, 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 October 1996.
- 1 Oct 25, 1996 US and Canada: $2.8M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.8M
- 2 Oct 9, 1996 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.4M
- 3 Oct 11, 1996 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.4M
- 4 Oct 11, 1996 US and Canada: $42.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $42.1K
- 5 Oct 1, 1996 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $29.1K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in October 1996?
Of the top 5, When We Were Kings (1996) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Mandela (1996) made 0% of its gross abroad. Across all 5 films, $5.7M (99%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 5 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 When We Were Kings (1996) $2.8M $2.8M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 2 Microcosmos (1996) $1.4M $1.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 Looking for Richard (1996) $1.4M $1.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Mandela (1996) $42.1K $42.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Gallivant (1996) $29.1K No US & Canada figure reported
By release week
Which Week of October 1996 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 41 (Oct 6–12) took $2.9M, led by Microcosmos (1996). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 40 Wk 40 Sep 29–Oct 5 Gallivant (1996) $29.1K Gallivant (1996)
- Week 41 Wk 41 Oct 6–12 Microcosmos (1996) $2.9M Microcosmos (1996)
- Week 42 Wk 42 Oct 13–19 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- Week 43 Wk 43 Oct 20–26 When We Were Kings (1996) $2.8M When We Were Kings (1996)
- Week 44 Wk 44 Oct 27–Nov 2 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does October 1996 Compare With October in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, October 1994 earned the most: $11.9M from 2 films, led by Hoop Dreams (1994). October 1996 took $5.7M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1987 1 film | 1 | $719.3K | – | Chuck Berry - Hail! Hail! Rock ’n’ Roll (1987) $719.3K |
| October 1988 1 film · −28% | 1 | $518.9K | −28% | Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988) $518.9K |
| October 1989 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1990 1 film | 1 | $776.7K | – | Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones (1990) $776.7K |
| October 1991 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1992 1 film | 1 | $45.5K | – | Feed (1992) $45.5K |
| October 1993 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1994 2 films | 2 | $11.9M | – | Hoop Dreams (1994) $11.8M |
| October 1995 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| October 1996 5 films | 5 | $5.7M | – | When We Were Kings (1996) $2.8M |
Archive
Documentary Box Office in 1996, Month by Month
The months of 1996 with their totals: October leads with $5.7M, led by When We Were Kings (1996).
- January No grosses
- February No grosses
- March No grosses
- April No grosses
- May No grosses
- June $134.5K #1 A Perfect Candidate (1996)
- July No grosses
- August $8.4K #1 Red Hollywood (1996)
- September $50.6K #1 The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story (1996)
- October $5.7M #1 When We Were Kings (1996)
- November No grosses
- December $3.2K #1 Tell the Truth and Run: George Seldes and the American Press (1996)
FAQ
Documentary Box Office October 1996: 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 5 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing documentary movie in October 1996?
When We Were Kings (1996) leads with $2.8M worldwide, $2.8M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Microcosmos (1996) at $1.4M and Looking for Richard (1996) at $1.4M.
How much did documentary movies released in October 1996 earn?
5 documentary films released in October 1996 report a worldwide gross, $5.7M in all, or $1.1M per film on average.
How many documentary movies released in October 1996 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, When We Were Kings (1996), earned $2.8M.
How is the October 1996 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 October 1996. 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 October 1996 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.