#1 of 31 #1 documentary movie of 2001
Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001)
2001 · Documentary
$19.6M worldwide · 50% of the chart's total
$15.6M US & Canada · 79% $4.1M elsewhere · 21%
Documentary box office · 2001
Documentary Box Office 2001: Highest-Grossing Documentary Movies
Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001) is the highest-grossing documentary movie released in 2001, with $19.6M worldwide, ahead of Butterfly (2001) at $6.7M and Down from the Mountain (2001) at $3.1M. 31 documentary films released in 2001 report a worldwide gross, $39.4M in all, 60% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 52% on 2000, whose releases took $81.4M. By language, English leads with $12.3M across 18 documentary releases.
- 2001 releases with a gross
- 31
- combined worldwide
- $39.4M
- Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001), the #1
- $19.6M
- vs 2000
- −52%
#1 of 31 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Documentary Hits of 2001?
Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001) leads with $19.6M, 50% of the total. The top 5 together took $33.8M, 86% of what all 31 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 2001, 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 2001.
- 1 Feb 5, 2001 US and Canada: $15.6M Rest of the world: $4.1M Worldwide: $19.6M
- 2 Mar 30, 2001 US and Canada: $227.6K Rest of the world: $6.5M Worldwide: $6.7M
- 3 Jun 15, 2001 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.1M
- 4 Sep 21, 2001 US and Canada: $2.5M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $2.5M
- 5 May 11, 2001 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: $546.7K Worldwide: $1.8M
- 6
Oct 12, 2001 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1M - 7
All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live! (2001)Apr 6, 2001 US and Canada: $992.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $992.7K
Apr 6, 2001 · English · Music, Documentary $992.7K worldwide - 8
Oct 24, 2001 US and Canada: $788.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $788.9K - 9
Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy (2001)Nov 20, 2001 US and Canada: $421.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $421.5K Nov 20, 2001 · English · Biography, Documentary $421.5K worldwide - 10
Keep the River on Your Right: A Modern Cannibal Tale (2001)Mar 16, 2001 US and Canada: $373.4K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $373.4K Mar 16, 2001 · English · Adventure, Documentary $373.4K worldwide - 11
Oct 5, 2001 US and Canada: $360.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $360.3K - 12
Jun 16, 2001 US and Canada: $263.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $263.1K - 13
May 21, 2001 US and Canada: $238.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $238.3K - 14
Oct 10, 2001 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $199.1K - 15
Oct 5, 2001 US and Canada: $179.9K Rest of the world: $3.6K Worldwide: $183.5K - 16
Mar 7, 2001 US and Canada: $155.3K Rest of the world: $3.8K Worldwide: $159.2K - 17
Sep 21, 2001 US and Canada: $151.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $151.8K - 18
Aug 24, 2001 US and Canada: $99.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $99.9K - 19
Sobibór, 14 Octobre 1943, 16 heures (2001)Oct 12, 2001 US and Canada: $41K Rest of the world: $38.7K Worldwide: $79.7K
Oct 12, 2001 · French · History, Documentary $79.7K worldwide - 20
May 13, 2001 US and Canada: $41K Rest of the world: $38.7K Worldwide: $79.7K - 21
Mar 9, 2001 US and Canada: $50.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $50.7K - 22
Sep 19, 2001 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $38.5K - 23
Aug 10, 2001 US and Canada: $33.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $33.5K - 24
May 24, 2001 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $27.3K - 25
Sep 19, 2001 US and Canada: $12.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $12.8K - 26
Sep 7, 2001 US and Canada: $8.8K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $8.8K - 27
Jan 19, 2001 US and Canada: $6.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $6.1K - 28
Sep 14, 2001 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $5.8K - 29
Oct 19, 2001 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.1K - 30
Sep 5, 2001 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.6K - 31
Dec 27, 2001 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $968
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 2001?
Of the top 10, The Endurance (2001) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Butterfly (2001) made 97% of its gross abroad. Across all 31 films, $23.7M (60%) came from the US & Canada. 2 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001) $19.6M $15.6M US & Canada · 79% $4.1M elsewhere · 21%
- 2 Butterfly (2001) $6.7M $227.6K US & Canada · 3% $6.5M elsewhere · 97%
- 3 Down from the Mountain (2001) $3.1M No US & Canada figure reported
- 4 The Endurance (2001) $2.5M $2.5M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Startup.com (2001) $1.8M $1.3M US & Canada · 70% $546.7K elsewhere · 30%
- 6 The Human Body (2001) $1M No US & Canada figure reported
- 7 All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live! (2001) $992.7K $992.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Trembling Before G-d (2001) $788.9K $788.9K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy (2001) $421.5K $421.5K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Keep the River on Your Right: A Modern Cannibal Tale (2001) $373.4K $373.4K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many 2001 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 31 films reached $100M. 30 films, 97% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $39.4M total.
50% 50%
- $1B or more 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $500M to $1B 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $100M to $500M 0 films, 0% of the list No films
- $10M to $100M 1 film, 3% of the list $19.6M · 50% of the gross
- Under $10M 30 films, 97% of the list $19.7M · 50% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 2001 Earned the Most?
February releases took the most, $19.6M from 1 film, led by Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001). December was the quietest month ($968). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Scottsboro: An American Tragedy (2001) $6.1K Scottsboro: An American Tragedy (2001)
- February Feb Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001) $19.6M Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001)
- March Mar Butterfly (2001) $7.3M Butterfly (2001)
- April Apr All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live! (2001) $992.7K All Access: Front Row. Backstage. Live! (2001)
- May May Startup.com (2001) $2.2M Startup.com (2001)
- June Jun Down from the Mountain (2001) $3.4M Down from the Mountain (2001)
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug Fighter (2001) $133.4K Fighter (2001)
- September Sep The Endurance (2001) $2.7M The Endurance (2001)
- October Oct The Human Body (2001) $2.6M The Human Body (2001)
- November Nov Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy (2001) $421.5K Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy (2001)
- December Dec Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song (2001) $968 Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song (2001)
Last 10 years
How Does 2001 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 2000 earned the most: $81.4M from 25 films, led by The Original Kings of Comedy (2000). 2001 took $39.4M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 9 films | 9 | $7.2M | – | My Crasy Life (1992) $3.3M |
| 1993 6 films · −90% | 6 | $733.8K | −90% | The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993) $449.7K |
| 1994 14 films · +3551% | 14 | $26.8M | +3551% | Hoop Dreams (1994) $11.8M |
| 1995 15 films · −48% | 15 | $13.9M | −48% | Born to Be Wild (1995) $3.7M |
| 1996 9 films · −58% | 9 | $5.9M | −58% | When We Were Kings (1996) $2.8M |
| 1997 9 films · +272% | 9 | $22M | +272% | Thrill Ride: The Science of Fun (1997) $18.8M |
| 1998 14 films · +177% | 14 | $60.8M | +177% | Mysteries of Egypt (1998) $44.7M |
| 1999 14 films · −17% | 14 | $50.2M | −17% | Buena Vista Social Club (1999) $23.1M |
| 2000 25 films · +62% | 25 | $81.4M | +62% | The Original Kings of Comedy (2000) $38.2M |
| 2001 31 films · −52% | 31 | $39.4M | −52% | Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001) $19.6M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Documentary Movies Speak in 2001?
English-language documentary films took $12.3M across 18 films, 31% of the total, ahead of Telugu-language documentary films ($6.7M) and French-language documentary films ($320.2K).
2001 Documentary Box Office by Language
- English $12.3M18 films · #1 Down from the Mountain (2001)
-
Telugu $6.7M1 film · #1 Butterfly (2001) - French $320.2K4 films · #1 The Gleaners & I (2001)
-
Serbo-Croatian $199.1K1 film · #1 Super 8 Stories (2001) -
Afrikaans $50.7K1 film · #1 Long Night's Journey Into Day (2001) -
Portuguese $38.5K1 film · #1 Porto of My Childhood (2001) -
German $27.3K1 film · #1 Black Box BRD (2001) -
Romanian $12.8K1 film · #1 Children Underground (2001) -
Norwegian $3.1K1 film · #1 Cool and Crazy (2001)
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 · $553.6M
2010s 10 years · $2.8B
- 2019 $145.4M #1 Apollo 11 (2019)
- 2018 $257.3M #1 Believer (2018)
- 2017 $172.8M #1 Reset (2017)
- 2016 $245.5M #1 We Like It Like That (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 $140.7M #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 · $174M
- 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 $1.3M #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 $291K #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 2001: 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 31 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing documentary movie in 2001?
Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001) leads with $19.6M worldwide, $15.6M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Butterfly (2001) at $6.7M and Down from the Mountain (2001) at $3.1M.
How much did documentary movies released in 2001 earn?
31 documentary films released in 2001 report a worldwide gross, $39.4M in all, or $1.3M per film on average. 2000 releases took $81.4M.
How many documentary movies released in 2001 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (2001), earned $19.6M.
How is the 2001 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 2001. 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 2001 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.