#1 of 164 #1 documentary movie of 2012
2012 · Adventure, Documentary
$47.2M worldwide · 16% of the chart's total
No US & Canada figure reported
Documentary box office · 2012
Documentary Box Office 2012: Highest-Grossing Documentary Movies
Switch (2012) is the highest-grossing documentary movie released in 2012, with $47.2M worldwide, ahead of Chimpanzee (2012) at $34.8M and 2016: Obama's America (2012) at $33.4M. 164 documentary films released in 2012 report a worldwide gross, $288M in all, 50% of it from the US & Canada. That is level with 2011, whose releases took $288.8M. By language, English leads with $267.8M across 113 documentary releases.
- 2012 releases with a gross
- 164
- combined worldwide
- $288M
- Switch (2012), the #1
- $47.2M
- vs 2011
- ±0%
#1 of 164 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Documentary Hits of 2012?
Switch (2012) leads with $47.2M, 16% of the total. The top 5 together took $180M, 62% of what all 164 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 2012, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 164. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 2012.
- 1 Sep 21, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $47.2M
- 2 Apr 20, 2012 US and Canada: $29M Rest of the world: $5.9M Worldwide: $34.8M
- 3 Jul 13, 2012 US and Canada: $33.4M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $33.4M
- 4 Jul 5, 2012 US and Canada: $25.3M Rest of the world: $7.4M Worldwide: $32.7M
- 5 Jun 13, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $31.8M
- 6
Apr 20, 2012 US and Canada: $14.6M Rest of the world: $9.1M Worldwide: $23.7M - 7
Aug 10, 2012 US and Canada: $7.2M Rest of the world: $5.5M Worldwide: $12.7M - 8
Searching for Sugar Man (2012)Jun 29, 2012 US and Canada: $3.7M Rest of the world: $5.7M Worldwide: $9.4M
Jun 29, 2012 · English · Biography, Music, Documentary $9.4M worldwide - 9
Aug 24, 2012 US and Canada: $2.7M Rest of the world: $1.8M Worldwide: $4.4M - 10
Mar 30, 2012 US and Canada: $4.1M Rest of the world: $269K Worldwide: $4.4M - 11
Aug 8, 2012 US and Canada: $3.4M Rest of the world: $796.7K Worldwide: $4.2M - 12
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 - 13
Apr 20, 2012 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: $2.4M Worldwide: $3.8M - 14
Nov 2, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.8M - 15
Sep 14, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $3.3M - 16
Jul 13, 2012 US and Canada: $898.3K Rest of the world: $2.1M Worldwide: $3M - 17
Mar 9, 2012 US and Canada: $2.6M Rest of the world: $140.4K Worldwide: $2.7M - 18
Jul 20, 2012 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: $93.7K Worldwide: $2.5M - 19
May 4, 2012 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: $716.8K Worldwide: $1.7M - 20
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (2012)Sep 21, 2012 US and Canada: $1M Rest of the world: $703.9K Worldwide: $1.7M Sep 21, 2012 · English · Biography, Documentary $1.7M worldwide - 21
Nov 9, 2012 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: $30.2K Worldwide: $1.4M - 22
Nov 9, 2012 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.1M - 23
Nov 30, 2012 US and Canada: $151.1K Rest of the world: $891.5K Worldwide: $1M - 24
Raul: O Início, o Fim e o Meio (2012)Mar 23, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $909.4K
Mar 23, 2012 · Portuguese · Documentary, Music $909.4K worldwide - 25
Jul 27, 2012 US and Canada: $534.1K Rest of the world: $347.6K Worldwide: $881.7K - 26
Feb 9, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $865K - 27
Sep 11, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $830.2K - 28
May 18, 2012 US and Canada: $809.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $809.6K - 29
Dec 28, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $724.2K - 30
Mar 14, 2012 US and Canada: $242.6K Rest of the world: $474.9K Worldwide: $717.5K - 31
Jul 18, 2012 US and Canada: $510.3K Rest of the world: $118.8K Worldwide: $629.1K - 32
Feb 10, 2012 US and Canada: $562.2K Rest of the world: $21.6K Worldwide: $583.8K - 33
Oct 12, 2012 US and Canada: $471.8K Rest of the world: $111.6K Worldwide: $583.4K - 34
Aug 5, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $533.9K - 35
Jun 1, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $508.1K - 36
Oct 1, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $486.5K - 37
Aug 27, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $452.6K - 38
Sep 7, 2012 US and Canada: $390K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $390K - 39
Sep 14, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $387.4K - 40
Aug 12, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $376.1K - 41
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap (2012)Jun 15, 2012 US and Canada: $288K Rest of the world: $45.4K Worldwide: $333.4K Jun 15, 2012 · English · Music, Documentary $333.4K worldwide - 42
Nov 23, 2012 US and Canada: $325.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $325.7K - 43
Dec 25, 2012 US and Canada: $310.2K Rest of the world: $8.2K Worldwide: $318.3K - 44
Dec 7, 2012 US and Canada: $42.2K Rest of the world: $255.3K Worldwide: $297.5K - 45
Aug 3, 2012 US and Canada: $8.4K Rest of the world: $283.5K Worldwide: $291.9K - 46
Sep 28, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $291.6K - 47
May 16, 2012 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $272.2K - 48
Jan 18, 2012 US and Canada: $157.8K Rest of the world: $95.1K Worldwide: $252.9K - 49
Sep 28, 2012 US and Canada: $245K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $245K - 50
Jun 29, 2012 US and Canada: $215K Rest of the world: $6.1K Worldwide: $221.1K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 2012?
Of the top 10, 2016: Obama's America (2012) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Searching for Sugar Man (2012) made 61% of its gross abroad. Across all 164 films, $143.9M (50%) came from the US & Canada. 2 films of the top 10 report no US & Canada figure.
- 1 Switch (2012) $47.2M No US & Canada figure reported
- 2 Chimpanzee (2012) $34.8M $29M US & Canada · 83% $5.9M elsewhere · 17%
- 3 2016: Obama's America (2012) $33.4M $33.4M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 4 Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012) $32.7M $25.3M US & Canada · 77% $7.4M elsewhere · 23%
- 5 The Dream Team (2012) $31.8M No US & Canada figure reported
- 6 To the Arctic (2012) $23.7M $14.6M US & Canada · 61% $9.1M elsewhere · 39%
- 7 The Green Wave (2012) $12.7M $7.2M US & Canada · 57% $5.5M elsewhere · 43%
- 8 Searching for Sugar Man (2012) $9.4M $3.7M US & Canada · 39% $5.7M elsewhere · 61%
- 9 Samsara (2012) $4.4M $2.7M US & Canada · 60% $1.8M elsewhere · 40%
- 10 Bully (2012) $4.4M $4.1M US & Canada · 94% $269K elsewhere · 6%
Gross bands
How Many 2012 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 164 films reached $100M. 157 films, 96% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $288M total.
75% 25%
- $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 7 films, 4% of the list $216.3M · 75% of the gross
- Under $10M 157 films, 96% of the list $71.7M · 25% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 2012 Earned the Most?
July releases took the most, $73.4M from 14 films, led by 2016: Obama's America (2012). February was the quietest month ($1.7M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Documentary of AKB48 Show Must Go On (2012) $4.4M Documentary of AKB48 Show Must Go On (2012)
- February Feb The Outraged (2012) $1.7M The Outraged (2012)
- March Mar Bully (2012) $9.1M Bully (2012)
- April Apr Chimpanzee (2012) $62.8M Chimpanzee (2012)
- May May First Position (2012) $3.7M First Position (2012)
- June Jun The Dream Team (2012) $42.8M The Dream Team (2012)
- July Jul 2016: Obama's America (2012) $73.4M 2016: Obama's America (2012)
- August Aug The Green Wave (2012) $23.7M The Green Wave (2012)
- September Sep Switch (2012) $54.9M Switch (2012)
- October Oct The Flat (2012) $1.8M The Flat (2012)
- November Nov A Man's Story (2012) $8.1M A Man's Story (2012)
- December Dec Tale of a Forest (2012) $1.7M Tale of a Forest (2012)
Last 10 years
How Does 2012 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 2009 earned the most: $401.6M from 111 films, led by This Is It (2009). 2012 took $288M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 55 films | 55 | $123.3M | – | Bugs! (2003) $29.4M |
| 2004 88 films · +176% | 88 | $339.9M | +176% | Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) $222.4M |
| 2005 94 films · −16% | 94 | $284.9M | −16% | March of the Penguins (2005) $127.4M |
| 2006 112 films · +1% | 112 | $286.9M | +1% | Deep Sea (2006) $98.2M |
| 2007 132 films · −52% | 132 | $137.8M | −52% | Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure (2007) $50.7M |
| 2008 122 films · −14% | 122 | $118.2M | −14% | U2 3D (2008) $22.7M |
| 2009 111 films · +240% | 111 | $401.6M | +240% | This Is It (2009) $268M |
| 2010 119 films · −16% | 119 | $338.6M | −16% | Jackass 3-D (2010) $178.1M |
| 2011 162 films · −15% | 162 | $288.8M | −15% | Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011) $99M |
| 2012 164 films · ±0% | 164 | $288M | ±0% | Switch (2012) $47.2M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Documentary Movies Speak in 2012?
English-language documentary films took $267.8M across 113 films, 93% of the total, ahead of Japanese-language documentary films ($4M) and Swedish-language documentary films ($3.3M).
2012 Documentary Box Office by Language
- English $267.8M113 films · #1 Switch (2012)
- Japanese $4M2 films · #1 Documentary of AKB48 Show Must Go On (2012)
-
Swedish $3.3M1 film · #1 Palme (2012) -
German $2.5M9 films · #1 The Green Planet (2012) -
French $1.6M5 films · #1 The Outraged (2012) -
Spanish $1.6M4 films · #1 Hecho en México (2012) - Portuguese $1.5M8 films · #1 Raul: O Início, o Fim e o Meio (2012)
-
Finnish $1.2M3 films · #1 Tale of a Forest (2012) -
Hebrew $732.6K3 films · #1 The Flat (2012) -
Norwegian $294.5K2 films · #1 Bravehearts (2012)
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 2012: 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 164 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing documentary movie in 2012?
Switch (2012) leads with $47.2M worldwide. Next come Chimpanzee (2012) at $34.8M and 2016: Obama's America (2012) at $33.4M.
How much did documentary movies released in 2012 earn?
164 documentary films released in 2012 report a worldwide gross, $288M in all, or $1.8M per film on average. 2011 releases took $288.8M.
How many documentary movies released in 2012 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Switch (2012), earned $47.2M.
How is the 2012 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 2012. 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 2012 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.