#1 of 12 #1 documentary movie of April 2012
2012 · Documentary
$34.8M worldwide · 55% of the chart's total
$29M US & Canada · 83% $5.9M elsewhere · 17%
Documentary box office · April 2012
Documentary Box Office, April 2012: Top-Grossing Releases
Chimpanzee (2012) is the highest-grossing documentary movie released in April 2012, with $34.8M worldwide, ahead of To the Arctic (2012) at $23.7M and Marley (2012) at $3.8M. 12 documentary films released in April 2012 report a worldwide gross, $62.8M in all, 72% of it from the US & Canada. That is 6.9 times the total of March 2012, whose releases took $9.1M. By language, English leads with $62.6M across 11 documentary releases.
- April 2012 releases with a gross
- 12
- combined worldwide
- $62.8M
- Chimpanzee (2012), the #1
- $34.8M
- vs March 2012
- ×6.9
#1 of 12 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Documentary Hits of April 2012?
Chimpanzee (2012) leads with $34.8M, 55% of the total. The top 5 together took $62.6M, almost all of what the 12 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 April 2012, 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 April 2012.
- 1 Apr 20, 2012 US and Canada: $29M Rest of the world: $5.9M Worldwide: $34.8M
- 2 Apr 20, 2012 US and Canada: $14.6M Rest of the world: $9.1M Worldwide: $23.7M
- 3 Apr 20, 2012 US and Canada: $1.4M Rest of the world: $2.4M Worldwide: $3.8M
- 4 Apr 20, 2012 US and Canada: $31.4K Rest of the world: $166.5K Worldwide: $197.9K
- 5 Apr 20, 2012 US and Canada: $54K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $54K
- 6
Apr 13, 2012 US and Canada: $34K Rest of the world: $2.6K Worldwide: $36.6K - 7
Apr 6, 2012 US and Canada: $34.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $34.7K - 8
Apr 21, 2012 US and Canada: $21.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $21.7K - 9
Apr 13, 2012 US and Canada: $20.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $20.1K - 10
Apr 25, 2012 US and Canada: $18K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $18K - 11
Apr 13, 2012 US and Canada: $14.6K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $14.6K - 12
Booker's Place: A Mississippi Story (2012)Apr 27, 2012 US and Canada: $5.5K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.5K
Apr 27, 2012 · English · History, Mystery, Documentary $5.5K worldwide
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in April 2012?
Of the top 10, Surviving Progress (2012) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Whores' Glory (2012) made 84% of its gross abroad. Across all 12 films, $45.2M (72%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Chimpanzee (2012) $34.8M $29M US & Canada · 83% $5.9M elsewhere · 17%
- 2 To the Arctic (2012) $23.7M $14.6M US & Canada · 61% $9.1M elsewhere · 39%
- 3 Marley (2012) $3.8M $1.4M US & Canada · 37% $2.4M elsewhere · 63%
- 4 Whores' Glory (2012) $197.9K $31.4K US & Canada · 16% $166.5K elsewhere · 84%
- 5 Surviving Progress (2012) $54K $54K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 6 Hit So Hard (2012) $36.6K $34K US & Canada · 93% $2.6K elsewhere · 7%
- 7 Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope (2012) $34.7K $34.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 8 Evocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie (2012) $21.7K $21.7K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 9 How to Grow a Band (2012) $20.1K $20.1K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 10 Payback (2012) $18K $18K US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
Gross bands
How Many April 2012 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 12 films reached $100M. 10 films, 83% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $62.8M total.
93%
- $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 2 films, 17% of the list $58.5M · 93% of the gross
- Under $10M 10 films, 83% of the list $4.2M · 7% of the gross
By release week
Which Week of April 2012 Had the Biggest Releases?
Films released in week 16 (Apr 15–21) took $62.6M, led by Chimpanzee (2012). Each column links to that week's chart; weeks are Sunday to Saturday.
- Week 14 Wk 14 Apr 1–7 Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope (2012) $34.7K Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope (2012)
- Week 15 Wk 15 Apr 8–14 Hit So Hard (2012) $71.3K Hit So Hard (2012)
- Week 16 Wk 16 Apr 15–21 Chimpanzee (2012) $62.6M Chimpanzee (2012)
- Week 17 Wk 17 Apr 22–28 Payback (2012) $23.5K Payback (2012)
- Week 18 Wk 18 Apr 29–May 5 No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Earlier years
How Does April 2012 Compare With April in Earlier Years?
Of these 10 years, April 2011 earned the most: $100.9M from 17 films, led by Born to Be Wild (2011). April 2012 took $62.8M.
| Month | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2003 7 films | 7 | $42.8M | – | Ghosts of the Abyss (2003) $27.6M |
| April 2004 5 films · −96% | 5 | $1.6M | −96% | Sacred Planet (2004) $1.1M |
| April 2005 7 films · +2417% | 7 | $40.1M | +2417% | Wild Safari 3D (2005) $34.3M |
| April 2006 6 films · −99% | 6 | $323.9K | −99% | Stolen (2006) $132.6K |
| April 2007 7 films · +1928% | 7 | $6.6M | +1928% | Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia (2007) $4.8M |
| April 2008 16 films · +445% | 16 | $35.8M | +445% | Shine a Light (2008) $15.8M |
| April 2009 6 films · −86% | 6 | $4.9M | −86% | Every Little Step (2009) $2.8M |
| April 2010 10 films · +1878% | 10 | $96.1M | +1878% | Oceans (2010) $83.1M |
| April 2011 17 films · +5% | 17 | $100.9M | +5% | Born to Be Wild (2011) $41.6M |
| April 2012 12 films · −38% | 12 | $62.8M | −38% | Chimpanzee (2012) $34.8M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Documentary Movies Speak in April 2012?
English-language documentary films took $62.6M across 11 films, 100% of the total, ahead of German-language documentary films ($197.9K).
Archive
Documentary Box Office in 2012, Month by Month
The months of 2012 with their totals: July leads with $73.4M, led by 2016: Obama's America (2012).
- January $4.4M #1 Documentary of AKB48 Show Must Go On (2012)
- February $1.7M #1 The Outraged (2012)
- March $9.1M #1 Bully (2012)
- April $62.8M #1 Chimpanzee (2012)
- May $3.7M #1 First Position (2012)
- June $42.8M #1 The Dream Team (2012)
- July $73.4M #1 2016: Obama's America (2012)
- August $23.7M #1 The Green Wave (2012)
- September $54.9M #1 Switch (2012)
- October $1.8M #1 The Flat (2012)
- November $8.1M #1 A Man's Story (2012)
- December $1.7M #1 Tale of a Forest (2012)
FAQ
Documentary Box Office April 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 12 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing documentary movie in April 2012?
Chimpanzee (2012) leads with $34.8M worldwide, $29M of it in the US & Canada. Next come To the Arctic (2012) at $23.7M and Marley (2012) at $3.8M.
How much did documentary movies released in April 2012 earn?
12 documentary films released in April 2012 report a worldwide gross, $62.8M in all, or $5.2M per film on average. March 2012 releases took $9.1M.
How many documentary movies released in April 2012 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Chimpanzee (2012), earned $34.8M.
How is the April 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 April 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 April 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.