#1 of 211 #1 documentary movie of 2016
2016 · Documentary
$26.3M worldwide · 18% of the chart's total
$15.7M US & Canada · 60% $10.6M elsewhere · 40%
Documentary box office · 2016
Documentary Box Office 2016: Highest-Grossing Documentary Movies
A Beautiful Planet (2016) is the highest-grossing documentary movie released in 2016, with $26.3M worldwide, ahead of Kevin Hart: What Now? (2016) at $23.6M and The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016) at $13.7M. 211 documentary films released in 2016 report a worldwide gross, $149.8M in all, 57% of it from the US & Canada. That is down 26% on 2015, whose releases took $203.5M. By language, English leads with $114.2M across 141 documentary releases.
- 2016 releases with a gross
- 211
- combined worldwide
- $149.8M
- A Beautiful Planet (2016), the #1
- $26.3M
- vs 2015
- −26%
#1 of 211 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Documentary Hits of 2016?
A Beautiful Planet (2016) leads with $26.3M, 18% of the total. The top 5 together took $88.1M, 59% of what all 211 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 $13.7M The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016)$2.9M US & Canada · 21% $10.8M elsewhere · 79% -
Number 4 $13.1M Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party (2016)$13.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0% -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every Documentary Release of 2016, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 211. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 2016.
- 1 Apr 29, 2016 US and Canada: $15.7M Rest of the world: $10.6M Worldwide: $26.3M
- 2 Oct 14, 2016 US and Canada: $23.6M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $23.6M
- 3 The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016)Sep 16, 2016 US and Canada: $2.9M Rest of the world: $10.8M Worldwide: $13.7M
Sep 16, 2016 · English · Music, Documentary $13.7M worldwide - 4 Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party (2016)Jul 15, 2016 US and Canada: $13.1M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $13.1M Jul 15, 2016 · English · Documentary $13.1M worldwide
- 5 Nov 25, 2016 US and Canada: $150.1K Rest of the world: $11.3M Worldwide: $11.4M
- 6
Dec 9, 2016 US and Canada: $7.1M Rest of the world: $1.2M Worldwide: $8.3M - 7
Nov 2, 2016 US and Canada: $3.2M Rest of the world: $1.2M Worldwide: $4.4M - 8
Jun 9, 2016 US and Canada: $3.5M Rest of the world: $143.8K Worldwide: $3.6M - 9
Apr 30, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.7M - 10
Sep 16, 2016 US and Canada: $2.4M Rest of the world: $255.4K Worldwide: $2.6M - 11
Jan 22, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2M - 12
Jan 15, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.7M - 13
May 20, 2016 US and Canada: $1.7M Rest of the world: $39.8K Worldwide: $1.7M - 14
May 11, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.6M - 15
Jun 30, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.5M - 16
Oct 26, 2016 US and Canada: $242.9K Rest of the world: $1.2M Worldwide: $1.5M - 17
The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble (2016)Jun 10, 2016 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: $82.8K Worldwide: $1.3M Jun 10, 2016 · English · Music, Documentary $1.3M worldwide - 18
Black and White Stripes: The Juventus Story (2016)Oct 10, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.2M
Oct 10, 2016 · Italian · Documentary $1.2M worldwide - 19
Oct 21, 2016 US and Canada: $120.9K Rest of the world: $1.1M Worldwide: $1.2M - 20
Apr 1, 2016 US and Canada: $1.2M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $1.2M - 21
Sep 9, 2016 US and Canada: $71.9K Rest of the world: $1.1M Worldwide: $1.1M - 22
Apr 15, 2016 US and Canada: $527.5K Rest of the world: $545.5K Worldwide: $1.1M - 23
Apr 1, 2016 US and Canada: $307K Rest of the world: $701.1K Worldwide: $1M - 24
Oct 28, 2016 US and Canada: $440.6K Rest of the world: $509.4K Worldwide: $950K - 25
2016 US and Canada: $940.9K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $940.9K - 26
Dec 16, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $928.8K - 27
Sep 8, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $904.4K - 28
Jul 14, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $903.8K - 29
Feb 2, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $837.6K - 30
Jun 17, 2016 US and Canada: $614K Rest of the world: $176.6K Worldwide: $790.5K - 31
Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World (2016)Aug 19, 2016 US and Canada: $594.9K Rest of the world: $170.9K Worldwide: $765.8K Aug 19, 2016 · English · Documentary $765.8K worldwide - 32
Apr 23, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $746.9K - 33
Mar 11, 2016 US and Canada: $641K Rest of the world: $39.6K Worldwide: $680.6K - 34
Feb 14, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $642.1K - 35
Jul 29, 2016 US and Canada: $583.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $583.7K - 36
Sep 30, 2016 US and Canada: $561.5K Rest of the world: $17.4K Worldwide: $578.8K - 37
Oct 21, 2016 US and Canada: $45.3K Rest of the world: $502.9K Worldwide: $548.1K - 38
Oct 3, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $531.4K - 39
Aug 31, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $527.6K - 40
Apr 15, 2016 US and Canada: $100.1K Rest of the world: $411.6K Worldwide: $511.7K - 41
Jun 9, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $448.3K - 42
Mar 4, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $436.5K - 43
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words (2016)Jan 25, 2016 US and Canada: $355.1K Rest of the world: $10.5K Worldwide: $365.5K Jan 25, 2016 · English · Documentary, Music $365.5K worldwide - 44
Nov 11, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $347.9K - 45
Jul 1, 2016 US and Canada: $255.4K Rest of the world: $87.3K Worldwide: $342.7K - 46
Jul 6, 2016 US and Canada: $105K Rest of the world: $201K Worldwide: $306K - 47
Oct 14, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $277.8K - 48
May 3, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $219.8K - 49
Sep 23, 2016 US and Canada: $207.8K Rest of the world: $1.9K Worldwide: $209.8K - 50
Dec 10, 2016 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $202.7K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 2016?
Of the top 10, Kevin Hart: What Now? (2016) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Seasons (2016) made 99% of its gross abroad. Across all 211 films, $85.7M (57%) came from the US & Canada. 1 film of the top 10 reports no US & Canada figure.
- 1 A Beautiful Planet (2016) $26.3M $15.7M US & Canada · 60% $10.6M elsewhere · 40%
- 2 Kevin Hart: What Now? (2016) $23.6M $23.6M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 3 The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016) $13.7M $2.9M US & Canada · 21% $10.8M elsewhere · 79%
- 4 Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party (2016) $13.1M $13.1M US & Canada · 100% elsewhere · 0%
- 5 Seasons (2016) $11.4M $150.1K US & Canada · 1% $11.3M elsewhere · 99%
- 6 I Am Not Your Negro (2016) $8.3M $7.1M US & Canada · 85% $1.2M elsewhere · 15%
- 7 The Eagle Huntress (2016) $4.4M $3.2M US & Canada · 72% $1.2M elsewhere · 28%
- 8 'Til Madness Do Us Part (2016) $3.6M $3.5M US & Canada · 96% $143.8K elsewhere · 4%
- 9 Spy Nation (2016) $2.7M No US & Canada figure reported
- 10 Hillsong - Let Hope Rise (2016) $2.6M $2.4M US & Canada · 90% $255.4K elsewhere · 10%
Gross bands
How Many 2016 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 211 films reached $100M. 206 films, 98% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $149.8M total.
59% 41%
- $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 5 films, 2% of the list $88.1M · 59% of the gross
- Under $10M 206 films, 98% of the list $61.6M · 41% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 2016 Earned the Most?
April releases took the most, $34.1M from 23 films, led by A Beautiful Planet (2016). March was the quietest month ($1.3M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Doing Good (2016) $5.3M Doing Good (2016)
- February Feb Ghost Ship (2016) $1.8M Ghost Ship (2016)
- March Mar City of Gold (2016) $1.3M City of Gold (2016)
- April Apr A Beautiful Planet (2016) $34.1M A Beautiful Planet (2016)
- May May Weiner (2016) $4.1M Weiner (2016)
- June Jun 'Til Madness Do Us Part (2016) $8.2M 'Til Madness Do Us Part (2016)
- July Jul Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party (2016) $16.1M Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party (2016)
- August Aug Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World (2016) $1.5M Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World (2016)
- September Sep The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016) $20.2M The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016)
- October Oct Kevin Hart: What Now? (2016) $30.3M Kevin Hart: What Now? (2016)
- November Nov Seasons (2016) $16.8M Seasons (2016)
- December Dec I Am Not Your Negro (2016) $10M I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
Last 10 years
How Does 2016 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 2013 earned the most: $696.2M from 180 films, led by Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013). 2016 took $149.8M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 132 films | 132 | $137.8M | – | 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 |
| 2013 180 films · +142% | 180 | $696.2M | +142% | Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) $151.8M |
| 2014 174 films · −82% | 174 | $126.7M | −82% | Bears (2014) $21.3M |
| 2015 184 films · +61% | 184 | $203.5M | +61% | Northern Limit Line (2015) $40M |
| 2016 211 films · −26% | 211 | $149.8M | −26% | A Beautiful Planet (2016) $26.3M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Documentary Movies Speak in 2016?
English-language documentary films took $114.2M across 141 films, 76% of the total, ahead of Korean-language documentary films ($4.9M) and Chinese-language documentary films ($4.7M).
2016 Documentary Box Office by Language
- English $114.2M141 films · #1 A Beautiful Planet (2016)
-
Korean $4.9M7 films · #1 Spy Nation (2016) -
Chinese $4.7M3 films · #1 'Til Madness Do Us Part (2016) - Italian $2.5M6 films · #1 Black and White Stripes: The Juventus Story (2016)
-
Norwegian $2.1M2 films · #1 Doing Good (2016) -
Finnish $1.9M3 films · #1 Tale of a Lake (2016) -
German $1.8M7 films · #1 Rammstein: Paris (2016) -
Spanish $1.5M13 films · #1 Our Last Tango (2016) -
Ukrainian $943.1K2 films · #1 Landslide (2016) -
Basque $837.6K1 film · #1 Ghost Ship (2016)
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 2016: 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 211 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing documentary movie in 2016?
A Beautiful Planet (2016) leads with $26.3M worldwide, $15.7M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Kevin Hart: What Now? (2016) at $23.6M and The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years (2016) at $13.7M.
How much did documentary movies released in 2016 earn?
211 documentary films released in 2016 report a worldwide gross, $149.8M in all, or $709.7K per film on average. 2015 releases took $203.5M.
How many documentary movies released in 2016 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, A Beautiful Planet (2016), earned $26.3M.
How is the 2016 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 2016. 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 2016 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.