#1 of 238 #1 documentary movie of 2018
2018 · Music, Documentary
$39M worldwide · 15% of the chart's total
$365.6K US & Canada · <1% $38.7M elsewhere · 99%
Documentary box office · 2018
Documentary Box Office 2018: Highest-Grossing Documentary Movies
Believer (2018) is the highest-grossing documentary movie released in 2018, with $39M worldwide, ahead of Free Solo (2018) at $29.4M and Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018) at $22.8M. 238 documentary films released in 2018 report a worldwide gross, $257.3M in all, 53% of it from the US & Canada. That is up 49% on 2017, whose releases took $172.8M. By language, English leads with $202M across 163 documentary releases.
- 2018 releases with a gross
- 238
- combined worldwide
- $257.3M
- Believer (2018), the #1
- $39M
- vs 2017
- +49%
#1 of 238 Top 5
What Were the Biggest Documentary Hits of 2018?
Believer (2018) leads with $39M, 15% of the total. The top 5 together took $133.3M, 52% of what all 238 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 2018, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Ranks 1 to 50 of 238. Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 2018.
- 1 Jun 15, 2018 US and Canada: $365.6K Rest of the world: $38.7M Worldwide: $39M
- 2 Sep 28, 2018 US and Canada: $17.5M Rest of the world: $11.8M Worldwide: $29.4M
- 3 Jun 8, 2018 US and Canada: $22.8M Rest of the world: $9K Worldwide: $22.8M
- 4 Dec 17, 2018 US and Canada: $18M Rest of the world: $3.7M Worldwide: $21.7M
- 5 Nov 15, 2018 US and Canada: $4.2M Rest of the world: $16.1M Worldwide: $20.3M
- 6
May 4, 2018 US and Canada: $14.1M Rest of the world: $423.9K Worldwide: $14.5M - 7
Jun 29, 2018 US and Canada: $12.3M Rest of the world: $1.1M Worldwide: $13.4M - 8
May 18, 2018 US and Canada: $2M Rest of the world: $6.6M Worldwide: $8.6M - 9
Apr 6, 2018 US and Canada: $7.6M Rest of the world: $248K Worldwide: $7.8M - 10
Nov 23, 2018 US and Canada: $4.5M Rest of the world: $3.3M Worldwide: $7.8M - 11
Sep 21, 2018 US and Canada: $6.4M Rest of the world: $321.9K Worldwide: $6.7M - 12
Aug 3, 2018 US and Canada: $5.9M Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.9M - 13
Jul 6, 2018 US and Canada: $3M Rest of the world: $1.6M Worldwide: $4.6M - 14
Apr 12, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $4.1M - 15
Sep 21, 2018 US and Canada: $889.3K Rest of the world: $2.3M Worldwide: $3.2M - 16
Nov 2, 2018 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: $1.6M Worldwide: $2.9M - 17
Sep 7, 2018 US and Canada: $572.5K Rest of the world: $2.3M Worldwide: $2.8M - 18
Jul 20, 2018 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: $1.4M Worldwide: $2.7M - 19
March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step (2018)Mar 23, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.3M
Mar 23, 2018 · French · Family, Documentary $2.3M worldwide - 20
May 11, 2018 US and Canada: $365.4K Rest of the world: $1.8M Worldwide: $2.1M - 21
Dec 21, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $2.1M - 22
Nov 26, 2018 US and Canada: $726.7K Rest of the world: $880K Worldwide: $1.6M - 23
Sep 14, 2018 US and Canada: $970K Rest of the world: $475.5K Worldwide: $1.4M - 24
Apr 6, 2018 US and Canada: $951.1K Rest of the world: $227.9K Worldwide: $1.2M - 25
Dec 6, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $1.1M - 26
Mar 1, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $991.2K - 27
Jul 6, 2018 US and Canada: $117.5K Rest of the world: $867.3K Worldwide: $984.8K - 28
Jan 26, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $977.6K - 29
Feb 27, 2018 US and Canada: $918.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $918.1K - 30
Jan 25, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $853.5K - 31
Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams (2018)Nov 14, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $812.5K
Nov 14, 2018 · English · Music, Documentary $812.5K worldwide - 32
Aug 31, 2018 US and Canada: $578.7K Rest of the world: $185K Worldwide: $763.7K - 33
Sep 7, 2018 US and Canada: $360.9K Rest of the world: $384K Worldwide: $744.9K - 34
Jul 15, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $722.6K - 35
Mar 16, 2018 US and Canada: $5.2K Rest of the world: $716.8K Worldwide: $722K - 36
Klimt & Schiele: Eros and Psyche (2018)Oct 22, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $690.1K
Oct 22, 2018 · Italian · Documentary, History $690.1K worldwide - 37
Apr 13, 2018 US and Canada: $375.2K Rest of the world: $257.2K Worldwide: $632.4K - 38
Sep 21, 2018 US and Canada: $626.3K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $626.3K - 39
Oct 19, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $500.6K - 40
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (2018)Jul 27, 2018 US and Canada: $461.7K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $461.7K Jul 27, 2018 · English · Documentary $461.7K worldwide - 41
Mar 9, 2018 US and Canada: $400.5K Rest of the world: $51.8K Worldwide: $452.4K - 42
Mar 23, 2018 US and Canada: $382.5K Rest of the world: $52K Worldwide: $434.4K - 43
What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2018)Oct 12, 2018 US and Canada: $382.5K Rest of the world: $52K Worldwide: $434.4K Oct 12, 2018 · English · Documentary $434.4K worldwide - 44
Apr 29, 2018 US and Canada: $285.9K Rest of the world: $144.5K Worldwide: $430.4K - 45
Oct 11, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $428.3K - 46
Jun 29, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $422.7K - 47
Jun 8, 2018 US and Canada: $59K Rest of the world: $347.1K Worldwide: $406.1K - 48
Jan 17, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $353.6K - 49
Mar 19, 2018 US and Canada: $316.1K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $316.1K - 50
Oct 31, 2018 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $313.6K
US & Canada vs the world
Where Did the Money Come From in 2018?
Of the top 10, Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018) earned the biggest share at home (100% in the US & Canada), while Believer (2018) made 99% of its gross abroad. Across all 238 films, $136.4M (53%) came from the US & Canada.
- 1 Believer (2018) $39M $365.6K US & Canada · <1% $38.7M elsewhere · 99%
- 2 Free Solo (2018) $29.4M $17.5M US & Canada · 60% $11.8M elsewhere · 40%
- 3 Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018) $22.8M $22.8M US & Canada · 100% $9K elsewhere · <1%
- 4 They Shall Not Grow Old (2018) $21.7M $18M US & Canada · 83% $3.7M elsewhere · 17%
- 5 Burn the Stage: The Movie (2018) $20.3M $4.2M US & Canada · 21% $16.1M elsewhere · 79%
- 6 RBG (2018) $14.5M $14.1M US & Canada · 97% $423.9K elsewhere · 3%
- 7 Three Identical Strangers (2018) $13.4M $12.3M US & Canada · 92% $1.1M elsewhere · 8%
- 8 Pope Francis - A Man of His Word (2018) $8.6M $2M US & Canada · 23% $6.6M elsewhere · 77%
- 9 Pandas (2018) $7.8M $7.6M US & Canada · 97% $248K elsewhere · 3%
- 10 Amazing Grace (2018) $7.8M $4.5M US & Canada · 57% $3.3M elsewhere · 43%
Gross bands
How Many 2018 Releases Crossed $100 Million?
None of the 238 films reached $100M. 231 films, 97% of the list, earned under $10M. Each band shows its films and its share of the $257.3M total.
63% 37%
- $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, 3% of the list $161.2M · 63% of the gross
- Under $10M 231 films, 97% of the list $96.1M · 37% of the gross
By release month
Which Month of 2018 Earned the Most?
June releases took the most, $77.1M from 21 films, led by Believer (2018). February was the quietest month ($1.2M). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Per Fugelli: Siste resept (2018) $3.1M Per Fugelli: Siste resept (2018)
- February Feb Kirk Cameron: Connect (2018) $1.2M Kirk Cameron: Connect (2018)
- March Mar March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step (2018) $6.2M March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step (2018)
- April Apr Pandas (2018) $15.4M Pandas (2018)
- May May RBG (2018) $26.6M RBG (2018)
- June Jun Believer (2018) $77.1M Believer (2018)
- July Jul Whitney (2018) $10.3M Whitney (2018)
- August Aug Death of a Nation (2018) $7.6M Death of a Nation (2018)
- September Sep Free Solo (2018) $45.9M Free Solo (2018)
- October Oct Klimt & Schiele: Eros and Psyche (2018) $4.2M Klimt & Schiele: Eros and Psyche (2018)
- November Nov Burn the Stage: The Movie (2018) $34.5M Burn the Stage: The Movie (2018)
- December Dec They Shall Not Grow Old (2018) $25.2M They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)
Last 10 years
How Does 2018 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 2013 earned the most: $696.2M from 180 films, led by Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013). 2018 took $257.3M.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 111 films | 111 | $401.6M | – | 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 |
| 2017 240 films · +15% | 240 | $172.8M | +15% | Reset (2017) $30M |
| 2018 238 films · +49% | 238 | $257.3M | +49% | Believer (2018) $39M |
By language
Which Languages Do the Biggest Documentary Movies Speak in 2018?
English-language documentary films took $202M across 163 films, 79% of the total, ahead of Korean-language documentary films ($25.2M) and French-language documentary films ($5.3M).
2018 Documentary Box Office by Language
- English $202M163 films · #1 Believer (2018)
-
Korean $25.2M6 films · #1 Burn the Stage: The Movie (2018) - French $5.3M8 films · #1 March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step (2018)
- Italian $1.9M4 films · #1 Santiago, Italia (2018)
-
Dutch $1.1M2 films · #1 Wild Amsterdam (2018) -
Japanese $1M2 films · #1 Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda (2018) -
Spanish $978.1K14 films · #1 Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle (2018) -
Norwegian $977.6K1 film · #1 Per Fugelli: Siste resept (2018) -
Greek $853.5K1 film · #1 1968 (2018) -
Cantonese $428.3K1 film · #1 Distinction (2018)
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 2018: 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 238 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing documentary movie in 2018?
Believer (2018) leads with $39M worldwide, $365.6K of it in the US & Canada. Next come Free Solo (2018) at $29.4M and Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018) at $22.8M.
How much did documentary movies released in 2018 earn?
238 documentary films released in 2018 report a worldwide gross, $257.3M in all, or $1.1M per film on average. 2017 releases took $172.8M.
How many documentary movies released in 2018 made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Believer (2018), earned $39M.
How is the 2018 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 2018. 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 2018 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.