#1 of 368 Highest-grossing Arabic-language movie ever
2018 · Drama
$64.4M worldwide
$1.7M US & Canada · 3% $62.8M elsewhere · 97%
Arabic box office
Arabic Box Office: Highest-Grossing Arabic Movies of All Time & 2026 So Far
Capernaum (2018) is the highest-grossing Arabic-language movie in our database, with $64.4M worldwide, ahead of Buried Secrets (2009) ($25.5M) and Lyd (2024) ($20.6M). 368 Arabic-language films report a worldwide gross, $368.8M in all, 7% of it from the US & Canada. In 2026 so far, The President's Cake (2026) leads with $2.9M; 7 releases took $8.6M, up 56% on the same days of 2025 ($5.5M).
- Arabic films with a gross
- 368
- combined worldwide, all time
- $368.8M
- from 2026 releases so far
- $8.6M
- vs the same days of 2025
- +56%
#1 of 368 All-time records
What Are the 10 Highest-Grossing Arabic Movies Ever?
Capernaum (2018) leads with $64.4M, $38.9M ahead of Buried Secrets (2009). The top 10 took $183.2M together, 50% of what all 368 films earned. 3 of them came out in 2016 or later.
- 1 Dec 14, 2018 US and Canada: $1.7M Rest of the world: $62.8M Worldwide: $64.4M
- 2
Sep 4, 2009 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $25.5M - 3
Apr 26, 2024 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $20.6M - 4
Apr 20, 2010 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $16.6M - 5
Feb 8, 2008 US and Canada: $3.1M Rest of the world: $11.5M Worldwide: $14.6M - 6
Feb 1, 2008 US and Canada: $1.1M Rest of the world: $13.2M Worldwide: $14.2M - 7
May 11, 2012 US and Canada: $532K Rest of the world: $7M Worldwide: $7.5M - 8
Apr 17, 2009 US and Canada: $569.7K Rest of the world: $6.8M Worldwide: $7.4M - 9
Sep 13, 2013 US and Canada: $1.3M Rest of the world: $5.2M Worldwide: $6.5M - 10
Dec 17, 2025 US and Canada: $955.7K Rest of the world: $4.8M Worldwide: $5.8M
2026 so far
What Are the Biggest Arabic Hits of 2026 So Far?
The President's Cake (2026) leads with $2.9M, 33% of the total. The top 5 together took $8.4M, 99% of what all 7 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
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Number 1 -
Number 2 -
Number 3 -
Number 4 -
Number 5
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
By release month
Which Month of 2026 Was Best for Arabic Movies?
February releases took the most, $5.7M from 2 films, led by The President's Cake (2026). June was the quietest month ($112.9K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan All That's Left of You (2026) $979.4K All That's Left of You (2026)
- February Feb The President's Cake (2026) $5.7M The President's Cake (2026)
- March Mar No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- April Apr Eagles of the Republic (2026) $1.5M Eagles of the Republic (2026)
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- June Jun Bouchra (2026) $112.9K Bouchra (2026)
- July Jul A Sad and Beautiful World (2026) $311.8K A Sad and Beautiful World (2026)
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – so far No reported grosses
Biggest years
Which Years Had the Highest-Grossing Arabic Movies?
2018 releases earned the most: $70.6M from 21 films, led by Capernaum (2018). The 10 biggest years, each linking to its chart.
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 21 films | 21 | $70.6M | Capernaum (2018) $64.4M |
| 2009 18 films | 18 | $39.6M | Buried Secrets (2009) $25.5M |
| 2008 10 films | 10 | $34.7M | The Band's Visit (2008) $14.6M |
| 2024 19 films | 19 | $27.1M | Lyd (2024) $20.6M |
| 2010 6 films | 6 | $19.3M | Safari (2010) $16.6M |
| 2012 12 films | 12 | $16.4M | Where Do We Go Now? (2012) $7.5M |
| 2023 25 films | 25 | $15.2M | Cairo Conspiracy (2023) $4.9M |
| 2019 24 films | 24 | $14.4M | The Passage (2019) $2.6M |
| 2025 13 films | 13 | $14.3M | The Voice of Hind Rajab (2025) $5.8M |
| 2013 11 films | 11 | $13.8M | Wadjda (2013) $6.5M |
By genre
Which Arabic Genres Earned the Most?
Drama took $256.8M across 217 films, 70% of the total, ahead of Comedy ($114.6M) and Romance ($47.7M). A film counts once for each of its genres.
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Drama $256.8M217 films · #1 Capernaum (2018) -
Comedy $114.6M132 films · #1 The Band's Visit (2008) -
Romance $47.7M46 films · #1 Caramel (2008) -
Mystery $29.5M11 films · #1 Buried Secrets (2009) -
Thriller $29.2M41 films · #1 Cairo Conspiracy (2023) -
Documentary $29.1M44 films · #1 Lyd (2024) -
Action $25.2M32 films · #1 The Ambush (2021) -
Sci-Fi $22M4 films · #1 Lyd (2024) -
Crime $18.5M30 films · #1 The Nile Hilton Incident (2017) -
Music $18.1M14 films · #1 The Band's Visit (2008)
Archive
Arabic Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1965 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2018 leads with $70.6M, led by Capernaum (2018).
2020s 7 years · $84.4M
2010s 10 years · $160.9M
- 2019 $14.4M #1 The Passage (2019)
- 2018 $70.6M #1 Capernaum (2018)
- 2017 $6.6M #1 The Nile Hilton Incident (2017)
- 2016 $4.4M #1 Under Table (2016)
- 2015 $3.9M #1 Much Loved (2015)
- 2014 $7.3M #1 Vitamin (2014)
- 2013 $13.8M #1 Wadjda (2013)
- 2012 $16.4M #1 Where Do We Go Now? (2012)
- 2011 $4.1M #1 When Pigs Have Wings (2011)
- 2010 $19.3M #1 Safari (2010)
2000s 10 years · $120.9M
- 2009 $39.6M #1 Buried Secrets (2009)
- 2008 $34.7M #1 The Band's Visit (2008)
- 2007 $4.1M #1 Omar & Salma (2007)
- 2006 $11.9M #1 The Yacoubian Building (2006)
- 2005 $11.8M #1 Paradise Now (2005)
- 2004 $8.5M #1 Okal (2004)
- 2003 $5.3M #1 Divine Intervention (2003)
- 2002 $3.5M #1 Mafia (2002)
- 2001 $62.9K #1 Fatma (2001)
- 2000 $1.4M #1 Backstage (2000)
1980s 1 year · $1.3K
1970s 1 year · $309
1960s 2 years · $994.7K
Other languages
Compare Arabic With Another Language
Arabic has 368 films with a gross and $368.8M in all; each of these 16 languages has the same all-time and yearly charts to compare with.
English 
French 
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Korean 
Chinese 
Hindi 
German 
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Dutch FAQ
Arabic Box Office: Questions & Answers
The Arabic charts in short: the all-time #1, 2026's leader, the billion-dollar hits and the biggest year, answered from the same 368 films as the charts.
What is the highest-grossing Arabic-language movie of all time?
Capernaum (2018) leads with $64.4M worldwide, $1.7M of it in the US & Canada. Next come Buried Secrets (2009) ($25.5M) and Lyd (2024) ($20.6M).
All-time chart What is the highest-grossing Arabic-language movie of 2026 so far?
The President's Cake (2026) leads 2026 with $2.9M worldwide, 33% of the $8.6M that its 7 releases report. Films of this year are still earning, so the order can change.
2026 chart How much have Arabic-language movies earned at the box office?
368 Arabic-language films report a worldwide gross, $368.8M in all, or $1M per film on average. $27.3M (7%) came from the US & Canada.
How many Arabic-language movies have made $1 billion?
None. The biggest, Capernaum (2018), earned $64.4M.
Which year was the biggest for Arabic-language movies?
2018 releases earned the most: $70.6M from 21 films, led by Capernaum (2018).
2018 chart How are Arabic box office numbers counted?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films, is left out rather than shown as a fact, and so are films whose stored language is most likely wrong.