# The highest-grossing documentaries of all time

Michael Jackson's This Is It, Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets, Fahrenheit 9/11, March of the Penguins and the big IMAX documentaries: the documentaries with the biggest box office ever, according to Wikipedia's list (May 2025).

- 300 votes · 20 items
- Jan 10, 2026 · gastonsalta
- https://even.best/en/l/5060/the-highest-grossing-documentaries-of-all-time

## Top 20

1. **Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009)** (28 · ▲29 ▼1) — $267,983,588 gross.
2. **Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets (1984)** (21 · ▲23 ▼2) — $239,000,000 gross (IMAX film).
3. **Antarctica (1983)** (19 · ▲19 ▼0) — $103,000,000 gross.
4. **Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)** (14 · ▲17 ▼3) — $222,446,882 gross.
5. **Oceans (2009)** (14 · ▲15 ▼1) — $86,787,530 gross.
6. **In Search of Noah's Ark (1976)** (13 · ▲14 ▼1) — $55,700,000 gross.
7. **March of the Penguins (La Marche de l'empereur) (2005)** (12 · ▲15 ▼3) — $133,276,359 gross.
8. **Space Station 3D (2002)** (11 · ▲14 ▼3) — $128,363,881 gross (IMAX film).
9. **Hubble (2010)** (10 · ▲11 ▼1) — $74,249,729 gross (IMAX film).
10. **Everest (1998)** (9 · ▲13 ▼4) — $127,990,128 gross (IMAX film).
11. **To Fly! (1976)** (9 · ▲12 ▼3) — $120,700,000 gross (IMAX film).
12. **Earth (2009)** (8 · ▲10 ▼2) — $108,975,160 gross.
13. **Deep Sea 3D (2006)** (8 · ▲9 ▼1) — $105,779,761 gross (IMAX film).
14. **The Living Sea (1995)** (8 · ▲9 ▼1) — $64,800,000 gross (IMAX film).
15. **The Dream Is Alive (1985)** (7 · ▲9 ▼2) — $70,000,000 gross (IMAX film).
16. **To the Limit (1989)** (7 · ▲9 ▼2) — $53,000,000 gross (IMAX film).
17. **Antarctica (1991)** (6 · ▲9 ▼3) — $66,070,389 gross (IMAX film).
18. **Amazing China (Li hai le, wo de guo) (2018)** (4 · ▲8 ▼4) — $72,506,344 gross.
19. **Dolphins (2000)** (4 · ▲7 ▼3) — $69,600,000 gross (IMAX film).
20. **Bowling for Columbine (2002)** (0 · ▲4 ▼4) — $58,008,423 gross.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.