Highest Grossing Documentaries of All Time

TV host and comedian Bill Maher channels his views on religion into this surprisingly open-minded — but nevertheless critical — documentary. Interviewing people from various backgrounds in different locations, the film paints a broad portrait of modern faith without resorting to outright mockery.

Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock became an overnight sensation with the release of this blockbuster documentary. It finds him eating nothing but McDonald’s food over the course of 30 day and suffering all kinds of negative health consequences as a result. An alternate title could have been, “Well, Duh.”

One of the greatest documentaries of all time follows two inner-city Chicago athletes as they become high school basketball phenoms. Their subsequent pursuit of playing for the NBA isn’t nearly as pre-determined as it might seem. One doesn’t have to care about sports to partake in this utterly emotional journey.

Documentarian Michael Moore has been examining and excoriating American capitalism since his acclaimed feature debut, 1989’s “Roger & Me.” In this top-grossing effort, Moore aims to show that corporate greed is still alive and well in the modern globalist marketplace. It also searches for positive solutions to economic inequality.

Follow rock climber Alex Honnold as he attempts a record-breaking free solo ascent (i.e. no rope or gear) in this thrilling adventure. Writing for the Chicago Reader, critic Andrea Gronvall called it “as much a celebration of U.S. parks and wilderness as it is a record of one of the most audacious feats in the history of mountaineering.” It won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

This Oscar-nominated documentary spans four years and seven continents as it tracks the unique migration patterns of several bird species. It’s dedicated to legendary French ornithologist Jean Dorst, who passed away when the film was still in production.

This Disneynature documentary centers around the real-life experiences of lions and cheetahs. It takes place in the heart of the African Savannah and features narration from actor Samuel L. Jackson. A portion of its proceeds was donated to the African Wildlife Foundation.

Another hit from Disneynature, this incredible documentary tells the story of a Sri Lankan monkey named Maya and her troop. Forced out of their home, the monkeys must learn to survive in a strange new environment. Tina Fey narrates.

Director Peter Jackson uncovered never-before-seen-footage when making this WWI documentary about the experiences of those who were there. Through colorization, sound effects, computer restoration, and other techniques, it brings the past to life in stunning detail.

From the same team behind “African Cats” comes this Disneynature documentary about the life of an Alaskan bear family. Against the backdrop of epic and unpredictable wilderness, a mother and her cubs struggle to survive.

This French documentary brings viewers deep under ocean water to explore the various aquatic life therein. As thrilling shots of the natural world give way to images of man made destruction, viewers are left to ponder their own relationship to the planet.

This acclaimed documentary examines the life and times of iconic children’s TV show host Fred Rogers, better known as Mr. Rogers. It reveals a patient and kind-hearted man, whose message of empathy and acceptance extended well beyond the intended demographic.

Michael Moore followed “Fahrenheit 9/11” with this bleak expose about America’s health care system. It takes the director across the country and then to places such as Canada and Europe, where medical care isn’t simply another capitalist enterprise.

One in a string of successful Disneynature releases, this documentary introduces a lovable chimp named Oscar and his rambunctious cohort. Its saccharine tone and narrative ambitions might bely a harsher reality, but who are viewers to resist?

Presidential nominee turned environmental activist Al Gore rings the alarm bells on climate change in this pivotal documentary. If not an early turning point, it was certainly a wakeup call in the fight for an eco-friendly future. “It grabs you like a thriller with an ending that will haunt your dreams,” wrote critic Peter Travers for Rolling Stone.

The country was still reeling from the Columbine High School massacre when Michael Moore delivered this zeitgeist-capturing documentary. Putting American gun culture in its proverbial crosshairs, the film targets everyone from Kmart executives to the NRA. It won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

A surprise smash among thrill-seekers, Eric Karson’s documentary captures two years’ worth of various off-road competitions. It features interviews with some of the country’s biggest racing stars along with a soundtrack of popular songs.

Right wing political commentator and filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza envisions a catastrophic outcome of Obama’s reelection in this 2012 documentary. It opened in a single Texas theater and eventually went nationwide to lucrative box office results.

Pop legend Michael Jackson was preparing for an epic final concert series at London’s O2 Arena before he passed away in June of 2009. Featuring rehearsals, auditions, and other behind-the-scenes footage, this documentary attempts to approximate the experience. For most of his loyal fans, it made for a fitting send-off.

This 1978 documentary, which tackles the subject of near-death experiences, has been alternately described as a “​​death-sploitation flick.” Potentially riveting (or not) at the time of its release, its pseudo-scientific posturing has aged like sour milk.

As the Antarctic summer draws to a close, emperor penguins march across a frozen tundra for their annual mating ritual. French documentarian Luc Jacquet captures the epic journey in all its triumph and tragedy in this blockbuster film. Morgan Freeman narrates the English version as well as its lesser-known sequel.

Long before the current obsession with aliens, there came this Oscar-nominated documentary from German director Harald Reinl. Based on a book of the same name, it explores the theory that extraterrestrials provided the early foundations for religion, art, and civilization.

Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl chronicles his archaeological expedition to the Galapagos Islands in this travel documentary. It came on the heels of his famous journey across the Pacific aboard a pae-pae raft, as depicted in the 1950 Oscar-winner “Kon-Tiki.”

Left-wing activist, Michael Moore’s controversial documentary revisits the terrorist attack of 9/1 and the war campaigns that followed. It explores various geopolitical motives and theories and doubles as a scathing takedown of the former President George W. Bush and his administration. One-sided perhaps, but it’s nevertheless quite revealing.

The highest-grossing documentary ever made (when adjusted for inflation) earned a greater profit than the famous concert it depicted. Witness three impactful days of peace, love, and music, complete with naked hippies and thrilling live performances. A director’s cut was released in 1994 with nearly 40 minutes of extra footage.