The Top 25 Highest-Grossing Documentary Film Openings

Opening weekend domestic gross: $1,265,572

Directed by Kevin Macdonald, “Whitney” chronicles the life and career of singer Whitney Houston.

The documentary uses archival footage and interviews with people close to Houston to explore her rise to fame, personal struggles, and her death in 2012.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $1,412,213

The documentary, directed by Andrew Solt, looks back on John Lennon’s life and career through archival footage, home movies, interviews, and recordings.

It covers Lennon’s time with the Beatles, his solo work, and his relationship with Yoko Ono.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $1,506,802

Directed by Jack Haley Jr., “That’s Dancing!” chronicles how dance evolved in Hollywood films through clips from musicals.

It features performances by Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, and more.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $1,574,787

David LaChapelle directed the documentary that focuses on the different dance styles across Los Angeles, including krumping and clowning.

It follows dancers who use dance as an outlet in South Central LA.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $2,160,460

Directed by Thomas Balmès, the documentary follows four infants from birth through their first year in Namibia, Mongolia, Japan, and the US.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $2,282,593

Directed by Alastair Fothergill and Jeff Wilson, the Disneynature documentary, narrated by Ed Helms, follows a penguin as he searches for a partner and starts a family in Antarctica.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $2,300,000

“The Real Cancun” follows 16 American college students on spring break in Mexico.

The documentary captures the students as they party, hook up, argue, and more during a 10-day stay in Cancún’s Hotel Zone.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $2,356,522

Conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza co-directed “Death of a Nation” with Bruce Schooley.

The documentary uses reenactments and interviews to argue that Donald Trump is comparable to Abraham Lincoln and that the Democratic Party has historical ties to racism and fascism.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $2,509,808

Produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the documentary follows six church members around the world, including the US, Costa Rica, and Nepal, to depict their daily lives and beliefs.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $2,970,848

Directed by Nathan Frankowski, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” challenges the teaching of evolution and includes interviews with scientists, writers, and religious figures.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $3,008,563

Director Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 11/9,” a follow-up to his 2004 documentary “Fahrenheit 9/11,” examines the political climate surrounding Donald Trump’s election and presidency.

The documentary ranges from the Flint water crisis to the Parkland school shooting and criticism of Democratic leaders.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $3,409,643

Comedian Bill Maher travels the world questioning believers, clergy members, and religious institutions in “Religulous,” directed by Larry Charles.

The documentary takes a comedic and confrontational look at Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and other religions.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $4,009,866

Directed by Andrew J. Kuehn, “Terror in the Aisles” dives into the history of horror cinema.

Actors Donald Pleasence and Nancy Allen introduce clips from films including “Psycho,” “The Exorcist,” “Halloween,” and “The Shining,” while discussing why audiences enjoy being scared.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $4,577,861

“Monkey Kingdom” follows Maya, a toque macaque, as she raises her son within the Sri Lankan jungle.

Mark Linfield and Alastair Fothergill directed the Disneynature documentary, narrated by Tina Fey.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $4,632,847

Director Lauren Lazin’s documentary examines the life of Tupac Shakur through archive footage, home videos, interviews, and Shakur’s own voice recordings.

The documentary lets Shakur’s recordings guide the audience through his childhood, music career, activism, legal troubles, and his death in 1996.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $4,776,267

“Bears” follows a brown bear mother as she emerges from hibernation in Alaska with her two cubs.

Directed by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey and narrated by John C. Reilly, the Disneynature documentary tracks the family’s search for food and protection as they face wolves, rival bears, and the wilderness.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $4,790,367

Director Lu Chuan takes viewers across China’s mountains and forests in “Born in China,” a Disneynature documentary narrated by John Krasinski.

It follows a giant panda mother and cub, a golden snub-nosed monkey family, and a snow leopard raising her young in the highlands.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $5,051,950

“After Death” interviews people who say they had near-death experiences and returned to life.

The documentary, co-directed by Stephen Gray and Chris Radtke, also includes interviews with doctors, scientists, and others about consciousness, death, and the possibility of an afterlife.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $6,003,200

Set in Kenya, the Disneynature documentary, directed by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey, focuses on a family of lions and a cheetah raising her cubs.

It was nominated for documentary awards by the Environmental Media Awards and the Phoenix Film Critics Society.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $6,058,958

“Oceans,” directed by Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud, is a portrait of marine life around the world.

The documentary is largely filmed underwater, showcasing whales, sharks, schools of fish, and more.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $7,161,605

Directed by Brett Ratner, “Melania” follows first lady Melania Trump during the 20 days before Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration in January 2025.

The film offers behind-the-scenes footage of her preparations to return to the White House, including meetings, travel, and intimate moments among family members.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $8,825,760

Disneynature directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield directed “Earth,” which follows polar bears, elephants, and humpback whales across the different seasons.

The documentary was the first release from Disneynature in the US and was among the highest-grossing nature documentaries at the time.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $10,673,748

“Chimpanzee” centers on a young chimp living in the forests of Ivory Coast who is orphaned after a rival troop attacks his group.

The Disneynature documentary was directed by Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, with Tim Allen as the narrator.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $15,601,418

Directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, the documentary offers a revealing portrait of Elizabeth Holmes, who was convicted of fraud and conspiracy connected to her fallen company, Theranos.

Holmes allowed the directors into her life during the 34 days before she reported to federal prison to serve an 11-year sentence. It’s receiving wide critical acclaim and sparking online debate about its portrayal of Holmes.

Opening weekend domestic gross: $23,920,637

Director Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” takes a close look at President George W. Bush, the September 11 attacks, the war in Iraq, and the connections between American political and business leaders.

The documentary won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and became the highest-grossing traditional documentary in US box-office history.