The Prime 25 Highest-Grossing Documentary Film Openings

Opening weekend home gross: $1,265,572

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

The documentary makes use of archival footage and interviews with folks near Houston to discover her rise to fame, private struggles, and her loss of life in 2012.

Opening weekend home gross: $1,412,213

The documentary, directed by Andrew Solt, seems again on John Lennon’s life and profession by way of archival footage, dwelling films, interviews, and recordings.

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

Opening weekend home gross: $1,506,802

Directed by Jack Haley Jr., “That’s Dancing!” chronicles how dance developed in Hollywood movies by way of clips from musicals.

It options performances by Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, and extra.

Opening weekend home gross: $1,574,787

David LaChapelle directed the documentary that focuses on the completely different dance types throughout Los Angeles, together with krumping and clowning.

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

Opening weekend home gross: $2,160,460

Directed by Thomas Balmès, the documentary follows 4 infants from delivery by way of their first 12 months in Namibia, Mongolia, Japan, and the US.

Opening weekend home 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 associate and begins a household in Antarctica.

Opening weekend home gross: $2,300,000

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

The documentary captures the scholars as they get together, hook up, argue, and extra throughout a 10-day keep in Cancún’s Hotel Zone.

Opening weekend home gross: $2,356,522

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

The documentary makes use of reenactments and interviews to argue that Donald Trump is corresponding to Abraham Lincoln and that the Democratic Party has historic ties to racism and fascism.

Opening weekend home gross: $2,509,808

Produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the documentary follows six church members across the global community, together with the US, Costa Rica, and Nepal, to depict their day by day lives and beliefs.

Opening weekend home gross: $2,970,848

Directed by Nathan Frankowski, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” challenges the instructing of evolution and contains interviews with scientists, writers, and spiritual figures.

Opening weekend home gross: $3,008,563

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

The documentary ranges from the Flint water disaster to the Parkland faculty taking pictures and criticism of Democratic leaders.

Opening weekend home gross: $3,409,643

Comedian Bill Maher travels the global community questioning believers, clergy members, and spiritual establishments in “Religulous,” directed by Larry Charles.

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

Opening weekend home gross: $4,009,866

Directed by Andrew J. Kuehn, “Terror within the Aisles” dives into the historical past of horror cinema.

Actors Donald Pleasence and Nancy Allen introduce clips from movies together with “Psycho,” “The Exorcist,” “Halloween,” and “The Shining,” whereas discussing why audiences take pleasure in being scared.

Opening weekend home gross: $4,577,861

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

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

Opening weekend home gross: $4,632,847

Director Lauren Lazin’s documentary examines the lifetime of Tupac Shakur by way of archive footage, dwelling movies, interviews, and Shakur’s personal voice recordings.

The documentary lets Shakur’s recordings information the viewers by way of his childhood, music profession, activism, authorized troubles, and his loss of life in 1996.

Opening weekend home gross: $4,776,267

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

Directed by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey and narrated by John C. Reilly, the Disneynature documentary tracks the household’s seek for meals and safety as they face wolves, rival bears, and the wilderness.

Opening weekend home gross: $4,790,367

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

It follows a large panda mom and cub, a golden snub-nosed monkey household, and a snow leopard elevating her younger within the highlands.

Opening weekend home gross: $5,051,950

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

The documentary, co-directed by Stephen Gray and Chris Radtke, additionally contains interviews with medical doctors, scientists, and others about consciousness, loss of life, and the potential of an afterlife.

Opening weekend home gross: $6,003,200

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

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

Opening weekend home gross: $6,058,958

“Oceans,” directed by Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud, is a portrait of marine life across the global community.

The documentary is basically filmed underwater, showcasing whales, sharks, faculties of fish, and extra.

Opening weekend home gross: $7,161,605

Directed by Brett Ratner, “Melania” follows first girl Melania Trump in the course of the 20 days earlier than Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration in January 2025.

The movie presents behind-the-scenes footage of her preparations to return to the White House, together with conferences, journey, and intimate moments amongst relations.

Opening weekend home gross: $8,825,760

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

The documentary was the primary launch from Disneynature within the US and was among the many highest-grossing nature documentaries on the time.

Opening weekend home gross: $10,673,748

“Chimpanzee” facilities on a younger chimp dwelling within the forests of Ivory Coast who’s orphaned after a rival troop assaults his group.

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

Opening weekend home gross: $15,601,418

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

Holmes allowed the administrators into her life in the course of the 34 days earlier than she reported to federal jail to serve an 11-year sentence. It’s receiving broad critical acclaim and sparking online debate about its portrayal of Holmes.

Opening weekend home gross: $23,920,637

Director Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” takes an in depth have a look at President George W. Bush, the September 11 assaults, the conflict in Iraq, and the connections between American political and enterprise leaders.

The documentary received the Palme d’Or on the Cannes Film Festival and have become the highest-grossing conventional documentary in US box-office historical past.