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The 25 biggest documentary film openings of all time
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- The Elizabeth Holmes documentary "You Can See Everything" earned $15.6 million in its debut weekend.
- That makes it the second-highest-grossing traditional docufilm opening weekend of all time.
- Business Insider compiled the 25 biggest documentary opening weekends using Box Office Mojo data.
Something unusual is happening right now: a documentary is drawing crowds to theaters at a level rarely seen for the genre.
The Elizabeth Holmes documentary "You Can See Everything," directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, grossed $15.6 million in the US and Canada during its opening weekend in October.
That makes it the second-biggest theatrical docufilm debut ever, behind director Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," which saw a nearly $24 million opening in 2004. "You Can See Everything" was filmed in the month before Holmes reported to prison in May 2023 after she was convicted of defrauding investors in connection with her now-defunct blood-testing company, Theranos.
Theatrical documentary premieres have become rarer since the streaming era began, as the genre has found a major audience on streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. Besides the new Holmes docufilm, only two others on the list were from this decade: "Melania" debuted to $7.1 million in January 2026, and "After Death," a documentary about near-death experiences, opened to $5 million in 2023.
Still, theatrical docufilms were once a cultural force, especially in the 2000s and 2010s, when a wave of nature-, political-, and celebrity-focused ones premiered in theaters to much fanfare.
Here are the 25 highest-grossing traditional documentary film openings at the box office, using data from Box Office Mojo. Several hit concert docufilms, like "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" and "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never," earned more but were omitted from this list to focus on traditional nonfiction documentaries.
Theo Wargo/Getty Images
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.
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
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.
Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images
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.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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.
Jerritt Clark/WireImage
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.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Disney Studios
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.
Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
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.
Greg Doherty/Getty Images
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.
Photo by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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.
Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images
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.
Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Briarcliff Entertainment
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.
Malcolm Taylor/Getty Images
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.
Thomas McGovern/Getty Images
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.
Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney
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.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
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.
Monica Schipper/FilmMagic
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.
Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images
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.
Angel
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.
Jon Furniss/WireImage
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.
Mark Sullivan/Getty Images
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.
Alex WROBLEWSKI / AFP via Getty Images
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.
Eric Charbonneau/Le Studio/Wireimage
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.
Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Disney
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.
Cindy Ord/Getty Images for FLC
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.
J. Countess/WireImage
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.
