Market Charts > 2009 > Genres > Documentary

Box Office Performance for Documentary Movies in 2009

← 2008 Summary for all Years 2010 →
RankMovieRelease
Date		 Theatrical
Distributor		MPAA
Rating		2009 GrossTickets Sold
1 Michael Jackson's This Is It Oct 28, 2009 Sony Pictures PG $72,091,016 9,612,135
2 Earth Apr 22, 2009 Walt Disney G $32,011,576 4,268,210
3 Under the Sea 3D Feb 13, 2009 Warner Bros. G $19,416,024 2,588,803
4 Capitalism: A Love Story Sep 23, 2009 Overture Films R $14,363,397 1,915,119
5 Deep Sea 3D Mar 3, 2006 Warner Bros. G $5,275,270 703,369
6 Magnificent Desolation Sep 23, 2005 IMAX Films Not Rated $4,434,163 591,221
7 Food, Inc. Jun 12, 2009 Magnolia Pictures PG $4,417,674 589,023
8 Good Hair Oct 9, 2009 Roadside Attractions PG-13 $4,146,170 552,822
9 The September Issue Aug 28, 2009 Roadside Attractions PG-13 $3,817,531 509,004
10 Space Station Apr 19, 2002 IMAX Films Not Rated $3,314,255 441,900
11 Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric… Oct 5, 2007 National Geograph… Not Rated $2,299,538 306,605
12 Waltz with Bashir Dec 25, 2008 Sony Pictures Cla… R $2,063,408 275,121
13 Dolphins and Whales Tribes … Feb 15, 2008 3D Entertainment Not Rated $2,013,083 268,411
14 Valentino: The Last Emperor Mar 18, 2009 Truly Indie PG-13 $1,755,134 234,017
15 Every Little Step Apr 17, 2009 Sony Pictures Cla… PG-13 $1,725,141 230,018
16 It Might Get Loud Aug 14, 2009 Sony Pictures Cla… PG $1,610,163 214,688
17 X Games 3D: The Movie Aug 21, 2009 Walt Disney PG $1,391,434 185,525
18 Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg Jul 10, 2009 International Fil… Not Rated $1,133,662 151,154
19 More Than a Game Oct 2, 2009 Lionsgate PG $950,675 126,757
20 Tyson Apr 24, 2009 Sony Pictures Cla… R $887,918 118,389
21 The Cove Jul 31, 2009 Roadside Attractions PG-13 $861,796 114,906
22 The Wonder of it All Jul 17, 2009 Indican Pictures Not Rated $780,661 104,088
23 The Cross: The Arthur Bless… Mar 27, 2009 Gener8xion Entert… PG $741,557 98,874
24 Anvil! The Story of Anvil Apr 10, 2009 Abramorama Films Not Rated $667,911 89,054
25 Roving Mars Jan 27, 2006 Walt Disney G $545,961 72,795
26 La Danse Nov 4, 2009 Zipporah Not Rated $417,932 55,724
27 Outrage May 8, 2009 Magnolia Pictures R $287,198 38,293
28 Les plages d'Agnès Jul 1, 2009 Cinema Guild Not Rated $225,188 30,025
29 Enlighten Up! Sep 12, 2008 Balcony Releasing Not Rated $213,423 28,456
30 Soul Power Jul 10, 2009 Sony Pictures Cla… PG-13 $207,121 27,616
31 Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 Nov 19, 2008 Kino/Emerging Not Rated $204,458 27,261
32 Herb & Dorothy Jun 5, 2009 Arthouse Films Not Rated $194,721 25,962
33 Galapagos Oct 29, 1999 IMAX Films Not Rated $179,782 23,970
34 Fuel Nov 14, 2008 Blue Water Entert… Not Rated $169,340 22,578
35 Youssou N'Dour: I Bring Wha… Jun 12, 2009 Shadow Not Rated $164,929 21,990
36 Crude Sep 9, 2009 First Run Features Not Rated $163,417 21,788
37 The Yes Men Fix the World Oct 7, 2009 Shadow Not Rated $160,901 21,453
38 Brothers at War Mar 13, 2009 R $153,148 20,419
39 Art & Copy Aug 21, 2009 Seventh Art Relea… Not Rated $139,418 18,589
40 The Horse Boy Sep 11, 2009 Zeitgeist Not Rated $137,495 18,332
41 Examined Life Feb 25, 2009 Zeitgeist Not Rated $120,712 16,094
42 Throw Down Your Heart Mar 13, 2009 Argot Pictures Not Rated $115,778 15,437
43 Ballerina Jan 16, 2009 First Run Features Not Rated $114,507 15,267
44 The Way We Get By Jul 17, 2009 International Fil… Not Rated $106,542 14,205
45 Afghan Star Jun 26, 2009 Zeitgeist Not Rated $102,115 13,615
46 No Impact Man Sep 11, 2009 Oscilloscope Pict… Not Rated $100,028 13,337
47 Under Our Skin Jun 17, 2009 Shadow Not Rated $92,022 12,269
48 Visual Acoustics Oct 9, 2009 Arthouse Films Not Rated $74,898 9,986
49 Lord, Save Us From Your Fol… Jun 13, 2008 Thunderstruck Films PG-13 $61,941 8,258
50 William Kunstler: Disturbin… Nov 13, 2009 Arthouse Films Not Rated $57,769 7,702
51 Collapse Nov 6, 2009 Vitagraph Films Not Rated $56,436 7,524
52 The Boys: The Sherman Broth… May 22, 2009 PG $55,513 7,402
53 In a Dream Apr 10, 2009 International Fil… Not Rated $55,270 7,369
54 Dalai Lama Renaissance May 21, 2008 Self Distributed Not Rated $49,675 6,623
55 American Casino Aug 14, 2009 Argot Pictures Not Rated $46,710 6,228
56 Until the Light Takes Us Nov 20, 2009 Variance Films Not Rated $46,285 6,171
57 Pressure Cooker May 27, 2009 Bev Pictures Not Rated $44,802 5,973
58 We Live in Public Aug 28, 2009 Abramorama Films Not Rated $44,344 5,912
59 The End of Poverty? Nov 13, 2009 Cinema Libre Not Rated $41,880 5,584
60 Oh My God Nov 13, 2009 Mitropoulos Films Not Rated $38,245 5,099
61 Pray the Devil Back to Hell Nov 7, 2008 Balcony Releasing Not Rated $38,180 5,090
62 Our City Dreams Feb 4, 2009 First Run Features Not Rated $34,972 4,662
63 Trouble the Water Aug 22, 2008 Zeitgeist Not Rated $33,569 4,475
64 Of Time and the City Jan 23, 2009 Strand Releasing Not Rated $32,677 4,356
65 American Swing Mar 27, 2009 Magnolia Pictures Not Rated $30,156 4,020
66 The Betrayal Nov 21, 2008 Cinema Guild Not Rated $29,807 3,974
67 The Singing Revolution Dec 7, 2007 Abramorama Films Not Rated $28,025 3,736
68 Guest of Cindy Sherman Mar 27, 2009 Trela Not Rated $27,052 3,606
69 The Garden Apr 24, 2009 Oscilloscope Pict… Not Rated $26,931 3,590
70 Earth Days Aug 14, 2009 Zeitgeist Not Rated $26,748 3,566
71 Stranded: I've Come from a … Oct 22, 2008 Zeitgeist Not Rated $25,473 3,396
72 Not Quite Hollywood Jul 31, 2009 Magnet Pictures R $21,152 2,820
73 Walt and El Grupo Sep 10, 2009 Walt Disney PG $20,521 2,736
74 A Wink and a Smile May 1, 2009 First Run Features Not Rated $20,169 2,689
75 Man on Wire Jul 25, 2008 Magnolia Pictures PG-13 $19,252 2,566
76 Blessed is the Match: The L… Jan 28, 2009 Balcony Releasing Not Rated $18,654 2,487
77 The Beautiful Truth Nov 14, 2008 Cinema Libre Not Rated $12,361 1,648
78 Fallen Idol: The Yuri Gagar… Oct 2, 2009 Indican Pictures Not Rated $12,345 1,646
79 Sex Positive Jun 12, 2009 Regent Releasing R $12,069 1,609
80 Chelsea on the Rocks Oct 2, 2009 Aliquot Films R $11,799 1,573
81 One Peace at a Time Dec 4, 2009 Monterey Media Not Rated $11,698 1,559
82 I.O.U.S.A. Aug 22, 2008 Roadside Attractions PG $10,850 1,446
83 Oblivion Apr 22, 2009 Icarus Films Not Rated $9,939 1,325
84 An American Journey Oct 2, 2009 Lorber Films Not Rated $8,868 1,182
85 Objectified May 8, 2009 Not Rated $8,668 1,155
86 Eleven Minutes Feb 13, 2009 Regent Releasing R $7,986 1,064
87 Louise Bourgeois Jun 25, 2008 Zeitgeist Not Rated $7,868 1,049
88 Scott Walker: 30 Century Man Feb 27, 2009 Not Rated $6,840 912
89 The Good Soldier Nov 11, 2009 Artistic License Not Rated $6,000 800
90 Call+Response Oct 10, 2008 Fair Trade Pictures PG-13 $4,183 557
91 Made in Jamaica Jan 23, 2009 ArtMattan Films Not Rated $3,149 419
92 America Betrayed Mar 27, 2009 First Run Features Not Rated $2,450 326
93 Food Beware Oct 16, 2009 First Run Features Not Rated $1,181 157
94 Yiddish Theater: A Love Story Nov 21, 2007 New Love Films Not Rated $632 84
Total Gross of All Movies$187,731,285
Total Tickets Sold25,030,799

Note: This chart ranks movies by the amount they earned during 2009. It includes movies released in previous years that earned money during 2009. For example, a movie released over Thanksgiving in 2010 will most likely earn money in 2010 and 2011. Click on the individual movie to see its total gross over all the years in which it played.

Inflation-adjusted figures are based ticket sale estimates, and may not be precise due to rounding errors.

Our Theatrical Market pages are based on the Domestic Theatrical Market performance only. The Domestic Market is defined as the North American movie territory (consisting of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Guam).

The yearly amounts on our Theatrical Market pages are based on box office years. Each box office year starts on the first Monday of the year, so the previous year ends on the Sunday before the first Monday. For example, the "2017 box office year" started on January 2, 2017 so the "2016 box office year" ended on Sunday, January 1, 2017.