Market Charts > 2021 > Genres > Documentary

Box Office Performance for Documentary Movies in 2021

← 2020 Summary for all Years 2022 →
RankMovieRelease
Date		 Theatrical
Distributor		MPAA
Rating		2021 GrossTickets Sold
1 Roadrunner: A Film About An… Jul 16, 2021 Focus Features R $5,354,970 526,546
2 Summer of Soul (…Or, When t… Jul 2, 2021 Searchlight Pictures PG-13 $2,320,649 228,185
3 Show Me the Father Sep 10, 2021 Sony Pictures PG $1,803,226 177,308
4 The Jesus Music Oct 1, 2021 Lionsgate PG-13 $1,016,725 99,973
5 The Alpinist Sep 10, 2021 Fathom Events PG-13 $844,743 83,062
6 The Rescue Oct 8, 2021 Greenwich PG $787,460 77,429
7 The Sparks Brothers Jun 18, 2021 Focus Features R $648,665 63,782
8 The Truffle Hunters Mar 5, 2021 Sony Pictures Cla… PG-13 $521,202 51,248
9 The Lost Leonardo Aug 13, 2021 Sony Pictures Cla… PG-13 $445,740 43,828
10 Julia Nov 12, 2021 Sony Pictures Cla… PG-13 $389,890 38,337
11 Final Account May 21, 2021 Focus Features PG-13 $308,976 30,381
12 Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Wh… Jun 18, 2021 Roadside Attractions PG-13 $264,626 26,020
13 Becoming Cousteau Oct 22, 2021 Picturehouse PG-13 $232,285 22,840
14 Ailey Jul 23, 2021 Neon PG-13 $204,512 20,109
15 Gunda Dec 11, 2020 Neon G $113,591 11,169
16 The Loneliest Whale: The Se… Jul 9, 2021 Bleecker Street PG $107,799 10,599
17 On Broadway Aug 20, 2021 Kino Lorber Not Rated $82,733 8,135
18 In Balanchine’s Classroom Sep 17, 2021 Zeitgeist Not Rated $76,650 7,536
19 CatVideoFest 2021 Jul 23, 2021 Oscilloscope Pict… Not Rated $73,015 7,179
20 The First Wave Nov 19, 2021 Neon R $62,376 6,133
21 Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time Nov 19, 2021 IFC Films Not Rated $60,389 5,937
22 Flee Dec 3, 2021 Neon PG-13 $56,267 5,532
23 Without Getting Killed or C… Jul 23, 2021 Good Deed Enterta… Not Rated $55,333 5,440
24 Truman & Tennessee: An Inti… Jun 17, 2021 Kino Lorber Not Rated $54,149 5,324
25 MLK/FBI Jan 11, 2021 IFC Films Not Rated $45,200 4,444
26 Some Kind of Heaven Jan 8, 2021 Magnolia Pictures Not Rated $45,068 4,431
27 All Light, Everywhere Jun 4, 2021 Super LTD Not Rated $37,266 3,664
28 The Human Factor May 7, 2021 Sony Pictures Cla… PG-13 $36,693 3,607
29 Das geheime Leben der Bäume Jul 23, 2021 PG $30,239 2,973
30 Ascension (登楼叹) Oct 8, 2021 MTV Documentary F… Not Rated $17,200 1,691
31 No Ordinary Man Jul 16, 2021 Oscilloscope Pict… Not Rated $15,508 1,524
32 Writing With Fire Nov 26, 2021 Music Box Films Not Rated $14,150 1,391
33 Bring Your Own Brigade Aug 6, 2021 Paramount Pictures R $13,375 1,315
34 Stray Mar 5, 2021 Magnolia Pictures Not Rated $13,325 1,310
35 Storm Lake Sep 17, 2021 Whole Hog Films Not Rated $13,028 1,281
36 Lydia Lunch: The War is Nev… Jun 30, 2021 Kino Lorber Not Rated $12,948 1,273
37 The Meaning of Hitler Aug 13, 2021 IFC Films Not Rated $12,804 1,258
38 State Funeral May 7, 2021 MUBI Not Rated $12,424 1,221
39 Sabaya Jul 30, 2021 Self Distributed Not Rated $10,450 1,027
40 Petite fille Sep 17, 2021 Music Box Films Not Rated $10,047 987
41 Can You Bring It: Bill T. J… Jul 16, 2021 Kino Lorber Not Rated $9,723 956
42 All the Streets are Silent:… Jul 23, 2021 Greenwich Not Rated $9,500 934
43 La panthère des neiges Dec 22, 2021 Oscilloscope Pict… Not Rated $8,684 853
44 Enemies of the State Jul 30, 2021 IFC Films Not Rated $8,495 835
45 Bill Traylor: Chasing Ghosts Apr 16, 2021 Kino Lorber Not Rated $4,504 442
46 The Village Detective: a so… Sep 22, 2021 Kino Lorber Not Rated $2,839 279
47 A Glitch in the Matrix Feb 5, 2021 Magnolia Pictures Not Rated $2,238 220
48 Amigo Skate, Cuba Nov 20, 2020 Indican Pictures Not Rated $1,787 175
Total Gross of All Movies$16,273,466
Total Tickets Sold1,600,123

Note: This chart ranks movies by the amount they earned during 2021. It includes movies released in previous years that earned money during 2021. 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.