| Rank
| Title
| Lifetime Gross | Max Theaters | Opening | Open Th | Release Date | Distributor
|
|---|
| 1 | Fahrenheit 9/11 | $119,194,771 | 2,011 | $23,920,637 | 868 | Jun 23, 2004 | Lionsgate Films |
| 2 | March of the Penguins | $77,437,223 | 2,506 | $137,492 | 4 | Jun 24, 2005 | Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) |
| 3 | Justin Bieber: Never Say Never | $73,013,910 | 3,118 | $29,514,054 | 3,105 | Feb 11, 2011 | Paramount Pictures |
| 4 | This Is It | $72,091,016 | 3,481 | $23,234,394 | 3,481 | Oct 28, 2009 | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| 5 | Under the Sea 3D | $36,262,926 | 108 | $661,185 | 49 | Feb 13, 2009 | Warner Bros. |
| 6 | 2016: Obama's America | $33,449,086 | 2,017 | $31,610 | 1 | Jul 13, 2012 | Rocky Mountain Pictures |
| 7 | Earth | $32,011,576 | 1,804 | $8,825,760 | 1,804 | Apr 22, 2009 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 8 | Chimpanzee | $28,972,764 | 1,567 | $10,673,748 | 1,563 | Apr 20, 2012 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 9 | One Direction: This Is Us | $28,873,374 | 2,735 | $15,815,497 | 2,735 | Aug 30, 2013 | TriStar Pictures |
| 10 | Born to Be Wild | $25,978,556 | 208 | $871,478 | 206 | Apr 8, 2011 | Warner Bros. |
| 11 | Part of Me | $25,326,071 | 2,732 | $7,138,266 | 2,730 | Jul 5, 2012 | Paramount Pictures |
| 12 | Sicko | $24,540,079 | 1,117 | $68,969 | 1 | Jun 22, 2007 | Lionsgate Films |
| 13 | An Inconvenient Truth | $24,146,161 | 587 | $281,330 | 4 | May 24, 2006 | Paramount Classics |
| 14 | Won't You Be My Neighbor? | $22,835,787 | 893 | $475,419 | 29 | Jun 8, 2018 | Focus Features |
| 15 | Bowling for Columbine | $21,576,018 | 248 | $209,148 | 8 | Oct 11, 2002 | United Artists |
| 16 | Oceans | $19,422,319 | 1,232 | $6,058,958 | 1,206 | Apr 22, 2010 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 17 | They Shall Not Grow Old | $17,956,913 | 1,335 | - | - | Dec 17, 2018 | Warner Bros. |
| 18 | Bears | $17,780,194 | 1,790 | $4,776,267 | 1,720 | Apr 18, 2014 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 19 | Free Solo | $17,541,090 | 483 | $294,288 | 4 | Sep 28, 2018 | National Geographic Entertainment |
| 20 | Monkey Kingdom | $16,432,322 | 2,012 | $4,577,861 | 2,012 | Apr 17, 2015 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 21 | A Beautiful Planet | $15,650,615 | 155 | $223,983 | 137 | Apr 29, 2016 | IMAX |
| 22 | African Cats | $15,428,747 | 1,224 | $6,003,200 | 1,220 | Apr 22, 2011 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 23 | Madonna: Truth or Dare | $15,012,935 | 652 | $543,250 | 51 | May 10, 1991 | Miramax |
| 24 | To the Arctic 3D | $14,560,838 | 52 | $270,228 | 50 | Apr 20, 2012 | Warner Bros. |
| 25 | America: Imagine the World Without Her | $14,444,502 | 1,105 | $38,608 | 3 | Jun 27, 2014 | Lionsgate Films |
| 26 | Capitalism: A Love Story | $14,363,397 | 995 | $231,964 | 4 | Sep 23, 2009 | Overture Films |
| 27 | RBG | $14,017,361 | 432 | $578,470 | 34 | May 4, 2018 | Magnolia Pictures |
| 28 | Born in China | $13,873,211 | 1,508 | $4,790,367 | 1,508 | Apr 21, 2017 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 29 | Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party | $13,099,931 | 1,217 | $74,814 | 3 | Jul 15, 2016 | - |
| 30 | Religulous | $13,011,160 | 568 | $3,409,643 | 502 | Oct 1, 2008 | Lionsgate Films |
| 31 | Three Identical Strangers | $12,320,845 | 433 | $171,503 | 5 | Jun 29, 2018 | Neon |
| 32 | Super Size Me | $11,536,423 | 230 | $516,641 | 41 | May 7, 2004 | IDP Distribution |
| 33 | After Death | $11,478,326 | 2,730 | $5,051,950 | 2,645 | Oct 27, 2023 | Angel Studios |
| 34 | Island of Lemurs: Madagascar | $11,272,213 | 302 | $188,307 | 37 | Apr 4, 2014 | Warner Bros. |
| 35 | Winged Migration | $10,764,402 | 202 | $33,128 | 1 | Apr 18, 2003 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 36 | Terror in the Aisles | $10,004,817 | 1,134 | $4,009,866 | 1,127 | Oct 26, 1984 | Universal Pictures |
| 37 | Amy | $8,413,144 | 435 | $222,500 | 6 | Jul 3, 2015 | A24 |
| 38 | Mad Hot Ballroom | $8,117,961 | 202 | $45,348 | 2 | May 13, 2005 | Paramount Classics |
| 39 | Jerusalem | $8,020,721 | 33 | - | - | Sep 13, 2013 | National Geographic Entertainment |
| 40 | Hoop Dreams | $7,830,611 | 262 | $18,396 | 3 | Oct 14, 1994 | Fine Line Features |
| 41 | Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed | $7,720,487 | 1,052 | $2,970,848 | 1,052 | Apr 18, 2008 | Rocky Mountain Pictures |
| 42 | Tupac: Resurrection | $7,718,961 | 804 | $4,632,847 | 801 | Nov 14, 2003 | Paramount Pictures |
| 43 | Penguins | $7,699,452 | 1,815 | $2,282,593 | 1,815 | Apr 17, 2019 | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
| 44 | Journey to the South Pacific | $7,653,913 | 19 | $8,137 | 1 | Nov 27, 2013 | IMAX |
| 45 | Pandas | $7,574,012 | 35 | $158,915 | 33 | Apr 6, 2018 | Warner Bros. |
| 46 | Babies | $7,320,323 | 543 | $2,160,460 | 534 | May 7, 2010 | Focus Features |
| 47 | I Am Not Your Negro | $7,123,919 | 320 | $686,378 | 43 | Feb 3, 2017 | Magnolia Pictures |
| 48 | Roger & Me | $6,706,368 | 265 | $80,253 | 4 | Dec 22, 1989 | Warner Bros. |
| 49 | Waiting for Superman | $6,417,135 | 330 | $139,033 | 4 | Sep 24, 2010 | Paramount Vantage |
| 50 | The Aristocrats | $6,377,461 | 234 | $243,796 | 4 | Jul 29, 2005 | THINKFilm |
| 51 | Fahrenheit 11/9 | $6,352,306 | 1,719 | $3,008,563 | 1,719 | Sep 21, 2018 | Briarcliff Entertainment |
| 52 | Justin Bieber's Believe | $6,206,566 | 1,037 | $2,007,567 | 1,037 | Dec 25, 2013 | Open Road Films (II) |
| 53 | Meet the Mormons | $6,047,363 | 333 | $2,509,808 | 317 | Oct 10, 2014 | Purdie Distribution |
| 54 | Death of a Nation | $5,885,881 | 1,005 | $2,356,522 | 1,005 | Aug 3, 2018 | - |
| 55 | Spellbound | $5,728,581 | 117 | $17,508 | 1 | Apr 30, 2003 | THINKFilm |
| 56 | Flying Monsters 3D with David Attenborough | $5,705,874 | 27 | - | - | Oct 7, 2011 | National Geographic Entertainment |
| 57 | Shine a Light | $5,505,267 | 277 | $1,488,081 | 276 | Apr 4, 2008 | Paramount Vantage |
| 58 | Three of Hearts | $5,495,507 | 793 | $1,928,076 | 792 | Apr 30, 1993 | New Line Cinema |
| 59 | Cave of Forgotten Dreams | $5,304,920 | 123 | $139,101 | 5 | Apr 29, 2011 | IFC Films |
| 60 | 20 Feet from Stardom | $4,946,445 | 147 | $54,596 | 3 | Jun 14, 2013 | RADiUS-TWC |
| 61 | Bring the Soul: The Movie | $4,809,800 | 873 | $2,296,491 | 873 | Aug 7, 2019 | Trafalgar Releasing |
| 62 | Pavarotti | $4,600,249 | 288 | $144,032 | 19 | Jun 7, 2019 | CBS Films |
| 63 | Touching the Void | $4,593,598 | 137 | $96,973 | 5 | Jan 23, 2004 | IFC Films |
| 64 | Amazing Grace | $4,450,456 | 263 | $57,353 | 3 | Dec 7, 2018 | Neon |
| 65 | Food, Inc. | $4,417,674 | 155 | $60,513 | 3 | Jun 12, 2009 | Magnolia Pictures |
| 66 | The Biggest Little Farm | $4,366,949 | 285 | $110,492 | 5 | May 10, 2019 | Neon |
| 67 | Inside Job | $4,312,735 | 250 | $39,649 | 2 | Oct 8, 2010 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 68 | Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice | $4,252,657 | 247 | $113,235 | 7 | Sep 6, 2019 | Greenwich Entertainment |
| 69 | That's Dancing! | $4,210,938 | 906 | $1,506,802 | 906 | Jan 18, 1985 | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) |
| 70 | Burn the Stage: The Movie | $4,201,819 | 645 | $2,420,197 | 629 | Nov 15, 2018 | Trafalgar Releasing |
| 71 | The Fog of War | $4,198,566 | 261 | $41,449 | 3 | Dec 19, 2003 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 72 | Good Hair | $4,157,223 | 466 | $1,039,220 | 186 | Oct 9, 2009 | Roadside Attractions |
| 73 | Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room | $4,071,700 | 151 | $76,639 | 3 | Apr 22, 2005 | Magnolia Pictures |
| 74 | Buck | $4,038,912 | 152 | $67,548 | 4 | Jun 17, 2011 | IFC Films |
| 75 | Young@Heart | $3,992,189 | 212 | $50,937 | 4 | Apr 9, 2008 | - |
| 76 | Bully | $3,863,446 | 263 | $535,433 | 158 | Apr 13, 2012 | The Weinstein Company |
| 77 | Where to Invade Next | $3,827,261 | 308 | $897,034 | 308 | Feb 12, 2016 | Drafthouse Films |
| 78 | The Real Cancun | $3,825,421 | 2,261 | $2,300,000 | 2,261 | Apr 25, 2003 | New Line Cinema |
| 79 | The September Issue | $3,820,067 | 143 | $220,633 | 6 | Aug 28, 2009 | Roadside Attractions |
| 80 | Paris Is Burning | $3,779,620 | 91 | $310,127 | 23 | Aug 9, 1991 | Miramax |
| 81 | Imagine: John Lennon | $3,753,977 | 561 | $1,412,213 | 561 | Oct 7, 1988 | Warner Bros. |
| 82 | Searching for Sugar Man | $3,696,196 | 157 | $27,459 | 3 | Jul 27, 2012 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 83 | Step Into Liquid | $3,681,803 | 91 | $135,985 | 5 | Aug 8, 2003 | Artisan Entertainment |
| 84 | Pina | $3,524,826 | 84 | $68,012 | 3 | Dec 23, 2011 | IFC Films |
| 85 | Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids | $3,515,061 | 127 | $14,605 | 1 | Dec 8, 2004 | THINKFilm |
| 86 | BTS World Tour: Love Yourself in Seoul | $3,509,917 | 997 | $2,860,016 | 997 | Jan 26, 2019 | Fathom Events |
| 87 | An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power | $3,496,795 | 556 | $124,823 | 4 | Jul 28, 2017 | Paramount Pictures |
| 88 | Echo in the Canyon | $3,355,324 | 147 | $117,651 | 2 | May 24, 2019 | Greenwich Entertainment |
| 89 | Rize | $3,336,391 | 352 | $1,574,787 | 352 | Jun 24, 2005 | Lionsgate Films |
| 90 | Exit Through the Gift Shop | $3,291,250 | 46 | $170,756 | 8 | Apr 16, 2010 | - |
| 91 | Catfish | $3,237,343 | 143 | $257,285 | 12 | Sep 17, 2010 | Rogue Pictures |
| 92 | Grizzly Man | $3,178,403 | 105 | $269,131 | 29 | Aug 12, 2005 | Lionsgate Films |
| 93 | The Eagle Huntress | $3,169,351 | 122 | $52,574 | 4 | Nov 2, 2016 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 94 | Maiden | $3,168,978 | 180 | $46,931 | 6 | Jun 28, 2019 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 95 | Wordplay | $3,121,270 | 154 | $32,847 | 2 | Jun 16, 2006 | IFC Films |
| 96 | Capturing the Friedmans | $3,119,113 | 78 | $65,154 | 3 | May 30, 2003 | Magnolia Pictures |
| 97 | The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill | $3,058,527 | 67 | $36,731 | 5 | Feb 9, 2005 | Shadow Distribution |
| 98 | Crumb | $3,041,083 | 56 | $19,859 | 1 | Apr 21, 1995 | Sony Pictures Classics |
| 99 | Whitney | $3,026,351 | 451 | $1,265,572 | 451 | Jul 6, 2018 | Roadside Attractions |
| 100 | Made for More | $2,999,134 | 703 | - | - | Aug 2, 2018 | Fathom Events |
