Market Charts > 2012 > Sources > Based on Real Life Events

Domestic Box Office Performance for Based on Real Life Events Movies in 2012

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RankMovieRelease
Date		 GenreMPAA
Rating		2012 GrossTickets Sold
1 The Vow Feb 10, 2012 Drama PG-13 $125,014,030 15,705,280
2 Red Tails Jan 20, 2012 Drama PG-13 $49,876,377 6,265,877
3 The Iron Lady Jan 13, 2012 Drama PG-13 $29,816,684 3,745,815
4 Chimpanzee Apr 20, 2012 Documentary G $28,965,459 3,638,877
5 Katy Perry: Part of Me Jul 5, 2012 Concert/Perfor… PG $25,326,071 3,181,667
6 Big Miracle Feb 3, 2012 Drama PG $20,157,300 2,532,324
7 Deep Sea 3D Mar 3, 2006 Documentary G $18,322,703 2,301,847
8 To the Arctic 3D Apr 20, 2012 Documentary G $10,518,625 1,321,435
9 Born to be Wild 3D Apr 8, 2011 Documentary G $6,448,926 810,167
10 Chasing Mavericks Oct 26, 2012 Drama PG $5,944,870 746,843
11 For Greater Glory: The True… Jun 1, 2012 Drama R $5,669,081 712,196
12 My Week with Marilyn Nov 23, 2011 Drama R $5,661,684 711,267
13 Hubble 3D Mar 19, 2010 Documentary G $5,396,448 677,946
14 Flying Monsters 3D Oct 6, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $4,176,870 524,732
15 Bully Mar 30, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $3,483,795 437,663
16 Nitro Circus: The Movie 3D Aug 8, 2012 Reality PG-13 $3,377,000 424,246
17 Pina Jan 20, 2012 Documentary PG $3,291,466 413,501
18 Searching for Sugar Man Jul 27, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $3,007,341 377,807
19 The Met: Live in HD - Aida Dec 15, 2012 Concert/Perfor… Not Rated $2,800,000 351,759
20 Samsara Aug 24, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $2,627,326 330,066
21 Jiro Dreams of Sushi Mar 9, 2012 Documentary PG $2,552,478 320,663
22 The Queen of Versailles Jul 20, 2012 Documentary PG $2,401,999 301,759
23 Under the Sea 3D Feb 13, 2009 Documentary G $2,256,829 283,521
24 Space Station Apr 19, 2002 Documentary Not Rated $2,084,978 261,932
25 Hyde Park on Hudson Dec 7, 2012 Drama R $1,889,897 237,424
26 Sea Rex 3D: Journey to a Pr… May 28, 2010 Documentary Not Rated $1,631,522 204,965
27 Zero Dark Thirty Dec 19, 2012 Thriller/Suspense R $1,442,732 181,248
28 Marley Apr 20, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $1,413,480 177,573
29 Air Racers 3D Apr 5, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $1,309,987 164,571
30 Rampart Feb 10, 2012 Drama R $969,239 121,764
31 Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has… Sep 21, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $945,959 118,839
32 First Position May 4, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $908,235 114,100
33 The Imposter Jul 13, 2012 Documentary R $901,954 113,311
34 Bill W. May 18, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $768,518 96,547
35 J. Edgar Nov 9, 2011 Drama R $655,199 82,311
36 En kongelig affære Nov 9, 2012 Drama R $624,512 78,456
37 Chasing Ice Nov 16, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $612,089 76,896
38 W.E. Feb 3, 2012 Drama R $582,075 73,125
39 Undefeated Feb 17, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $561,054 70,484
40 The Impossible Dec 21, 2012 Drama PG-13 $528,803 66,433
41 Shut Up and Play the Hits Jul 18, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $510,334 64,112
42 Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry Jul 27, 2012 Documentary R $489,074 61,441
43 The Flat Oct 19, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $460,507 57,853
44 Burn Jul 20, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $416,151 52,280
45 Detropia Sep 7, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $377,219 47,389
46 Whores’ Glory Apr 27, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $306,151 38,461
47 Something From Nothing: The… Jun 15, 2012 Documentary R $288,738 36,274
48 Dolphin Tale Sep 23, 2011 Drama PG $270,810 34,021
49 The Central Park Five Nov 23, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $257,312 32,326
50 Gerhard Richter Painting Mar 14, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $242,646 30,483
51 Stories We Tell Oct 12, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $241,031 30,280
52 Neil Young Journeys Jun 29, 2012 Concert/Perfor… PG $214,588 26,958
53 Brooklyn Castle Oct 19, 2012 Documentary PG $194,426 24,425
54 The House I Live In Oct 5, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $181,782 22,837
55 Somewhere Between Aug 24, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $179,726 22,579
56 The Waiting Room Sep 21, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $175,987 22,109
57 Crazy Horse Jan 18, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $154,691 19,434
58 Hecho en México Nov 30, 2012 Documentary R $151,133 18,987
59 The Lady Apr 11, 2012 Drama R $135,985 17,084
60 The Other Dream Team Sep 28, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $134,109 16,848
61 Kumaré Jun 20, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $131,909 16,571
62 How to Survive a Plague Sep 21, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $123,814 15,555
63 Follow Me: The Yoni Netanya… May 4, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $112,679 14,156
64 Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview Nov 16, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $105,710 13,280
65 Wild Horse, Wild Ride Aug 24, 2012 Documentary PG $94,621 11,887
66 Marina Abramovic: The Artis… Jun 13, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $86,637 10,884
67 Escape Fire: The Fight to R… Oct 5, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $84,898 10,666
68 Hating Breitbart Oct 19, 2012 Documentary R $81,432 10,230
69 5 Broken Cameras May 30, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $75,607 9,498
70 The Island President Mar 28, 2012 Documentary PG $75,233 9,451
71 Never Stand Still May 18, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $63,811 8,016
72 Sholem Aleichem: Laughing i… Jul 8, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $61,478 7,723
73 Side by Side Aug 17, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $58,825 7,390
74 The Invisible War Jun 22, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $58,492 7,348
75 Surviving Progress Apr 6, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $53,953 6,778
76 Occupy Unmasked Sep 21, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $52,768 6,629
77 An Inconsistent Truth Jan 27, 2012 Documentary PG $52,756 6,628
78 Beware of Mr. Baker Nov 30, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $52,467 6,591
79 Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's J… Oct 21, 2011 Documentary PG $50,608 6,358
80 Runaway Slave Jul 6, 2012 Documentary PG $47,813 6,007
81 Sing Your Song Jan 13, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $47,718 5,995
82 La guerre est déclarée Jan 27, 2012 Drama Not Rated $46,225 5,807
83 The Pruitt-Igoe Myth Jan 20, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $44,883 5,639
84 Ballplayer: Pelotero Jul 13, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $44,689 5,614
85 OC87 May 25, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $43,583 5,475
86 Crazy Wisdom Nov 25, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $42,841 5,382
87 Last Call at the Oasis May 4, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $40,846 5,131
88 Paan Singh Tomar Mar 2, 2012 Action Not Rated $40,311 5,064
89 Paul Williams Still Alive Jun 1, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $38,691 4,861
90 Death by China Aug 17, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $38,492 4,836
91 In Film Nist Mar 2, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $37,706 4,737
92 Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan… Apr 6, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $34,665 4,355
93 My Reincarnation Oct 28, 2011 Documentary R $34,574 4,343
94 El Bulli: Cooking in Progress Jul 27, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $34,241 4,302
95 Hit So Hard Apr 13, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $34,025 4,274
96 Addiction Incorporated Dec 14, 2011 Documentary PG-13 $33,664 4,229
97 La conquête Nov 11, 2011 Drama Not Rated $33,344 4,189
98 District of Corruption Oct 26, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $31,954 4,014
99 Gregory Crewdson: Brief Enc… Nov 2, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $29,764 3,739
100 Flamenco, Flamenco Nov 18, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $29,435 3,698
101 Ouwehoeren Aug 8, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $29,357 3,688
102 Wagner & Me Dec 7, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $29,187 3,667
103 You've Been Trumped Aug 3, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $28,450 3,574
104 Pink Ribbons, Inc. Jun 1, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $26,608 3,343
105 Orchestra of Exiles Oct 26, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $24,710 3,104
106 Otter 501 May 11, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $24,449 3,071
107 Lost Bohemia May 20, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $23,584 2,963
108 Hellbound? Sep 21, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $22,887 2,875
109 West of Memphis Dec 25, 2012 Documentary R $22,852 2,871
110 56 Up Jan 4, 2013 Documentary Not Rated $22,088 2,774
111 Girl Model Sep 5, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $21,154 2,658
112 Carol Channing: Larger Than… Jan 20, 2012 Documentary PG $20,370 2,559
113 Better Than Something: Jay … Mar 2, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $20,327 2,554
114 The Whale Sep 9, 2011 Documentary G $20,092 2,524
115 Radio Unnameable Sep 19, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $19,676 2,472
116 Magnificent Desolation Sep 23, 2005 Documentary Not Rated $19,662 2,470
117 Waiting for Lightning Dec 7, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $19,537 2,454
118 How to Grow a Band Apr 13, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $19,237 2,417
119 Chely Wright: Wish Me Away Jun 1, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $18,618 2,339
120 The Revisionaries Oct 5, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $18,509 2,325
121 Mansome May 18, 2012 Documentary PG-13 $18,395 2,311
122 Inventing Our Life: The Kib… Apr 25, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $16,734 2,102
123 This Binary Universe May 4, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $15,875 1,994
124 17 filles Sep 21, 2012 Drama Not Rated $15,002 1,885
125 Eames: The Architect and th… Nov 18, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $13,275 1,668
126 How Much Does Your Building… Jan 25, 2012 Drama Not Rated $13,013 1,635
127 The End of Time Nov 29, 2013 Documentary Not Rated $12,835 1,612
128 The Man Nobody Knew: In Sea… Sep 23, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $12,454 1,565
129 Khodorkovsky Nov 30, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $11,804 1,483
130 Paul Goodman Changed My Life Oct 19, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $11,036 1,386
131 China Heavyweight Jul 6, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $10,550 1,325
132 Ultrasuede: In Search of Ha… Jan 20, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $10,357 1,301
133 Happy People: A Year in the… Dec 9, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $9,523 1,196
134 When the Iron Bird Flies Oct 19, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $9,175 1,153
135 Putin's Kiss Feb 17, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $9,144 1,149
136 Decoding Deepak Oct 5, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $9,050 1,137
137 Drei Sterne - Die Koche und… Sep 21, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $8,942 1,123
138 Man on a Mission Jan 13, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $8,688 1,091
139 Snowtown Mar 2, 2012 Thriller/Suspense Not Rated $8,452 1,062
140 Photographic Memory Oct 12, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $7,711 969
141 Last Days Here Mar 2, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $7,643 960
142 Bel Borba Aqui Oct 3, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $7,426 933
143 Charlotte Rampling: The Look Nov 4, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $7,163 900
144 Meine Familie, die Nazis un… Nov 16, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $6,923 870
145 Over Your Cities Grass Will… Aug 10, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $6,762 849
146 Dreams of a Life Aug 10, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $6,559 824
147 Windfall Feb 3, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $6,504 817
148 The Beat Hotel Mar 30, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $6,480 814
149 Garbo: El espía Nov 18, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $6,330 795
150 Tchoupitoulas Dec 7, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $6,011 755
151 Hell and Back Again Oct 5, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $5,997 753
152 The Last Ride Oct 21, 2011 Drama PG-13 $5,887 740
153 Booker's Place: A Mississip… Apr 25, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $5,549 697
154 Autobiografia lui Nicolae C… Sep 9, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $5,333 670
155 Sushi: The Global Catch Aug 3, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $4,583 576
156 Art is...The Permanent Revo… Mar 2, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $4,291 539
157 The Loving Story Dec 10, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $4,218 529
158 Kongen av Bastøy Jan 6, 2012 Drama Not Rated $4,162 523
159 Amigo Aug 19, 2011 Drama R $4,123 518
160 Only the Young Dec 7, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $4,038 507
161 Granito: How to Nail a Dict… Sep 14, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $3,988 501
162 Free Radicals: A History of… Aug 3, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $3,689 463
163 Yangsi Dec 7, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $3,685 463
164 Jane's Journey Sep 16, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $3,507 441
165 Let Fury Have the Hour Dec 14, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $3,386 425
166 The Swell Season Oct 7, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $3,178 399
167 Pianomania May 27, 2011 Documentary Not Rated $2,524 317
168 Serge Gainsbourg vie heroique Aug 31, 2011 Drama Not Rated $2,240 281
169 Patagonia Rising Jun 8, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $2,064 259
170 Planet of Snail Jul 25, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $2,011 253
171 Bestiaire Oct 19, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $1,428 179
172 A Green Story Nov 16, 2012 Drama Not Rated $1,395 175
173 Fightville Apr 6, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $1,333 167
174 Monsieur Verdoux Apr 11, 1947 Black Comedy Not Rated $1,218 153
175 Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet Dec 14, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $1,094 137
176 Citizen Gangster Apr 27, 2012 Drama Not Rated $625 79
177 Gottfried Helnwein and the … Nov 23, 2012 Documentary Not Rated $601 76
Total Gross of All Movies$393,430,474
Total Tickets Sold49,425,934

Note: This chart ranks movies by the amount they earned during 2012. It includes movies released in previous years that earned money during 2012. 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.