by FilmInk Staff
ATTENBOROUGH’S ACCLAIMED AND POWERFUL MESSAGE OF HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR OCEAN ENTERS THE LIST OF TOP 20 DOCUMENTARIES OF ALL TIME IN AUSTRALIA
The highly acclaimed, powerful documentary, OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH has surged into the list of the Top 20 Highest-grossing Documentaries of All Time at the Australian box office.
Released globally in cinemas on May 8—David Attenborough’s 99th birthday—the film has grossed AUD $1.7 million after only 25 days in Australia, to take 18th position in the list, with around 100 cinemas nationally still screening the film.
Top 20 Documentaries of All Time at the Australian Box Office
| Documentary | Distributor | Year | Gross AUD | |
| 1 | Michael Jackson’s This Is It | Sony | 2009 | 9,633,256 |
| 2 | Fahrenheit 9/11 | Hopscotch | 2004 | 8,404,378 |
| 3 | Bowling For Columbine | Hopscotch | 2002 | 4,852,301 |
| 4 | John Farnham: Finding the Voice | Sony | 2023 | 4,496,883 |
| 5 | March of the Penguins | Roadshow | 2006 | 4,345,437 |
| 6 | Justin Bieber: Never Say Never | Paramount | 2011 | 4,332,038 |
| 7 | An Inconvenient Truth | UIP | 2006 | 4,190,159 |
| 8 | Katy Perry: Part Of Me | Paramount | 2012 | 2,937,915 |
| 9 | Super Size Me | Dendy | 2004 | 2,907,204 |
| 10 | Travelling Birds | Hopscotch | 2003 | 2,564,215 |
| 11 | The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years | Studiocanal | 2016 | 2,359,503 |
| 12 | In Bed with Madonna | CTS | 1991 | 2,241,064 |
| 13 | Tea with the Dames | Transmission | 2018 | 2,151,142 |
| 14 | Glee Live 3D Concert Movie | Fox | 2011 | 2,040,230 |
| 15 | Mountain | Madman | 2017 | 2,030,290 |
| 16 | That Sugar Film | Madman | 2015 | 1,708,908 |
| 17 | Amy | eOne | 2015 | 1,706,847 |
| 18 | Ocean with David Attenborough | Piece of Magic Entertainment | 2025 | 1,703,708 |
| 19 | Bra Boys | Hopscotch | 2007 | 1,698,976 |
| 20 | Buena Vista Social Club | Dendy | 1999 | 1,696,381 |
Courtesy Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia and Numero (excludes IMAX releases)
OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH is now also the seventh highest-grossing documentary of the past 10 years in Australia, as well as the second highest-grossing documentary (all genres included) and highest-grossing nature documentary of the past five years/post-COVID era.
Top 10 Documentaries at the Australian Box Office since 2015
| Documentary | Distributor | Year | Gross AUD | |
| 1 | John Farnham: Finding the Voice | Sony | 2023 | $4,496,883 |
| 2 | The Beatles Live: 8 Days a Week | Studiocanal | 2016 | $2,359,503 |
| 3 | Tea with the Dames | Transmission | 2018 | $2,151,142 |
| 4 | Mountain | Madman | 2017 | $2,030,290 |
| 5 | That Sugar Film | Madman | 2015 | $1,708,908 |
| 6 | Amy | eOne | 2015 | $1,706,847 |
| 7 | Ocean with David Attenborough | Piece of Magic Entertainment | 2025 | $1,703,708 |
| 8 | Free Solo | Madman | 2019 | $1,675,487 |
| 9 | 2040 | Madman | 2019 | $1,529,391 |
| 10 | Moonage Daydream | Universal | 2022 | $1,332,376 |
Courtesy Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia and Numero
Distributed by Piece of Magic Entertainment worldwide (except UK/Ireland), OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH debuted in Australia as the top-performing new release in its opening week ahead of more than 20 films which debuted at the same time.
Minderoo Pictures, an Australia-based investor in the film headed by Andrew Forrest and Nicola Forrest, has worked closely with Piece of Magic Entertainment on a series of highly successful Q&A cinema screenings of the film around Australia.
The film, which features never-before-seen footage of bottom trawling and its devastating effects on our ocean, continues to drive global conversation on the health of the world’s ocean. It has been championed by marine conservation charities, activists, and influential voices across the globe as they call for stronger marine protection laws ahead of World Ocean Day and the UN Ocean Summit in June.
Film directors Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey and Colin Butfield said: “We’re incredibly proud to see Ocean with David Attenborough embraced by audiences worldwide and making box office history. This film was created for the big screen – to immerse viewers in the beauty and fragility of our ocean as never before seen – and its success shows this timely story resonates. As the UN Ocean Conference approaches, we hope the film and David Attenborough’s powerful message continue to inspire global conversation and action for the ocean.”
OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH is a Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production, in association with All3Media International, National Geographic, and Minderoo Pictures. The film is directed by Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey and Colin Butfield and produced by Nowlan. The film is co-produced by Arksen & 10% for the Ocean, Don Quixote Foundation, National Geographic Society and Pristine Seas, Revive Our Ocean, and The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH will stream on Disney+ on Sunday, June 8, World Oceans Day.
OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH is currently screening in cinemas across Australia, featuring 12 minutes of exclusive bonus content—”A Deeper Dive with David Attenborough”—with additional footage and interviews. Visit oceanfilm.net to find your local cinema and buy tickets now. #oceanFilm
