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The following page lists the highest-grossing films that were distributed by independent, arthouse, and mini-major studios. The Passion of the Christ is the highest-grossing independent film of all time.[1] Independent films that were co-distributed by major film studios, such as Inglourious Basterds and Paranormal Activity, are not included.

Highest-grossing films

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (October 2022)
  † Background shading indicates films playing in the week commencing 26 January 2024 in theaters around the world.
Rank Title Date Worldwide gross Countries Film distributor Ref/s
1 The Passion of the Christ February 25, 2004 $611,486,736 Australia Icon Productions [2]
2 The Intouchables September 23, 2010 $484,630,908 France Gaumont [3]
3 Dances with Wolves November 9, 1990 $424,208,805 North America Orion Pictures [4]
4 The King's Speech September 6, 2010 $423,999,102 Australia
United Kingdom 		Momentum Pictures [2]
5 Slumdog Millionaire August 30, 2008 $378,410,113 United Kingdom Pathé Distribution [2]
6 My Big Fat Greek Wedding April 19, 2002 $368,744,044 North America IFC Films [2]
7 American Beauty September 8, 1999 $356,258,047 North America DreamWorks Pictures [1]
8 Black Swan September 1, 2010 $329,398,046 North America Fox Searchlight Pictures [5]
9 Se7en September 15, 1995 $328,125,643 North America New Line Cinema [6]
10 The Silence of the Lambs February 14, 1991 $275,726,716 North America Orion Pictures [7]
11 Parasite May 21, 2019 $262,857,186 South Korea CJ Entertainment (South Korea)
Neon (North America) 		[8]
12 The Full Monty August 15, 1997 $261,249,383 United Kingdom Fox Searchlight Pictures [2]
13 The Blair Witch Project January 23, 1999 $248,639,099 North America Artisan Entertainment [2]
14 Sound of Freedom † July 4, 2023 $247,801,971 North America Angel Studios [9]
15 Silver Linings Playbook November 16, 2012 $236,412,453 North America The Weinstein Company [10]
16 Juno September 1, 2007 $231,450,102 North America Fox Searchlight Pictures [2]
17 Fahrenheit 9/11 May 17, 2004 $222,446,882 North America FLIC Distributors [2]
18 Good Will Hunting December 2, 1997 $225,925,989 North America Miramax [2]
19 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon May 18, 2000 $213,514,672 Taiwan Sony Pictures Classics [11]
20 Pulp Fiction May 21, 1994 $212,894,343 North America Miramax [12]
21 Traffic December 27, 2000 $207,515,725 North America Focus Features [13]
22 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles March 30, 1990 $202,084,756 North America Golden Harvest [14]
23 The Shape of Water December 1, 2017 $195,333,312 North America Fox Searchlight Pictures [15]
24 Kill Bill: Volume 1 October 10, 2003 $180,899,045 North America Miramax [16]
25 Brokeback Mountain December 9, 2005 $178,062,759 North America Focus Features [17]
26 The Grand Budapest Hotel March 7, 2014 $173,082,189 North America
Germany 		Fox Searchlight Pictures [18]
27 No Country for Old Men November 9, 2007 $171,627,166 North America Miramax (North America)
Paramount Vantage (International) 		[19]
28 One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest November 19, 1975 $163,281,275 North America United Artists [1]
29 The Hateful Eight December 25, 2015 $156,480,177 North America The Weinstein Company [20]
30 Kill Bill: Volume 2 April 16, 2004 $154,116,796 North America Miramax [21]
31 Everything Everywhere All at Once March 25, 2022 $141,054,397 North America A24 [22]
32 Coraline February 6, 2009 $124,596,837 North America Focus Features [23]
33 Lost in Translation September 12, 2003 $117,085,297 North America
Japan 		Focus Features [24]
34 Sideways October 22, 2004 $109,726,800 North America Fox Searchlight Pictures [24]
35 Birdman October 17, 2014 $103,215,094 North America Fox Searchlight Pictures [25]
36 Crash May 6, 2005 $101,173,038 North America Lionsgate [24]
37 Little Miss Sunshine July 26, 2006 $101,058,954 North America Fox Searchlight Pictures [26]
38 Fritz the Cat April 12, 1972 $90,000,000 North America Cinemation Industries [27]
39 The Amityville Horror July 27, 1979 $86,432,000 North America American International Pictures [28]
40 Hereditary June 7, 2018 $82,729,816 United States A24 [29]
41 Moonlight October 21, 2016 $65,172,611 [30]
41 The Whale December 9, 2022 $54,883,206 [31]
42 Whiplash January 16, 2014 $48,982,041 North America Sony Pictures Classics (North America)
Stage 6 Films (International) 		[32]
43 Midsommar July 3, 2019 $48,059,189 United States
Sweden 		A24 (North America)
Nordisk Film (Sweden) 		[33]
44 The Witch February 19, 2016 $40,423,945 United States
Canada 		A24 (United States)
Elevation Pictures (Canada) 		[34]
45 The Iron Claw December 22, 2023 $33,542,260 United Kingdom
United States 		A24 (North America)
Lionsgate (United Kingdom) 		[35]
46 Past Lives June 2, 2023 $21,548,356 United States A24 [36]
47 The Green Knight July 30, 2021 $18,887,953 United States
Canada 		[37]
48 While We're Young March 27, 2015 $18,117,839 United States [38]
49 Dream Scenario November 10, 2023 $7,305,466 [39]
50 20th Century Women December 28, 2016 $7,214,806 [40]

Highest-grossing independent films by year

Year Title Worldwide gross Budget Ref
2023 Sound of Freedom † $247,801,971 14.5 million [9]
2022 Everything Everywhere All at Once $141,054,397 $14.3–25 million [41][42][43]

Timeline of highest-grossing independent film

Film Established Record-setting gross Ref
Dances with Wolves 1990 $424,208,805 [44]
The Passion of the Christ 2004 $611,486,736 [45]
2005 $612,054,506

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ a b c "The Highest Grossing Independent Films of All Time – Page 11 – 24/7 Wall St". Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Barker, Stephen (2020-10-17). "The 10 Highest-Grossing Independent Films Of All Time". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  3. ^ "Les Intouchables (2012) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  4. ^ "Dances with Wolves (1990) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  5. ^ "Black Swan". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  6. ^ "Se7en (1995) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  7. ^ "The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  8. ^ "Parasite". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  9. ^ a b "Sound of Freedom", Box Office Mojo, July 17, 2023, retrieved December 6, 2023
  10. ^ "The Highest Grossing Independent Films of All Time – Page 6 – 24/7 Wall St". Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  11. ^ "The Highest Grossing Independent Films of All Time – Page 8 – 24/7 Wall St". Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  12. ^ "The Highest Grossing Independent Films of All Time – Page 9 – 24/7 Wall St". Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  13. ^ "Traffic". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  14. ^ "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  15. ^ "The Shape of Water". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  16. ^ "Kill Bill: Vol. 1". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  17. ^ "Brokeback Mountain". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  18. ^ "The Grand Budapest Hotel". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  19. ^ "No Country for Old Men". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  20. ^ "The Hateful Eight". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  21. ^ "Kill Bill: Vol. 2". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  22. ^ "Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  23. ^ "Coraline". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  24. ^ a b c "The Highest Grossing Independent Films of All Time – Page 4 – 24/7 Wall St". Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  25. ^ "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  26. ^ "The Highest Grossing Independent Films of All Time – Page 3 – 24/7 Wall St". Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  27. ^ "Ralph Bakshi". The A.V. Club. 2000-12-06. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  28. ^ "The Amityville Horror". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  29. ^ "Hereditary". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  30. ^ "Moonlight". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  31. ^ "The Whale". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  32. ^ "Whiplash". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  33. ^ "Midsommar". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  34. ^ "The Witch". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  35. ^ "The Iron Claw". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  36. ^ "Past Lives". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  37. ^ "The Green Knight". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  38. ^ "While We're Young". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  39. ^ "Dream Scenario". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  40. ^ "20th Century Women". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
  41. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (July 31, 2022). "'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Is A24's First Movie to Hit $100 Million Globally". Variety. Archived from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  42. ^ Buchanan, Kyle (October 21, 2022). "Everything Everywhere, All Through Awards Season?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  43. ^ "Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  44. ^ "Dances with Wolves".
  45. ^ "The Passion of the Christ".
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