List of highest-grossing independent films

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-produced or co-distributed by major film studios, such as Inglourious Basterds, Paranormal Activity, or Obsession, are not included.

Highest-grossing films

  † Background shading indicates films playing in the week commencing 28 August 2026 in theaters around the world.
No. Title Year Gross Film distributor Ref Countries
1 The Passion of the Christ 2004 $611,486,736 Newmarket Films [2] United States
2 The Intouchables 2010 $484,630,908 Gaumont [3] France
3 Dances with Wolves 1990 $424,208,805 Orion Pictures [4] United States
4 The King's Speech 2010 $423,999,102 Momentum Pictures [2] Australia
United Kingdom
5 Backrooms † 2026 $396,586,433 A24 [5] United States
6 My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2002 $368,744,044 IFC Films (United States)
Equinox Films (Canada)		 [2] United States
Canada
7 Se7en 1995 $328,125,643 New Line Cinema [6] United States
8 The Silence of the Lambs 1991 $275,726,716 Orion Pictures [7]
9 Parasite 2019 $262,857,186 CJ Entertainment [8] South Korea
10 Sound of Freedom 2023 $250,570,396 Angel Studios [9] United States
11 The Blair Witch Project 1999 $248,639,099 Artisan Entertainment [2]
12 Silver Linings Playbook 2012 $236,412,453 The Weinstein Company [10]
13 Fahrenheit 9/11 2004 $222,446,882 Lionsgate [2]
14 Good Will Hunting 1997 $225,925,989 Miramax [2]
15 Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets 2017 $225,874,228 STX Entertainment [11] France
United States
China
Germany
Belgium
United Arab Emirates
16 Pulp Fiction 1994 $212,894,343 Miramax [12] United States
17 Traffic 2000 $207,515,725 USA Films [13]
18 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1990 $202,084,756 New Line Cinema [14]
19 Kill Bill: Volume 1 2003 $180,899,045 Miramax [15]
20 The Hateful Eight 2015 $156,480,177 The Weinstein Company [16]
21 Kill Bill: Volume 2 2004 $154,116,796 Miramax [17]
22 Everything Everywhere All at Once 2022 $141,054,397 A24 [18]
23 The Drama 2026 $130,774,890 [19]
24 Longlegs 2024 $126,867,598 Neon [20]
25 Civil War 2024 $122,533,193 A24 (United States)
Entertainment Film (United Kingdom)		 [21] United States
United Kingdom
26 The Graduate 1967 $104,677,456 Embassy Pictures (United States)
United Artists (international)		 [22] United States
27 Crash 2005 $101,173,038 Lionsgate (United States)
Universum Films (Germany)		 [23] United States
Germany
28 Spotlight 2015 $98,690,254 Open Road Films [24] United States
29 Terrifier 3 2024 $94,436,616 Cineverse [25]
30 Hereditary 2018 $90,190,521 A24 [26]
31 Fritz the Cat 1972 $90,000,000 Cinemation Industries [27]
32 Snowpiercer 2013 $86,758,912 RADiUS-TWC (USA)
CJ Entertainment (Korea)
Le Pacte (France)
Bontonfilm (Czech)		 [28] United States
South Korea
France
Czech Republic
33 The Amityville Horror 1979 $86,432,000 American International Pictures [29] United States
34 The Substance 2024 $77,316,812 Mubi [30] United States
France
United Kingdom
35 Halloween 1978 $70,274,000 Compass International (USA)
Aquarius Releasing (international)		 [31] United States
36 Moonlight 2016 $65,172,611 A24 [32]
37 The Whale 2022 $54,883,206 [33]
38 I, Tonya 2017 $53,939,297 Neon [34]
39 Iron Lung 2026 $51,226,173 Markiplier Studios [35][36]
40 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master 1988 $49,369,899 New Line Cinema [37]
41 Midsommar 2019 $48,059,189 A24 (North America)
Nordisk Film (Sweden)		 [38] United States
Sweden
42 Nightcrawler 2014 $47,425,835 Open Road Films [39] United States
43 The Iron Claw 2023 $45,745,981 A24 (North America)
Lionsgate (United Kingdom)		 [40] United Kingdom
United States
44 A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors 1987 $44,793,222 New Line Cinema [41] United States
45 Past Lives 2023 $42,748,888 A24 (United States)
CJ ENM (South Korea)		 [42] United States
South Korea
46 The Witch 2016 $40,423,945 A24 (United States)
Elevation Pictures (Canada)		 [43] United States
Canada
47 Grizzly 1976 $39,000,000 Film Ventures (USA)
Columbia (Hungary)		 [44] United States
Hungary
48 The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act 2026 $36,405,571 Fathom Entertainment [45] United States
Australia
49 Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare 1991 $34,872,033 New Line Cinema [46] United States
50 Together 2025 $34,573,161 Neon (United States)
Kismet Movies (Australia)		 [47] United States
Australia

Highest-grossing independent films by year

Year Title Worldwide gross Budget Ref
1966 Queen of Blood $17,300,000 $65,000 [48]
1967 The Graduate $104,677,456 $3,000,000 [22]
1968 Night of the Living Dead $30,200,000 $114,000–$125,000 [49][50]
1974 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre $30,900,000 $80,000–140,000 [51]
1976 Grizzly $39,000,000 $750,000 [44]
1978 Halloween $70,274,000 $300,000–325,000 [31]
1984 A Nightmare on Elm Street $25,865,606 $1,100,000 [52]
1985 A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge $30,000,121 $3,300,000 [53]
1987 A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors $44,793,222 $4,300,000 [41]
1988 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master $49,369,899 $8,000,000 [37]
1990 Dances with Wolves $424,208,805 $22,000,000 [4]
1991 Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare $34,872,033 $9-11,000,000 [46]
2004 The Passion of the Christ $611,486,736 $30,000,000 [2]
2005 Crash $101,173,038 $6,500,000 [23]
2010 The Intouchables $484,630,908 $10,800,000 [3]
2012 Silver Linings Playbook $236,412,453 $21,000,000 [10]
2013 Snowpiercer $86,758,912 $40,000,000 [28]
2015 The Hateful Eight $156,480,177 $44–64,000,000 [16]
2016 Moonlight $65,172,611 $1.5–4,000,000 [32]
2017 Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets $225,874,228 $180,000,000 [11]
2018 Hereditary $90,190,521 $10,000,000 [26]
2019 Parasite $262,857,186 $11,400,000 [8]
2022 Everything Everywhere All at Once $141,054,397 $14.3–25,000,000 [54][55][56]
2023 Sound of Freedom $250,570,396 $14,500,000 [9]
2024 Longlegs $127,961,936 $10,000,000 [57]
2025 Marty Supreme $180,410,386 $60–70,000,000 [58]
2026 Backrooms † $396,586,433 $10,000,000 [5]

Timeline of records

Highest-grossing

Film Established Length Held Record-setting gross Ref
Queen of Blood 1966 1 Year $17,300,000 [48]
The Graduate 1967 23 Years $104,677,456 [22]
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles March 1990 6 Months $202,084,756 [14]
Dances with Wolves October 1990 13 Years $424,208,805 [59]
The Passion of the Christ 2004 Ongoing $612,054,506 [60]

Biggest opening weekend

Film Established Length Held Record-setting Weekend Ref
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master 1988 2 Years $12,883,403 [22]
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1990 14 Years $25,398,367 [14]
The Passion of the Christ 2004 Ongoing $83,848,082 [61]

Biggest independent film opening weekends

The following is a list of independent films which have opened to more than $10 million.

Rank Film Year Opening weekend Ref
1 The Passion of the Christ 2004 $83,848,082 [61]
2 Backrooms 2026 $81,456,295 [5]
3 Civil War 2024 $25,537,368 [62]
4 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1990 $25,398,367 [63]
5 Kill Bill: Volume 2 2004 $25,104,949 [64]
6 Fahrenheit 9/11 $23,920,637 [65]
7 The Amityville Horror 2005 $23,507,007 [66]
8 Longlegs 2024 $22,400,119 [67]
9 Kill Bill: Volume 1 2003 $22,089,322 [68]
10 Sound of Freedom 2023 $19,680,879 [69]
11 Terrifier 3 2024 $18,928,113 [70]
12 Iron Lung 2026 $18,190,786 [35][36]
13 Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets 2017 $17,007,624 [71]
14 The Drama 2026 $14,380,197 [19]
15 RoboCop 2 1990 $14,145,411 [72]
16 Se7en 1995 $13,949,807 [73]
17 The Silence of the Lambs 1991 $13,766,814 [7]
18 Hereditary 2018 $13,575,173 [74]
19 Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare 1991 $12,966,525 [75]
20 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master 1988 $12,883,403 [76]
21 The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act 2026 $12,770,488 [45]
22 Nightcrawler 2014 $10,441,000 [77]

See also

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "The Highest Grossing Independent Films of All Time – Page 11 – 24/7 Wall St". Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Barker, Stephen (2020-10-17). "The 10 Highest-Grossing Independent Films Of All Time". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  3. 1 2 "Les Intouchables (2012) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  4. 1 2 "Dances with Wolves (1990) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  5. 1 2 3 "Backrooms". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
  6. ↑ "Se7en (1995) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  7. 1 2 "The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  8. 1 2 "Parasite". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  9. 1 2 "Sound of Freedom", Box Office Mojo, July 17, 2023, retrieved December 6, 2023
  10. 1 2 "The Highest Grossing Independent Films of All Time – Page 6 – 24/7 Wall St". Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  11. 1 2 "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  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. 1 2 3 "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  15. ↑ "Kill Bill: Vol. 1". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  16. 1 2 "The Hateful Eight". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  17. ↑ "Kill Bill: Vol. 2". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  18. ↑ "Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  19. 1 2 "The Drama", Box Office Mojo, December 25, 2025, retrieved April 20, 2026
  20. ↑ "Longlegs". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  21. ↑ "Civil War". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  22. 1 2 3 4 "The Graduate". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  23. 1 2 "The Highest Grossing Independent Films of All Time – Page 4 – 24/7 Wall St". Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  24. ↑ "Spotlight". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  25. ↑ "Terrifier 3". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  26. 1 2 "Hereditary". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  27. ↑ "Ralph Bakshi". The A.V. Club. 2000-12-06. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  28. 1 2 "Snowpiercer". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  29. ↑ "The Amityville Horror". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  30. ↑ "The Substance". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  31. 1 2 "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  32. 1 2 "Moonlight". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  33. ↑ "The Whale". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  34. ↑ "I, Tonya". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  35. 1 2 "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  36. 1 2 "Iron Lung". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  37. 1 2 "A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  38. ↑ "Midsommar". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  39. ↑ "Nightcrawler". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  40. ↑ "The Iron Claw (2023) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  41. 1 2 "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  42. ↑ "Past Lives". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  43. ↑ "The Witch". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  44. 1 2 Donahue, Suzanne Mary (1987). American film distribution : the changing marketplace. Internet Archive. Ann Arbor, Mich. : UMI Research Press. ISBN 978-0-8357-1776-2.
  45. 1 2 "The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-06-06.
  46. 1 2 "Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  47. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-16.
  48. 1 2 Mark McGee, Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures, McFarland, 1996 p240–241
  49. ↑ Hughes, Mark. "The Top Ten Best Low-Budget Horror Movies Of All Time". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2025-11-16. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  50. ↑ "Night of the Living Dead". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  51. ↑ "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  52. ↑ "A Nightmare on Elm Street". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  53. ↑ "A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  54. ↑ 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.
  55. ↑ 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.
  56. ↑ "Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  57. ↑ "Longlegs", Box Office Mojo, July 12, 2024, retrieved April 20, 2026
  58. ↑ "Marty Supreme", Box Office Mojo, December 25, 2025, retrieved April 20, 2026
  59. ↑ "Dances with Wolves".
  60. ↑ "The Passion of the Christ".
  61. 1 2 "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  62. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  63. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  64. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  65. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  66. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  67. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  68. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  69. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  70. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  71. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  72. ↑ "Robocop 2". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  73. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  74. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
  75. ↑ "Domestic 1991 Weekend 37". Box Office Mojo.
  76. ↑ "'Nightmare' Wakes Up Nat'l B.O.". Daily Variety. August 23, 1988. p. 1.
  77. ↑ "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-19.
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