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List of highest-grossing independent films

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

Highest-grossing films

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  † Background shading indicates films playing in the week commencing 12 February 2026 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 United States Newmarket Films [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 My Big Fat Greek Wedding April 19, 2002 $368,744,044 North America IFC Films [2]
6 American Beauty September 8, 1999 $356,258,047 DreamWorks Pictures [1]
7 Se7en September 15, 1995 $328,125,643 New Line Cinema [5]
8 The Silence of the Lambs February 14, 1991 $275,726,716 Orion Pictures [6]
9 Parasite May 21, 2019 $262,857,186 South Korea CJ Entertainment [7]
10 Sound of Freedom July 4, 2023 $250,570,396 North America Angel Studios [8]
11 The Blair Witch Project January 23, 1999 $248,639,099 Artisan Entertainment [2]
12 Silver Linings Playbook November 16, 2012 $236,412,453 The Weinstein Company [9]
13 Fahrenheit 9/11 May 17, 2004 $222,446,882 Lionsgate [2]
14 Good Will Hunting December 2, 1997 $225,925,989 Miramax [2]
15 Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets July 21, 2017 $225,874,228 France
United States
China
Germany
Belgium
United Arab Emirates 		STX Entertainment [10]
16 Pulp Fiction May 21, 1994 $212,894,343 North America Miramax [11]
17 Traffic December 27, 2000 $207,515,725 USA Films [12]
18 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles March 30, 1990 $202,084,756 New Line Cinema [13]
19 Kill Bill: Volume 1 October 10, 2003 $180,899,045 Miramax [14]
20 The Hateful Eight December 25, 2015 $156,480,177 The Weinstein Company [15]
21 Kill Bill: Volume 2 April 16, 2004 $154,116,796 Miramax [16]
22 Everything Everywhere All at Once March 25, 2022 $141,054,397 A24 [17]
23 Longlegs July 12, 2024 $126,867,598 United States Neon [18]
24 Civil War April 12, 2024 $122,533,193 United States
United Kingdom 		A24 (United States)
Entertainment Film Distributors (United Kingdom) 		[19]
25 The Graduate December 20, 1967 $104,677,456 United States
South Korea
Australia
New Zealand 		Embassy Pictures (United States)
United Artists (International) 		[20]
26 Crash May 6, 2005 $101,173,038 North America Lionsgate [21]
27 Terrifier 3 October 11, 2024 $94,436,616 United States Cineverse [22]
28 Hereditary June 7, 2018 $90,190,521 A24 [23]
29 Fritz the Cat April 12, 1972 $90,000,000 North America Cinemation Industries [24]
30 The Amityville Horror July 27, 1979 $86,432,000 American International Pictures [25]
31 Halloween October 24, 1978 $70,274,000 United States
New Zealand
United Kingdom 		Compass International Pictures (United States)
Aquarius Releasing (International) 		[26]
32 Moonlight October 21, 2016 $65,172,611 United States A24 [27]
33 The Whale December 9, 2022 $54,883,206 [28]
34 Midsommar July 3, 2019 $48,059,189 United States
Sweden 		A24 (North America)
Nordisk Film (Sweden) 		[29]
35 The Iron Claw December 22, 2023 $45,745,981 United Kingdom
United States 		A24 (North America)
Lionsgate (United Kingdom) 		[30]
36 The Witch February 19, 2016 $40,423,945 United States
Canada 		A24 (United States)
Elevation Pictures (Canada) 		[31]
37 Grizzly May 16, 1976 $39,000,000 United States
Hungary 		Film Ventures International (United States)
Columbia Pictures (Hungary) 		[32]
38 Iron Lung † January 30, 2026 $37,196,227 United States
Finland
Netherlands
New Zealand
Australia
United Kingdom 		Markiplier Studios [33][34]
39 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre October 11, 1974 $30,926,225 United States
Russia
New Zealand
Australia 		Bryanston Distributing Company [35]
40 Night of the Living Dead October 1, 1968 $30,240,082 United States
New Zealand
United Kingdom 		Continental Distributing [36][37]

Highest-grossing independent films by year

[edit]
Year Title Worldwide gross Budget Ref
1967 The Graduate $104,677,456 $3,000,000 [20]
1968 Night of the Living Dead $30,200,000 $114,000–$125,000 [36][37]
1974 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre $30,900,000 $80,000–140,000 [35]
1976 Grizzly $39,000,000 $750,000 [32]
1978 Halloween $70,274,000 $300,000–325,000 [26]
2004 The Passion of the Christ $611,486,736 $30,000,000 [2]
2005 Crash $101,173,038 $6,500,000 [21]
2010 The Intouchables $484,630,908 $10,800,000 [3]
2012 Silver Linings Playbook $236,412,453 $21,000,000 [9]
2016 Moonlight $65,172,611 $1.5-4,000,000 [27]
2017 Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets $225,874,228 $180,000,000 [10]
2018 Hereditary $90,190,521 $10,000,000 [23]
2019 Parasite $262,857,186 $11,400,000 [7]
2022 Everything Everywhere All at Once $141,054,397 $14.3–25,000,000 [38][39][40]
2023 Sound of Freedom $250,570,396 $14,500,000 [8]
2024 Civil War $122,533,193 $50,000,000 [41]
2026 Iron Lung † $37,196,227 < $3,000,000 [33][34]

Timeline of highest-grossing independent film

[edit]
Film Established Length Held Record-setting gross Ref
The Graduate 1967 23 Years $104,677,456 [20]
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1990 1 Year $202,084,756 [13]
Dances with Wolves 1991 13 Years $424,208,805 [42]
The Passion of the Christ 2004 Ongoing $612,054,506 [43]

See also

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ a b "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 Barker, Stephen (2020-10-17). "The 10 Highest-Grossing Independent Films Of All Time". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  3. ^ a b "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. ^ "Se7en (1995) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  6. ^ "The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  7. ^ a b "Parasite". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  8. ^ a b "Sound of Freedom", Box Office Mojo, July 17, 2023, retrieved December 6, 2023
  9. ^ a b "The Highest Grossing Independent Films of All Time – Page 6 – 24/7 Wall St". Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  10. ^ a b "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
  11. ^ "The Highest Grossing Independent Films of All Time – Page 9 – 24/7 Wall St". Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  12. ^ "Traffic". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  13. ^ a b "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  14. ^ "Kill Bill: Vol. 1". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  15. ^ "The Hateful Eight". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  16. ^ "Kill Bill: Vol. 2". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  17. ^ "Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
  18. ^ "Longlegs". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  19. ^ "Civil War". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
  20. ^ a b c "The Graduate". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  21. ^ a b "The Highest Grossing Independent Films of All Time – Page 4 – 24/7 Wall St". Retrieved 2022-10-14.
  22. ^ "Terrifier 3". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
  23. ^ a b "Hereditary". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  24. ^ "Ralph Bakshi". The A.V. Club. 2000-12-06. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
  25. ^ "The Amityville Horror". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  26. ^ a b "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  27. ^ a b "Moonlight". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  28. ^ "The Whale". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  29. ^ "Midsommar". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  30. ^ "The Iron Claw (2023) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  31. ^ "The Witch". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  32. ^ a b Donahue, Suzanne Mary (1987). American film distribution : the changing marketplace. Internet Archive. Ann Arbor, Mich. : UMI Research Press. ISBN 978-0-8357-1776-2.
  33. ^ a b "Verifying". www.the-numbers.com. Retrieved 2026-01-30.
  34. ^ a b "Iron Lung". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-01.
  35. ^ a b "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  36. ^ a b 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.
  37. ^ a b "Night of the Living Dead". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  38. ^ 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.
  39. ^ 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.
  40. ^ "Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  41. ^ "Civil War", Box Office Mojo, April 12, 2024, retrieved August 17, 2024
  42. ^ "Dances with Wolves".
  43. ^ "The Passion of the Christ".
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