The below list only includes domestic (U.S. and Canada only, unless otherwise indicated) grosses for specialty films — which we define to include independent, foreign (including Bollywood films), and/or documentary films — that opened in limited release (599 screens and under) in 2021 AND/OR were acquired or produced for 2021 distribution by an independent distributor (including but not limited to STX Films, Annapurna, United Artists Releasing, A24, Entertainment Studios, IFC Films, Magnolia Pictures, Lionsgate, Open Road, and Bleecker Street) or a studio or its specialty division (including Searchlight, Sony Pictures Classics, and Focus Features).
Given the rapidly changing state of the box office world (and its attendant reporting), this list only includes movies that have opened in theaters during 2021, including brick and mortar businesses and drive-ins. For more information on streaming and VOD box office takes, please check out our weekly updates in those markets right here.
When provided, this list also includes budgets for each film. Last year’s list can be found here.
Grosses include all reported grosses (via BoxOfficeMojo) up to February 16, 2021. This chart is updated every Tuesday afternoon.
1. “The Marksman”
Distributor: Open Road Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 15
Opening Theater Count: 1,975
Opening Average: $1,571
Current Gross: $10,648,385
2. “Land”
Distributor: Focus Features
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 12
Opening Theater Count: 1,231
Opening Average: $763
Current Gross: $1,070,000
3. “Our Friend”
Distributor: Gravitas Ventures
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 22
Opening Theater Count: 543
Opening Average: $442
Current Gross: $636,164
“Supernova”
Bleecker Street
4. “Supernova”
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 29
Opening Theater Count: 330
Opening Average: $283
Current Gross: $220,768
5. “The Mauritanian”
Distributor: STX Entertainment
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 12
Opening Theater Count: 245
Opening Average: $665
Current Gross: $181,000
6. “Earwig and the Witch”
Distributor: GKIDS
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 3
Opening Theater Count: 430
Opening Average: $46
Current Gross: $151,294
“Earwig and the Witch”
GKids
7. “No Man’s Land”
Distributor: IFC Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 22
Opening Theater Count: 254
Opening Average: $232
Current Gross: $126,840
8. “Willy’s Wonderland”
Distributor: Screen Media
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 12
Opening Theater Count: 123
Opening Average: $772
Current Gross: $118,000
9. “The Reckoning”
Distributor: RLJE Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 5
Opening Theater Count: 175
Opening Average: $370
Current Gross: $83,770
10. “Psycho Goreman”
Distributor: RLJE Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: Januar 22
Opening Theater Count: 45
Opening Average: $897
Current Gross: $81,815
“The World to Come”
Bleecker Street
11. “The World to Come”
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 12
Opening Theater Count: 278
Opening Average: $153
Current Gross: $48,935
12. “MLK/FBI”
Distributor: IFC Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 15
Opening Theater Count: 120
Opening Average: $180
Current Gross: $45,200
13. “Shadow in the Cloud”
Distributor: Vertical Entertainment
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 1
Opening Theater Count: 75
Opening Average: $533
Current Gross: $40,000
14. “Some Kind of Heaven”
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 8
Opening Theater Count: 54
Opening Average: $181
Current Gross: $38,421
“Some Kind of Heaven”
15. “Dara of Jasenovac”
Distributor: 101 Studios
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 5
Opening Theater Count: 12
Opening Average: $1,392
Current Gross: $34,941
16. “Little Fish”
Distributor: IFC Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 5
Opening Theater Count: 84
Opening Average: $256
Current Gross: $29,236
17. “Bloody Hell”
Distributor: Entertainment Squad
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 14
Opening Theater Count: 21
Opening Average: $625
Current Gross: $28,037
18. “The Night”
Distributor: IFC Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 29
Opening Theater Count: 33
Opening Average: $333
Current Gross: $23,435
“Two of Us”
Magnolia Pictures
19. “Two of Us”
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 5
Opening Theater Count: 27
Opening Average: $109
Current Gross: $4,131
20. “A Glitch in the Matrix”
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 5
Opening Theater Count: 19
Opening Average: $87
Current Gross: $2,238
Given the rapidly changing state of the box office world (and its attendant reporting), this list only includes movies that have opened in theaters during 2021, including brick and mortar businesses and drive-ins. For more information on streaming and VOD box office takes, please check out our weekly updates in those markets right here.
When provided, this list also includes budgets for each film. Last year’s list can be found here.
Grosses include all reported grosses (via BoxOfficeMojo) up to February 16, 2021. This chart is updated every Tuesday afternoon.
1. “The Marksman”
Distributor: Open Road Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 15
Opening Theater Count: 1,975
Opening Average: $1,571
Current Gross: $10,648,385
2. “Land”
Distributor: Focus Features
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 12
Opening Theater Count: 1,231
Opening Average: $763
Current Gross: $1,070,000
3. “Our Friend”
Distributor: Gravitas Ventures
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 22
Opening Theater Count: 543
Opening Average: $442
Current Gross: $636,164
“Supernova”
Bleecker Street
4. “Supernova”
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 29
Opening Theater Count: 330
Opening Average: $283
Current Gross: $220,768
5. “The Mauritanian”
Distributor: STX Entertainment
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 12
Opening Theater Count: 245
Opening Average: $665
Current Gross: $181,000
6. “Earwig and the Witch”
Distributor: GKIDS
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 3
Opening Theater Count: 430
Opening Average: $46
Current Gross: $151,294
“Earwig and the Witch”
GKids
7. “No Man’s Land”
Distributor: IFC Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 22
Opening Theater Count: 254
Opening Average: $232
Current Gross: $126,840
8. “Willy’s Wonderland”
Distributor: Screen Media
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 12
Opening Theater Count: 123
Opening Average: $772
Current Gross: $118,000
9. “The Reckoning”
Distributor: RLJE Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 5
Opening Theater Count: 175
Opening Average: $370
Current Gross: $83,770
10. “Psycho Goreman”
Distributor: RLJE Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: Januar 22
Opening Theater Count: 45
Opening Average: $897
Current Gross: $81,815
“The World to Come”
Bleecker Street
11. “The World to Come”
Distributor: Bleecker Street
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 12
Opening Theater Count: 278
Opening Average: $153
Current Gross: $48,935
12. “MLK/FBI”
Distributor: IFC Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 15
Opening Theater Count: 120
Opening Average: $180
Current Gross: $45,200
13. “Shadow in the Cloud”
Distributor: Vertical Entertainment
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 1
Opening Theater Count: 75
Opening Average: $533
Current Gross: $40,000
14. “Some Kind of Heaven”
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 8
Opening Theater Count: 54
Opening Average: $181
Current Gross: $38,421
“Some Kind of Heaven”
15. “Dara of Jasenovac”
Distributor: 101 Studios
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 5
Opening Theater Count: 12
Opening Average: $1,392
Current Gross: $34,941
16. “Little Fish”
Distributor: IFC Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 5
Opening Theater Count: 84
Opening Average: $256
Current Gross: $29,236
17. “Bloody Hell”
Distributor: Entertainment Squad
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 14
Opening Theater Count: 21
Opening Average: $625
Current Gross: $28,037
18. “The Night”
Distributor: IFC Films
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: January 29
Opening Theater Count: 33
Opening Average: $333
Current Gross: $23,435
“Two of Us”
Magnolia Pictures
19. “Two of Us”
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 5
Opening Theater Count: 27
Opening Average: $109
Current Gross: $4,131
20. “A Glitch in the Matrix”
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Budget (if reported): NA
Release Date: February 5
Opening Theater Count: 19
Opening Average: $87
Current Gross: $2,238