"The History of Concrete" crosses $1 million, top platform documentary of 2026
Magnolia's documentary passed $1 million after 16 days, grossing $450,000 from 160 screens over the weekend for a $1.2 million total.
"The History of Concrete" surpassed $1 million at the box office on Saturday, becoming the highest-grossing platform-distributed documentary of 2026, according to IndieWire.
The film reached the milestone after 16 days in theaters. Over the weekend it grossed just over $450,000 from 160 screens, bringing its total to just over $1.2 million.
Magnolia acquired the film out of the Sundance Film Festival, where it drew extensive coverage for creator John Wilson, star of HBO's "How To with John Wilson". It became the second highest-grossing debut at the IFC Center, behind "Parasite".
Regional runs and wider market
Last week the film earned $47,510 at the Music Box in Chicago, $34,534 at BAM in Brooklyn and $24,653 at the Balboa in San Francisco. Low Cinema in Ridgewood, Queens, which Wilson operates, has sold out every show through the end of October.
In the wider market, "Melania" earned $16.7 million after Amazon MGM Studios paid $40 million for the film plus tens of millions more in marketing. Neon's "EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert" opened across 325 Imax theaters and earned $23.5 million globally and $13.6 million domestically; in its second weekend it played in 1,963 theaters, while "Melania" opened across 1,778 screens. Kino Lorber's "Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World" earned $773,430, the independently released "Steal This Story, Please!" netted $750,077 and Watermelon Pictures' "American Doctor" earned $556,703.
Magnolia had a surprise hit last summer with John Early's directorial debut "Maddie's Secret".
Quick answers
How much has "The History of Concrete" grossed at the box office?
It passed $1 million on Saturday and its total now stands at just over $1.2 million.
How long did it take to reach $1 million?
It reached the milestone after 16 days in theaters.
Who distributed "The History of Concrete"?
Magnolia acquired the film out of the Sundance Film Festival.