Elizabeth Holmes Documentary ‘You Can See Everything’ Achieves Box Office Surprise
Elizabeth Holmes has been featured in more screen projects than nearly any other disgraced founder. The Theranos story has already inspired HBO’s documentary ‘The Inventor’ and Hulu’s series ‘The Dropout’, starring Amanda Seyfried as Holmes. Few anticipated that another film about Holmes would feel innovative, let alone become a theatrical phenomenon.
The timing adds to the surprise. Documentaries have faced challenges at the box office for about five years, and a nearly three-hour runtime is typically not a recipe for success. However, A24’s ‘You Can See Everything’ debuted with an air of mystery, having been produced in secret over four years and only revealed two months ago at a surprise premiere during the Telluride Film Festival.
Now, the results are in, and they are impressive. The film opened to an estimated $15 million domestically from just 855 screens, finishing second to ‘Street Fighter’. This marks the second-best opening for a non-music documentary ever, trailing only ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’, which earned $23.9 million in 2004.
In context, this number is even more significant. Including all documentaries, it is the best opening since 2013’s ‘One Direction: This Is Us’, which debuted with $15.8 million from 2,735 screens. Excluding music documentaries, this is the highest opening since ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’, which holds the all-time unadjusted record for the genre.
The per-theater average was approximately $17,500. Deadline noted this was the largest opening for a title playing in fewer than 1,000 theaters since ‘Borat’. The weekend breakdown showed $5.5 million on Friday, $5.2 million on Saturday, and $4.2 million on Sunday.
Predictions had been significantly lower. Pre-release estimates ranged from about $7 million to $10.5 million, with The Hollywood Reporter estimating $7 million, Variety between $7 million and $8 million, and Deadline at $10 million. Thursday previews of around $1.7 million, an unprecedented figure for a documentary, hinted at something larger.
A24 reported that the film sold out over 2,000 screenings, with theaters indicating that showings were filling up in both large and small markets. With a production budget of about $7 million, the film is already poised for a highly profitable run.
‘You Can See Everything’ was directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, running for 174 minutes. It begins 34 days before Holmes reports to prison, when she invites a skeptical film crew to document her every move. The project commenced when a seven-person crew visited the home she shares with her partner, Billy Evans, in 2023.
Fielder, known for ‘Nathan for You’ and ‘The Rehearsal’, integrates himself into the narrative. Critics have described the outcome as far from a traditional documentary, questioning Holmes’ credibility and the nature of documentaries themselves. Oppenheim, who also released the A24 film ‘Primetime’ last month, has a history of involving subjects in the filmmaking process.
The reviews have generated significant buzz. The film boasts a 99% to 100% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 98 on Metacritic, which falls under the site’s universal acclaim category. An audience score of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 92% definite recommend rating in PostTrak polling indicate that viewers are also enthusiastic.
CNN’s review affirmed that the film meets the hype, while others commended its exploration of what goes on inside a person like Holmes. Some critics expressed concerns about the runtime and how Fielder portrays Holmes. Nevertheless, the overall reception has been overwhelmingly positive.
The teaser trailer ‘YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING,’ a documentary by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim.
Thirty-four days before she’s sent to prison, Elizabeth Holmes invites a skeptical film crew to document her every move.
In theaters this October. https://t.co/LHRvYLXULH— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) September 7, 2026
This success adds to a remarkable year for A24, with one outlet labeling the studio as Hollywood’s hottest brand. The studio invested less than $10 million in production and marketing, making this opening a significant achievement. The film is also anticipated to enter awards discussions, with the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards set for Nov. 8.
International audiences will soon have their chance to see it. A24 has scheduled a Nov. 20 release date in the U.K. and Ireland. Following an opening like this, expectations for the film’s broader run will be elevated.
This also raises an intriguing question for the industry. If a nearly three-hour documentary can become a sold-out event, other filmmakers may be encouraged to take greater risks with the format. For now, ‘You Can See Everything’ has demonstrated that curiosity, secrecy, and strong word of mouth can still draw crowds to theaters.
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