Synopsis
The Most Unknown is an epic documentary film that sends nine scientists to extraordinary parts of the world to uncover unexpected answers to some of humanity's biggest questions. How did life begin? What is time? What is consciousness? How much do we really know? By introducing researchers from diverse backgrounds for the first time, then dropping them into new, immersive field work they previously hadn't tackled, the film reveals the true potential of interdisciplinary collaboration, pushing the boundaries of how science storytelling is approached. What emerges is a deeply human trip to the foundations of discovery and a powerful reminder that the unanswered questions are the most crucial ones to pose. Directed by Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Ian Cheney (The Search for General Tso, The City Dark) and advised by world-renowned filmmaker Werner Herzog (Fitzcarraldo, Aguirre, The Wrath of God, Grizzly Man), The Most Unknown is an ambitious look at a side of science never before shown on screen. The film was made possible by a grant from Science Sandbox, a Simons Foundation initiative dedicated to engaging everyone with the process of science.
Scores
Popularity Percentile (Year)
38.4%
Box Office Percentile (Year)
7.8%
Critic Consensus
81.8% Fresh • 11 critic reviews
Critic reception is largely positive, with 82% of 11 logged reviews marked Fresh. Across reviews, critics repeatedly emphasize character-driven, emotional, visually striking. Most critics frame the film as an effective delivery of its core style and intent.
character-drivenemotionalvisually strikingthought-provokingrealistic
Cast
| Cast | Year | Reported Salary | Inflation Adjusted | Notes |
|---|
| N/A |
Aggregated Reviews
Rotten Tomatoes critic score82.0
RT critic review count11
Rotten Tomatoes audience score62.0
RT audience rating count100
IMDb rating6.5
IMDb votes2,238
Box Office ?
| Category | Year | Reported | Inflation Adjusted |
|---|
| Domestic | 2018 | $12,119 | $15,140 |
| International | 2018 | N/A | N/A |
| Worldwide | 2018 | $12,119 | $15,140 |
Earnings / Profitability
Estimated net revenues and net expenses for films based on reported and estimated numbers. This income statement should be considered most viable for the first 24 months after the inital movie's release (ie after most lucrative pay windows).
| Category | Year | Reported | Inflation Adjusted |
|---|
| Revenues |
| Theatrical Net Revenue | 2018 | $6,060 | $7,570 |
| Digital Rentals ? | 2018 | $249,000 | $311,076 |
| Digital Purchases ? | 2018 | $300,000 | $374,791 |
| Physical Rentals ? | 2018 | $154,000 | $192,393 |
| Physical Purchases ? | 2018 | $435,000 | $543,447 |
| TV & Streaming Revenue | 2018 | $73,500 | $91,824 |
| Total Revenues | 2018 | $1,217,560 | $1,521,101 |
| Expenses |
| Budget ? | 2018 | $245,000 (est) | $306,079 (est) |
| Print & Advertising (P&A) ? | 2018 | $80,000 (est) | $99,944 (est) |
| Participations | 2018 | $24,000 | $29,983 |
| Residuals ? | 2018 | $58,000 | $72,460 |
| Interest & Overhead | 2018 | $49,000 | $61,216 |
| Total Expenses | 2018 | $456,000 | $569,682 |
| Movie Net Profit or Loss | 2018 | $761,560 | $951,419 |
Similar Movies
| Poster | Movie | Year | Match | Overall | Est. Profit |
|---|
 | Fahrenheit 9/11 | 2004 | Shared genres: 1 | 87.4 | $149,890,765 |
 | Free Solo | 2018 | Shared genres: 1 | 87.1 | $25,984,082 |
 | Bowling for Columbine | 2002 | Shared genres: 1 | 86.1 | $62,944,215 |
 | Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour | 2023 | Shared genres: 1 | 85.8 | $87,607,891 |
 | Jackass Forever | 2022 | Shared genres: 1 | 85.1 | $46,545,808 |
Tooltips
- Budget Estimated using Machine Learning
- Digital Rentals: PVOD, VOD, & On-Demand
- Marketing & distribution costs to release Movie in Theaters. Includes: Online & Offline Ads, Posters, Trailer Production, and physical or digital copies (formerly "prints") sent to cinemas.
- Net Digital Purchase Revenue
- Net Revenues for Physical Rentals: VHS, DVD, BluRay (when appropriate)
- Physical Purchases: VHS $0, DVD $269,000, BluRay $167,000
- Reported or Estimated Net Budget (after tax, product placements, & grants)
- Theatrical box office grosses split into Domestic, International, and Worldwide totals.
- Union-modeled residuals using SAG-AFTRA and WGA schedules as a simplified estimate proxy.
- reestimate_prior_estimate;covid_mult=1.00;peer_count=0;reg_box_pred=44655;reg_main_pred=185520
Budget Tooltip
Reported or Estimated Net Budget (after tax, product placements, & grants)
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