Ultimately, the most crucial aspect of any movie is how much money it makes. Whether the budget is hundreds of millions of dollars or a small independent film, it’s all about making a profit. While blockbuster movies can achieve that by creating expensive marketing campaigns and hiring big stars, not every film has that luxury. Some have to make do with small budgets and do their best, but when they earn lots of money, it proves that a hit has been created.
The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project was a unique movie at the time because of its found-footage style. This was the film’s big selling point, but it also meant it could be made for just $60,000. It was an independent film that went on to gross almost $250 million. With shaky camera footage and no expensive equipment, it created something special.
Mad Max
The most recent Mad Max movies had huge budgets, which created insane car chases packed with amazing pyrotechnics. But the 1979 film featured an unknown Mel Gibson at the start of his career and a budget of just $200,000, was gritty and filled with action. It went on to earn over $100 million.
Halloween
The Halloween franchise is one of the most iconic in horror history, but the original movie only cost $300,000 to make. Michael Myers has a limited costume and uses a simple knife for most of his kills, keeping the budget down. It proves how a great villain can make a movie, and that’s what this one did, as it grossed $70 million worldwide.
Super Size Me
Documentaries often cost less to make because they lack the same production level. Super Size Me cost only $65,000, but it grossed over $22 million. That’s because the subject matter was so compelling: it explores fast food and its impact on people’s health. It proves that the topic is ultimately the most important aspect of any documentary.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
One of the reasons The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is such a great movie is that it was made on a small budget. This helped to create a gritty atmosphere that made Leatherface feel even scarier. The terrifying setting creates a monster that’s easy to fear without relying on expensive technology to bring it to life.
American Graffiti
People know George Lucas best for directing many of the Star Wars movies, which certainly had high budgets. But he was also the man behind American Graffiti, which cost $770,000 to make. Taking a deep dive into American youth during the 1960s, it proved to be an entertaining movie that captured the attention of the masses.
Friday the 13th
Slasher movies have often been popular in horror, but Friday the 13th is seen as the pinnacle. It’s mainly because of the compelling villain and the tension that Sean S. Cunningham was able to create. He achieved that for $550,000 while earning $59.8 million, which helped grow the franchise moving forward.
Napoleon Dynamite
Released in 2004 and costing just $400,000, Napoleon Dynamite earned $46.1 million at the box office. It’s a funny film with some brilliant characters that helped propel it to great popularity.
Paranormal Activity
Paranormal Activity was made for just $15,000 but earned an incredible $194.2 million. This was an unbelievable profit margin, proving that much money isn’t always needed. This used lots of found footage, including security cameras that didn’t cost too much to create. The marketing was also cleverly done for this one, pushing the idea that it was inspired by a real story, which drew people in.
Once
This Irish musical drama only cost $150,000 but grossed $23.3 million. With a memorable soundtrack, audiences could deeply connect with what happened throughout, which helped them pass on the idea that others should check it out.
Rocky
Rocky is one of the most iconic movies ever made, creating an incredible franchise and an amazing lead actor in Sylvester Stallone. A great underdog story, Rocky won Best Picture at the Oscars, instantly getting people talking about it, and a franchise was born.
Get Out
Psychological horror is challenging to get right, but Get Out did a fantastic job of that. It’s a social commentary that touches on some important subjects. With clever dialogue and a smart plot, the movie became a critical and commercial hit. Despite some filmmakers wanting to avoid serious issues, Jordan Peele’s embracing of some helped Get Out gross $225 million from a $4.5 million budget.
Clerks
Kevin Smith’s Clerks was produced for $27,575 but grossed $3.2 million. Despite being a low-budget independent black-and-white film, it caught on and gained mainstream success.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Romantic comedies don’t have to cost a lot of money, as these movies are all about the charisma of the actors and their chemistry. My Big Fat Greek Wedding had no problem in this regard, making $368.7 million from a $5 million budget.
Saw
The budget for the Saw franchise has steadily risen with each movie released, leading to more dramatic traps and gruesome moments, but the franchise is grounded in humble beginnings. The original movie was produced for a low budget of $1.2 million, with most of the film taking place in one room without much detail. It proves what can be achieved with a limited budget if there’s a great plot.
The Purge
The Purge is another horror movie that made a huge profit from a small budget. Costing $3 million, the movie went on to gross $89.3 million while simultaneously starting a new franchise. The idea was simple: With crime being legal for one night only, people were left to make whatever decisions they saw fit.
Slumdog Millionaire
Danny Boyle’s incredible Slumdog Millionaire is a rags-to-riches story, and it was fitting that the movie earned an incredible amount from very little. With a production budget of $15 million, the movie went on to earn $377.9 million globally. It tells an inspirational story that caught the attention of the masses, and word of mouth ensured that this one became a worldwide hit.
Juno
Juno started as an independent movie, but its popularity made it far bigger. It cost $7.5 million to make and grossed $231.4 million, as people were drawn into the clever plot and great script.
Insidious
James Wan has proven himself a master at creating lots from very little throughout his career. Insidious is another example, with this movie grossing just under $100 million from a budget of $1.5 million.
