Films like Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project are iconic in the horror and supernatural film genres. These films didn’t receive big bucks for their filming and production, but they still emerged triumphant at the box office.
With so many low-budget movies produced and distributed within the film industry, there is sometimes the misconception that these movies might be of lesser quality or may not do well at the box office. However, these are a few of the films that proved their budgets wrong and won big in the end, with numbers taken from Box Office Mojo.
Mad Max (1979) - $200,000 Budget / $100 Million Box Office
The first film of the franchise, Mad Max was released in 1979 worldwide. The film, starring Mel Gibson and the late Hugh Keays-Byrne, was an action-thriller set in a dystopian future at war.
During its release, the film received mixed reviews and was even banned in Sweden and several other countries, only becoming available in the former in 2005. Although it was a widely criticized film, it raked in over $100 million dollars worldwide on a budget of $200,000.
The Blair Witch Project (1999) - $60,000 Budget / $248.6 Million Box Office
The Blair Witch Project is an independent supernatural horror film about three film students who vanish while making a documentary in the Maryland forests about a local witch legend.
The film pulled in $248.6 million worldwide on a budget of only $60,000. It was the first to use the marketing strategy of promoting a fictional film as a true story. Since its release, The Blair Witch Project has become solidified in the world of supernatural horror documentaries and the film industry, overall.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004) - $400,000 Budget / $46.1 Million Box Office
Starring Jon Heder and Jon Gries, Napoleon Dynamite is about an awkward teen who, along with his friend, launches a campaign for class presidency.
The budget for the film was merely $400,ooo and the fact that it brought in $46.1 million at the box office is simply amazing. The comedy and relatability to real high school life have pushed Napoleon Dynamite into legendary movie status in its own right, sparking many hilarious memes and still registering as a huge hit in today’s day and age.
Halloween (1978) - $325,000 Budget / $47 Million Box Office
One of the biggest slasher franchises to date, Halloween was first released in 1978 and set the stage for all slasher flicks to come after.
The film, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Nick Castle, set theaters ablaze with its release, raking in over $47 million worldwide at the box office. This highly regarded horror classic only had a budget of $325,000 for filming, and yet it proved to be an influential horror film during its time and still today.
Saw (2004) - $1.2 Million Budget / $104 Million Box Office
A serial killer notorious for imprisoning his victims and forcing them to solve his puzzles to stay alive, Jigsaw is the main villain character of the Saw franchise. Although his games seemed, at first, to be a redemption test of sorts, they almost always ended with his victims dying.
The film was released in 2004 after shooting for only 18 days with a budget of $1.2 million. Even with its quick filming, Saw proved to be a hit among horror films and pulled in almost $104 million worldwide.
Super Size Me (2004) - $65,000 Budget / $22.2 Million Box Office
With the rise of obesity in America, independent filmmaker Morgan Spurlock took up the camera in 2003 to document his 30-day journey of only eating McDonald’s food. The film was named Super Size Me after the largest size a person can make their order at McDonald's and what Spurlock planned to do with all his meals during this 30-day journey. During this time, Spurlock documented the effects of fast food on his body, both physically and psychologically.
Spurlock only spent $65,000 on filming and the movie earned $22.2 million at the box office. It premiered in theaters and schools across America as an educational documentary to promote healthy eating and living. This film cashed in at the box office and received a great reception from viewers and critics across the country.
Insidious (2010) - $1.5 Million Budget / $99.8 Million Box Office
Another supernatural horror film to add to the list, Insidious revolves around a couple trying to save their once comatose son from a malevolent entity that has possessed him in their haunted house.
The reported budget for the movie was $1.5 million and after receiving a great reception from critics and viewers alike, the film raked in over $99.8 million worldwide at the box office. The film was such a hit that it received three more films to follow, with all of them also following suit as big box office hits.
The Brother’s McMullen (1995) - $238,000 Budget / $10 Million Box Office
The Brothers McMullen is an independent romantic comedy about three Irish-Catholic brothers searching for true love and the exploration of familial bonds.
The film was first released at the Sundance Film Festival in 1995 and later picked up by 20th Century Fox. The film grossed over $10 million at the U.S. box office and because the film's budget was only $238,000, it became one of the most profitable movies of its era.
The Gallows (2015) - $100,000 Budget / $42.9 Million Box Office
Like its predecessor The Blair Witch Project, The Gallows is another found footage supernatural horror film about four friends who are haunted by a vengeful spirit during the reenactment of a tragic play.
The film was not received well by critics and viewers, however, this did not seem to affect its earnings. With a budget of only $100,000, the movie brought in over $42.9 million worldwide at the box office, making it a huge hit, earnings-wise.
Paranormal Activity (2007) - $15,000 Budget / $194 Million Box Office
During their peak, found-footage horror films were perpetual hits at the box office and Paranormal Activity is another prime example of their success. The film follows a couple's quest to find out what’s haunting them inside their home through a series of cameras set up around their house to capture the paranormal events.
Even though it had a low budget of $15,000, the film brought in over $194 million at the box office. Based on its return on investment, Paranormal Activity is one of the most profitable films ever.