Low-budget movies that raked in millions
One of the greatest tragedies of 2023 was the box office failure of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” which did not make enough money to recoup its production and publicity costs. Those costs were said to be astronomical, meaning that the movie would have needed to be an “Avatar”-sized hit to be successful.
If only the suits at Disney had read this list first, they would know it’s possible to do great box office with a minimal investment. Please enjoy our list of 10 movies that made massive bank at the box office while only costing the quantity known as “peanuts” for those who made them.
‘The Blair Witch Project’ (1999)
The movie that made every filmmaker embrace the shaky handheld camera, “The Blair Witch Project” was a “found-footage” movie that had the fortune to get made before every horror studio started making them. At the time of its release, many filmgoers thought they were watching actual footage, which drove it to a worldwide box office gross of $248 million against a reported production budget of $500,000.
‘Paranormal Activity’ (2007)
When “The Blair Witch Project” became successful, it took very little time for other movie studios to do what they do best – copy its example in the hopes of gaining a similar payday. “Paranormal Activity” was such a movie, earning $193 million against a total budget reported to be $215,000.
‘Napoleon Dynamite’ (2004)
2004’s “Napoleon Dynamite” is a profoundly unfunny movie about a nerdy high school kid who likes to eat tater tots. It was made for $400,000 and grossed $46 million, proving that while God may exist, He sometimes rewards the undeserving.
‘Clerks’ (1994)
1994’s “Clerks” cost filmmaker Kevin Smith $27,000, less than some people win on “Wheel of Fortune.” It grossed $3 million, which did not break any records, but came out to more than 100 times the movie’s production budget, so it was well spent whether you liked the movie or not.
‘Mad Max’ (1979)
The movie that made Mel Gibson a star (for better or worse), “Mad Max” was made on a shoestring budget of $400,000. It earned back $100 million worldwide and started a very successful franchise that included films such as “The Road Warrior” and “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
‘El Mariachi’ (1992)
Robert Rodriguez is a very successful director whose filmography includes such popular movies as “Desperado,” “From Dusk Till Dawn,” and “Sin City.” His illustrious career began in 1992 with “El Mariachi,” whose $7,000 production budget is equal to what it would cost to rent an apartment in Manhattan for a month in 2023. It made back over $2 million, leading Guinness World Records to bestow it with recognition for being the lowest-budget movie to make $1 million at the US box office.
‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ (2002)
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” was a massive surprise hit, earning $368 million at the box office after costing just $5 million. For the 2016 sequel, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2,” the budget skyrocketed to $18 million, but the box office gross went in the other direction, and the movie only earned $91 million. Rather than quit while they were behind, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” came out in September 2023 and made less than half what its predecessor did.
‘The Full Monty’ (1997)
1997’s “The Full Monty” proved that you can’t tell what movies will or won’t be popular. The story of a bunch of unemployed British dudes with dad bods who become strippers, it had a production budget of $3.5 million, which seems like a safe bet given the premise. Then it went on to make $258 million, so maybe there’s a greater appetite for watching out-of-shape men undress than the moviegoing public has otherwise let on.
‘Pi’ (1998)
Before director Darren Aronofsky helmed incomprehensible nonsense like “The Fountain” and “Black Swan,” he made “Pi.” It was incomprehensible nonsense also, but it came in at a ridiculously cheap $60,000 and made back $3.2 million, so nobody complained.
‘Little Miss Sunshine’ (2006)
“Little Miss Sunshine” is an excellent movie on numerous fronts – it contains fantastic performances from its ensemble cast, the story is unpredictable, and while it’s moving, it’s never trite or formulaic. Since the movie mainly consists of actors sitting in a van, its $8 million budget makes sense, and since it was really, really funny, its box office gross of $100 million makes sense, too.
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