12 Films That Earned 100 Times Their Production Budget at the Box Office

      These films achieved box office revenues 100 times greater than their budgets, ranking them among the most lucrative movies ever made.

      First, Let's Examine Box Office Performance vs. Return on Investment

      Disney

      In the realm of the highest-grossing films of all time, mega-hits like Avatar and Avengers: Endgame stand out, having generated billions of dollars globally.

      However, these figures seem less remarkable when we look at production costs. For instance, Endgame reportedly had a budget ranging from $350 to $400 million.

      The highly profitable films that made over 100 times their budget at the box office began with modest investments.

      Mad Max (1979)

      Roadshow Film Distributors

      Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is currently underperforming at the box office, despite receiving high praise from those who have seen it, earning $32 million during the poorest Memorial Day Weekend for box office numbers in years—excluding 2020 when theaters largely remained closed.

      Conversely, the inaugural film in the franchise, 1979’s Mad Max, was a definitive box office success. Produced cheaply for around $250,000, the Australian dystopian action drama grossed $100 million—400 times its budget.

      This film not only introduced a young Mel Gibson to a wider audience but also birthed one of cinema’s most lasting franchises.

      Halloween (1978)

      Compass International Pictures

      We could easily compile a list of horror movies that meet this criterion. Halloween is already the second entry, with a few more to follow as we try to add variety. Nonetheless, Halloween must be mentioned, as John Carpenter significantly influenced the horror genre. Plus, it remains a powerful horror film.

      The notion that Halloween created the slasher film genre has been debated, but this is incorrect. Bob Clark’s Black Christmas predates it, as do several Italian horror films. However, Halloween did popularize the genre in America and helped solidify its core elements.

      Moreover, it was hugely profitable. Carpenter’s film had a budget of about $300,000 and went on to earn $70 million globally, easily qualifying it for our list of movies that generated over 100 times their budget at the box office. In fact, it made more than 200 times its budget; that’s a successful film.

      Super Size Me (2004)

      Samuel Goldwyn Films

      Numerous successful documentaries could qualify for this list, given their typically low production costs. To represent this genre, we selected one of the most well-known documentaries, which also provided substantial value for its budget. That film is Super Size Me, directed by Morgan Spurlock, who sadly passed away from cancer last year at just 53.

      Spurlock popularized the “stunt documentary” subgenre by eating only McDonald’s for a month to examine its effects on his health. The film sparked conversations, altered some perceptions regarding fast food, and effectively ended the Super Size option at McDonald’s and similar offerings elsewhere. Plus, it was financially successful.

      With a budget of $65,000, it grossed $22 million.

      The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

      Bryanston Distributing Company

      The Texas Chain Saw Massacre functions as both a precursor to the slasher genre and found footage horror. Marketed as if based on true events—though it wasn’t—as a critique of sensationalist news of the time, this film is arguably a top contender for the best-ever movie title, complete with the iconic tagline, “Who will survive and what will be left of them?”

      Tobe Hooper’s film was made inexpensively, as it relies heavily on a chainsaw for its primary effect. The production cost was under $140,000, with estimates as low as $80,000.

      It grossed $30.9 million, yielding a fantastic return on investment and influencing many horror filmmakers for generations. It’s a highly profitable film that inspired a diverse range of movies, from Pearl to Alien.

      Furthermore, it features on our list of the Scariest Horror Movies of the 1970s.

      The Blair Witch Project (1999)

      Artisan Entertainment – Credit: C/O

      In today’s climate, a phenomenon like The Blair Witch Project would be nearly impossible, and the social media buzz surrounding such a film would likely be overwhelming. While not the first found-footage horror movie, it elevated the concept commercially and paved the way for future ventures.

      The marketing portrayed The Blair Witch Project as a documentary rather than a fictional tale, asserting that the actors were real people who were missing or presumed dead. It also benefited from the internet's growth in 1999, aiding its promotion. Eventually, it became clear that the film was fictional, although the “witch” aspect should have raised suspicions.

      Nonetheless, this phenomenon amassed $248.6 million worldwide from a budget of under $1 million.

      Friday the 13th (1980)

      Paramount

      What happens when you apply the