11 Highly Profitable Comedies That Earned 30 Times Their Production Budget at the Box Office

      Here are 11 highly profitable comedies that earned at least 30 times their production budget at the box office, if not more.

      These films may not be the highest-grossing comedies, but they stand out for delivering impressive returns on modest investments.

      Let’s dive in.

      **Pink Flamingos (1972)**

      Credit: New Line Cinema

      John Waters’ second film is an outrageous cult classic that embraces all things considered trash and paved the way for more of Waters' cult camp creations.

      With a minimal budget of $12,000, it garnered at least $2 million, although some estimates suggest it earned significantly more.

      It was succeeded by two additional films in what Waters refers to as his Trash Trilogy: *Female Trouble* (1974) and *Desperate Living* (1977).

      **American Graffiti (1973)**

      Universal

      Produced for just $770,000, George Lucas' *American Graffiti* raked in $140 million—over 100 times its budget—and received five Oscar nominations.

      Drawing on audiences' nostalgia and benefiting from the charm of young actors Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, and Cindy Williams, along with a stellar movie soundtrack, the film reflects Lucas’ teenage car racing days in Modesto, California.

      Its success allowed Lucas to embark on another famous film project you might recognize.

      **Blazing Saddles (1974)**

      Credit: Warner Bros.

      Mel Brooks’ iconic Western parody hit theaters during a slow period in his career. In his 2020 memoir *All About Me!*, he noted that the two films he made prior to *Blazing Saddles*, *The Producers* and *The Twelve Chairs*, “together didn’t make me enough money to buy a new car.”

      However, after 1974, he could buy many cars. *Blazing Saddles* earned approximately $120 million on a budget of less than $3 million, and that same year, he found more success with *Young Frankenstein*, which was only slightly less successful than *Blazing Saddles*.

      *Blazing Saddles* was not only a box office triumph but also a critical darling: AFI recognized it as the sixth-funniest comedy of all time.

      **The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)**

      Credit: 20th Century Fox

      Produced for around $1.4 million and based on Richard O’Brien's popular stage musical, *The Rocky Horror Picture Show* initially flopped.

      However, a 20th Century Fox executive had a unique idea—why not showcase the quirky musical horror comedy during midnight screenings? This led to *The Rocky Horror Picture Show* becoming the longest-running theatrical release in history, as detailed by Richard O’Brien's son, Linus O’Brien, in the compelling documentary *Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror*.

      Celebrating its 50th anniversary last month, the film continues to screen worldwide and has amassed over $166 million to date.

      **Airplane! (1980)**

      Credit: Paramount

      In the wake of the overwhelming success of *The Kentucky Fried Movie*, which they wrote, the comedy trio of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker were determined to direct their next project. The result became one of the funniest films ever made, with AFI placing it 10th among the funniest comedies.

      *Airplane!* was produced for under $4 million and ultimately grossed $171 million, including its re-releases.

      The ZAZ trio demonstrated their ability to create hits, leading to the Naked Gun franchise and various other successes. They are known for crafting not only some of the most profitable comedies but also some of the best in the genre.

      **Porky’s (1982)**

      Credit: 20th Century Studios

      One of the ’80s comedies that boldly disregarded the risk of offending anyone, *Porky’s* became a massive hit for genre-blending director Bob Clark, who has also directed *Black Christmas*, *A Christmas Story*, and *Baby Geniuses*.

      With a production budget under $5 million, *Porky’s* earned an impressive $160 million at the box office and was the sixth-highest-grossing film of 1982.

      It’s no surprise that it resulted in two sequels.

      **Crocodile Dundee (1986)**

      Credit: Paramount Pictures

      Before the remarkable rise of *Crocodile Dundee*, star and co-writer Paul Hogan was relatively unknown in America, having previously featured in his Benny Hill-style TV show, *The Paul Hogan Show*.

      However, in 1986, Hogan became a household name thanks to his budget-friendly tale of an Outback adventurer who relocates to New York City and delivers his iconic line, “That’s not a knife — that’s a knife.”

      The film grossed an extraordinary $328 million on a budget of