As a seasoned movie-goer with a penchant for all things horror, I can’t help but marvel at the intriguing journey these films have taken. Each one of them defied expectations, proving that in the realm of terror, success often hides in the most unexpected corners.
Each year delivers a multitude of scary films to viewers. Interestingly enough, this genre turns out to be the most financially stable for production companies. Generally speaking, they don’t call for substantial investments and frequently, the income generated from these films justifies that initial investment.
But what about the ones that either seemingly came out of nowhere or did even better than folks were expecting? On the former end, horror movies don’t really need teaser trailers a year in advance, like one’s average superhero movie. But, sometimes, there’s hardly any marketing at all and, yet, the product ends up attracting substantial interest. The movies that follow exceeded expectations in at least some way. Perhaps they slightly reinvented their genre, and thus were far from a sure thing. Or, in other cases, perhaps they had potential…but few could have seen just how high they’d fly.
10 A Quiet Place
In late 2017 and early 2018, the promotional content for “A Quiet Place” was notably strong, but it wasn’t guaranteed success. John Krasinski, who shone on “The Office,” hadn’t quite established himself as a reliable box office draw. Additionally, neither of his previous directorial projects, comedies “Brief Interviews with Hideous Men” and “The Hollars,” had a significant impact at the box office.
Loud at the Box Office
Essentially, the science fiction-horror genre wasn’t typically his territory, but he excelled in it. With the promotional materials and positive critical reception, the movie debuted with a staggering $50 million. Furthermore, it showed remarkable staying power compared to average horror films, eventually earning $188 million during its domestic run.
9 Barbarian
Zach Cregger’s film “Barbarian” appears to have emerged unexpectedly. Can you remember any promotional content for it before its release, unless perhaps you were watching another horror movie around September 9, 2022? It’s also one of those films that demonstrates how, even in a genre as congested as horror, exceptional quality eventually surfaces.
Low Budget, High Profit
The movie didn’t break box office records outright, but it managed to earn more than double its production cost on its opening weekend, which was $10 million against a budget of $4.5 million. Moreover, thanks to positive word-of-mouth, it eventually made ten times its budget. Given that Barbarian is a well-written, skillfully directed, and unpredictable film with an outstanding lead performance by Georgina Campbell, the profit it generated was indeed justified.
8 The Blair Witch Project
As a passionate movie enthusiast, it wasn’t unexpected that “The Blair Witch Project,” filmed on an almost unbelievable shoestring budget, managed to turn a profit. What truly astonished me was the colossal size of that profit. To give you an idea, it was initially made for a mere $60,000 (that’s only $750,000 after post-production adjustments), and yet it grossed an astounding $140.5 million domestically.
One of the Most Profitable Movies Ever Made
Essentially, the film became a significant cultural reference point, often talked about on a broad level. Interestingly, despite initially opening in just 27 cinemas, its popularity grew gradually rather than instantly. By its third weekend, it had expanded to play in 1,101 theaters, and by its third week, it was showing in 2,142 theaters. At its peak, during its sixth weekend, it was screened in 2,538 theaters worldwide. Additionally, due to earning an additional $108 million abroad, it gained global attention and discussion.
7 Friday the 13th
John Carpenter’s movie Halloween, released in 1978, surpassed expectations with its success. This achievement was so significant that both large and small studios were eager to recreate it. Remarkably, director Sean S. Cunningham managed to place an ad in Variety for his upcoming project, Friday the 13th, without knowing much about it except for the title. Impressively, this film turned out to be one of the most successful imitators of Halloween’s success and was even among the first to attempt such a feat.
Ki Ki Ki…Money Money Money
It’s unlikely that anyone could have foreseen the film earning almost seven times its initial $5.8 million opening weekend. As you might recall, the series was only beginning to unfold at this point.
6 Get Out
Similar to several directors on this list, “Get Out” represented the initial foray into horror filmmaking for its director. Much like John Krasinski with “A Quiet Place”, Jordan Peele was already recognized. However, unlike Krasinski, he gained popularity through comedy.
A Critical and Commercial Favorite
The film managed to keep most plot details under wraps during marketing, and that worked out well since it did. However, the marketing was effective enough to generate buzz. Interestingly, few people anticipated that it would gross over five times its initial domestic box office of $33.4 million. Similarly, they were unaware that it would secure a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
5 M3GAN
In the past, movies featuring killer dolls haven’t typically been big hits at the box office. Even films like “Child’s Play” have found it difficult to achieve significant success most of the time. However, if you introduce an AI angle and receive positive reviews from critics, you can create a successful movie.
A Killer Doll with Legs
The well-timed AI aspect significantly boosted the movie M3GAN, but its success could have taken a different turn. Traditionally, January is a month where studios release films they’ve invested heavily in but aren’t confident about, such as Dolittle. It’s also known for providing at least one horror film each year, often with a promising concept and a moderate opening weekend followed by a quick decline, like Night Swim this year. Given these patterns, it wouldn’t be unfair to predict the same for M3GAN before its release. However, surprisingly, it opened to approximately $30.5 million and even exceeded that domestically, multiplying its earnings more than three times over.
4 Saw
As a movie critic, I must admit that when I first heard about Saw, it caught my attention because it was directed by someone relatively unknown in the horror genre. However, I’ve learned over time that this doesn’t necessarily mean doom for a horror flick. What the genre often benefits from is established talent, like John Carpenter or the late great Wes Craven. But when it comes to modern-day horror hit makers, there’s one name that stands out: James Wan. His reputation for delivering chilling tales makes him arguably a more reliable bet than even Carpenter or Craven were in their prime.
Who Would’ve Guessed Torture Was a Key to Box Office Success?
However, contrary to expectations, Saw’s overall feel and content didn’t guarantee its box office success. Surprisingly, it managed to open with over $18 million, and even experienced minimal decreases during the following weeks. This is quite remarkable for a film with a modest budget, no major director, and lead actors (Danny Glover and Cary Elwes) who were past their prime.
3 The Sixth Sense
I had the pleasure of supporting a film titled “The Sixth Sense,” which emerged from an almost unheard-of director. In a surprising twist, Bruce Willis took on a character far removed from his usual roles. Yet, due to its innovative concept and the buzz it generated among viewers, this movie turned out to be a massive success. Weekend after weekend, it continued to draw crowds.
Basically the Titanic of Thrillers
As a movie enthusiast, I found myself utterly astounded by the unconventional trajectory of M. Night Shyamalan’s latest thriller. Contrary to expectations, it only dipped by 3.4% during its second weekend, and a mere 7% by the third. The real twist came in its fourth week when it dropped by just 16.1%. Incredibly, it even managed to climb back up by nearly 14% during its fifth weekend, raking in an additional $22.9 million. This isn’t your typical drop-off from the first three days, and it was quite unusual that it was playing in more theaters in its ninth week than it did initially.
2 Smile
The movie Smile might have gained from some good marketing, yet the general consensus among viewers seems to be “It looks unoriginal.” This is because similar scenes featuring smiling children were shown in the trailers for the film Ouija: Origin of Evil, which was released six years prior. In fact, the movie seemed quite like Truth or Dare, a film that came out four years before Smile. Not only was it criticized harshly by critics, but it also failed to make a significant impact financially.
Smile for Small Subsequent Weekend Drops
However, unlike Truth or Dare, the reception for Smile was significantly more positive, as indicated by reviews and word-of-mouth. It started off with a $22.6 million box office, which was reasonable, but its success truly blossomed over the course of its release. Remarkably, domestically, it amassed approximately $106 million, nearly five times its opening weekend earnings. This kind of growth is quite rare for modern horror films.
1 The Strangers
The film titled “The Strangers” served as a successful alternative option during its release, competing against heavyweights such as “Iron Man” (in its fifth weekend), “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (in its second weekend), and “Sex and the City”, which all debuted around the same time. However, unlike M. Night Shyamalan’s disappointing “The Happening”, it wasn’t expected to be a major box office hit for the Summer movie season. This film doesn’t have an attention-grabbing premise, even one as outrageous as widespread suicides caused by killer plants.
A Good Summer for Liv Tyler
Despite being released in a bustling marketplace, it managed to make a significant impact on audiences. The modest budget of $9 million certainly helped, but the unexpectedly positive reviews were equally instrumental in its success. These praises celebrated it as a film that didn’t shy away from delivering hard-hitting content. Although it wasn’t classified as a blockbuster, its impressive opening of $21 million and a final domestic gross of $52.6 million demonstrated its ability to stand on its own merits.
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2024-09-25 06:32