Various movies defy expectations and become surprising blockbuster hits. Some of these films often come from unknown directors, have small budgets, and lack major star power, yet they manage to capture audiences and dominate the box office. They are the little engines that could, defying the odds and proving that a great story and strong filmmaking can overcome any obstacle.
From independent films like Get Out and District 9 to genre-defying movies like Joker and Slumdog Millionaire, here are films that have taken the world by surprise and left their mark on the industry.
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10 The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Artisan Entertainment & Summit Entertainment
The Blair Witch Project is a groundbreaking found-footage horror film that redefined the genre and became a cultural phenomenon upon its release. Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez, the film follows a group of documentary filmmakers as they venture into the Maryland woods to uncover the truth behind the legend of the Blair Witch, only to find themselves lost and stalked by a malevolent force. The Blair Witch Project was made on a meager budget and was not heavily promoted. It was also a found-footage horror movie, a new sub-genre at the time, and it was released in a crowded summer movie season. However, the film received positive reviews and was marketed as a true story, generating a lot of buzz and curiosity among audiences, helping it become a box office hit, grossing over $248 million worldwide on a budget of $60,000.
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The film’s success was considered one of the biggest surprises in the history of cinema, and it set a new standard for independent film marketing, showing that a low-budget film can become a huge box office hit with a clever marketing strategy.
9 My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Alliance Cinema
My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a romantic comedy film written by and starring Nia Vardalos. The film is a heartwarming story about a young Greek-American woman, Toula Portokalos, who falls in love with a non-Greek man and struggles to get her traditional Greek family to accept him while also learning to accept herself. The film was not widely expected to be a box office success because it was made on a meager budget and was not heavily promoted. It also starred Nia Vardalos, an actress who was relatively unknown at the time, and the film was a romantic comedy, which is a crowded and competitive genre. However, the film received positive reviews, and strong word-of-mouth helped it to become a box office hit, grossing over $368 million worldwide on a budget of $5 million.
The film’s success was a huge surprise, and it became the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time and the highest-grossing independent film of all time at that moment. The film’s success proved that a movie that appeals to a specific niche audience can become a box office hit and that the film industry should not underestimate the power of word-of-mouth.
8 The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Icon Productions
The Passion of the Christ is a powerful and controversial film directed by Mel Gibson, which tells the story of the last twelve hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. The film is a graphic and intense portrayal of the physical and emotional suffering of Jesus as he is arrested, tried, and ultimately crucified.
The Passion of the Christ wasn’t expected to be a huge box office success initially. The film faced significant controversy and boycott calls due to its depiction of violence and the perception that it was anti-Semitic. It was also produced by a small studio (Icon Productions) and only had a limited release in the US. However, it was the result of strong word-of-mouth, positive reviews, and the support of the Christian community that helped the film to become a box office hit, grossing over $611 million worldwide.
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7 Get Out (2017)
Universal Pictures
Get Out is a horror-thriller film directed by Jordan Peele and tells the story of a young African American man named Chris, who visits his white girlfriend’s family and uncovers a sinister conspiracy. The film is a social commentary that deals with themes of racism, oppression and the exploitation of bodies and minds.
Despite receiving positive reviews and buzz after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, it was a low-budget horror movie with a unique and provocative premise, so it wasn’t considered a guaranteed hit. Additionally, it was the debut film of Jordan Peele as a director and starred relatively unknown actors, making it harder to predict the box office performance. However, it turned out to be a sleeper hit, grossing over $255 million worldwide on a budget of $4.5 million. It also won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, making Jordan Peele the first African American to win in that category. It also received nominations for Best Picture and Best Director.
6 District 9 (2009)
Sony Pictures
District 9, a science fiction film directed by Neill Blomkamp, tells the story of an extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth. The film is a commentary on the treatment of marginalized groups in society and the abuse of power. It was not generally expected to be a box office hit, mainly because it was a low-budget science fiction film with a relatively unknown cast and crew, and it was Blomkamp’s debut feature film. However, the film received positive reviews, becoming a box office hit, grossing over $210 million worldwide on a budget of $30 million. It’s considered one of the most successful debut films of a director and a perfect example of a sleeper hit.
5 Gravity (2013)
Warner Bros. Pictures
Gravity is a science fiction film directed by Alfonso Cuarón and starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as two astronauts stranded in space after a catastrophic event. The film explores the intense physical and psychological challenges of survival in the vacuum of space while delving into deeper themes of human connection and the fragility of life. Though the movie starred big names, it did not have a big-name director or a high-profile marketing campaign. Additionally, the film was considered a risky project due to its unique visual effects and the challenges of filming in space.
Nevertheless, it received positive reviews and became a box office hit, grossing over $723 million worldwide on a $100 million budget. It was also critically acclaimed, winning multiple awards and nominations. The film’s success was due to the compelling story and the stunning visual effects, which are considered a technical achievement. Gravity’s success proved that audiences are willing to invest in a well-made movie with an interesting premise, regardless of its star power or the names attached.
RELATED: 10 Great Movies That Were Sleeper Hits
4 Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Film4 Productions
Slumdog Millionaire is a British drama film directed by Danny Boyle that tells the story of a young Indian man from the slums who becomes a contestant on the Hindi version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? The film, which won 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, explores themes of fate, love, and the human spirit while also providing a stark portrayal of the poverty and social injustice in contemporary India.
Slumdog millionaire wasn’t really expected to be a box office hit for several reasons, including being made on a relatively low budget and not being heavily promoted. Additionally, it was a British independent film with a cast of largely unknown actors. Slumdog Millionaire even faced skepticism from its studio, Warner Bros., who had doubts about its commercial prospects and suggested it would be released straight to DVD without a US theatrical release. Regardless, the film received positive reviews, becoming a box office hit, grossing over $377 million worldwide on a $15 million budget.
3 Star Wars (1977)
Lucasfilm / Disney
Star Wars (later retitled Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope) tells the story of a young farm boy named Luke Skywalker who discovers that he is the last hope for the galaxy in a fight against the evil Empire and its powerful leader, Darth Vader. As Luke embarks on a journey to rescue Princess Leia, and with the help of Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, he learns the ways of the Force. The film was not initially expected to be a major box office success. When the movie was released in 1977, it was considered a high-risk project and was not heavily promoted by 20th Century Fox, the studio which released it.
The film was also directed by George Lucas, who was not a well-known director then, and its cast mainly included unknown actors, which might not have helped in terms of the box office expectations. Universal Pictures even doubted whether Lucas could pull it off during development. The special effects and the science fiction genre of the movie were not popular in 1977, which also could have been a factor that hindered the box office expectations. Despite these challenges, Star Wars became a massive box office success, grossing over $775 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing film of all time until it was surpassed by E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1983. The film’s success spawned a franchise that continues to be successful to this day and revolutionized the film industry with its special effects and storytelling.
2 Apocalypse Now (1979)
Omni Zoetrope
Apocalypse Now is a powerful and intense war film that tells the story of Captain Willard, a US Army special operations officer who is sent on a secret mission to assassinate and kill a rogue American colonel amid the Vietnam War. As Willard ventures deeper into the jungle, he experiences the horrors of war and the darkness of human nature and ultimately confronts the true nature of his mission and the cost of the conflict. Apocalypse Now, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, was a highly ambitious and complex film that encountered numerous difficulties during production.
The film was shot in the Philippines, and bad weather, logistical problems, and conflicts between the cast and crew plagued the production. The movie also went significantly over budget and over schedule, which caused financial and production difficulties. Furthermore, Coppola had trouble editing the film, and the final cut was over three hours long. Despite these difficulties, the film was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $150 million worldwide and winning the Palme d’Or at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival. It is considered one of the greatest films of all time and a classic in the war genre
1 Joker (2019)
Joker is a psychological thriller that explores the origin story of one of the most iconic and infamous characters in the DC Universe, the Joker, as a failed comedian named Arthur Fleck. The movie was not initially expected to be a major box office hit. It was marketed as a dark, gritty, and adult-oriented psychological thriller, a genre that typically doesn’t perform as well at the box office as more mainstream, action-packed films. It was also not based on any pre-existing comic book or superhero characters, which are proven box office draws.
Even Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s senior media analyst, thought the movie would open closer to $50 million since it wasn’t a typical comic-book movie. Furthermore, the film was directed by Todd Phillips, who was best known for his comedy films, which also might not have helped the film in terms of its box office expectations. Despite these factors, Joker went on to be a commercial and critical success, grossing over $1 billion worldwide and receiving numerous award nominations.
