It’s always nice and heartening to see a movie fly against expectations. A relatively small number of sleeper hits hit the silver screen each year, giving moviegoers hope for the future of cinema. They reaffirm their faith in the idea that there is room in the market for material that might otherwise go unnoticed or underappreciated. From stand-alone comedies and dramas to large-scale genre productions, these unexpected hits speak to the kinds of stories and characters audiences crave and savor, consciously or not.
american graffiti
4 years before he became famous Star Wars, George Lucas co-writer and director american graffitiChronicling the night of a California high school graduate entering adulthood, this cruising and rock’n’roll coming-of-age ceremony was produced on a budget of $777,000 and released in August 1973. Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Cindy Williams When Harrison Ford, american graffiti It was a major box office hit. Earning an estimated $115 million domestically, the film was a complete turnaround from Lucas’ previous efforts. THX-1138suffered an unfortunate theatrical fate at the hands of Warner Bros. and failed to connect with audiences until years later. His second feature, this filmmaker cemented himself as someone who could reach and entertain a wide audience.
Rocky
Arguably the seminal film of cinema about boxing, this timeless tale of an underdog also proved to be one of the ultimate underdogs when it comes to box office performance and enduring appreciation among fans. bottom.Written and starring Sylvester Stallone in a star-making performance, Rocky Made on an estimated $1 million budget, it brought in a staggering $225 million in its theatrical run. In hindsight, it might be hard to imagine such a beloved film that spawned a decades-long franchise would be difficult to sell to investors. However, the idea of giving the go-ahead to a film written and starring by a little-known actor meant that the title featured an ending in which his character would lose a big match. Rocky I was forced to struggle. According to Stallone, the film wasn’t easy to make, but the gamble worked especially well on Oscar night. Rocky It went up to 10 awards and won 3 including Best Picture.
platoon
At the time of its release in 1986, Oliver StoneThe iconic war movie put him on the movie world map. Based on Stone’s own experience in the Vietnam War, platoon Originally written in the 1970s, it had a long road to major photography. Reflecting on skepticism about the film’s potential, Stone said: After a busy production, platoon It finally hit theaters and delivered an unexpectedly lucrative run to close to $138 million on a $6 million budget. Released in limited release, the film likely benefited from positive word of mouth, Rocky, it received a handful of Oscar nominations and took home four. The film’s huge success ultimately cemented its position through the ages and catapulted Stone into a prolific career.
pulp fiction
Few filmmakers have jumped onto the Hollywood scene Quentin TarantinoAlthough he was already making waves in 1992 reservoir dogthat was the 1994 release pulp fiction It really made him a movie rock star.Breathe new life into the crime genre and make a comeback John Travolta‘s stumbling career, and establish a strong position Samuel L. Jackson When Uma Thurman, Tarantino’s darkly hilarious and original film was an adrenaline shot into mainstream filmmaking (no pun intended). It made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1994, winning the prestigious Palme d’Or. pulp fiction There is no doubt that expectations were high for the October theatrical release. But it’s safe to assume that few expected the $8 million Miramax movie to top $200 million at the global box office and become an overnight American classic.
salesperson
Kevin SmithThe film debut of salespersonis a daily comedy about slackers working in convenience stores and video stores, which had its first public screening in 1993 at New York’s Independent Feature Film Market. His ambitions to become a filmmaker were dashed.according to the producer Scott Mosier, “We got to the screening and there’s really no one there. Kevin was mortified.” It eventually secured a screening at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1994. Created on a modest budget of $27,575, salesperson It opened in theaters the following October, closing out the theatrical run with more than $3 million in ticket sales. I have been back several times.
my big fat greek wedding
Even with its true sleeper hits, this light-hearted comedy is one of the most remarkable examples of small engines in modern cinema. Decades after its theatrical release, my big fat greek wedding It remains the highest-grossing film released domestically in a limited release. Released on just 108 screens, the film ran in North American theaters for nearly a year and he raised a whopping $374 million. It also has the distinction of being one of his most “leggy” movies ever. So, despite the massive box office, it grossed just $11 million on its best weekend. Besides, my big fat greek wedding, never reached number one on the box office charts during its theatrical run. For a $5 million romantic comedy born out of a one-woman play and featuring no major stars, it’s not too shabby.
napoleon dynamite
When it was released in 2004, this quirky, surreal yet undeniably charming comedy took audiences by storm. Jared Hessco-wrote the film with his wife Jerushaand featuring a breakout performance by John Heder As a representative character, napoleon dynamite It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was given a limited release a few months later. What made the film’s box office success particularly unique was its consistent performance despite the lack of a major release (he peaked at 1,027 screens in September 2004). Did). napoleon dynamite remained in the theater for eight months, my big fat greek wedding, also proving to be one of the longest-legged movies in cinema. Closing out of its theatrical release with over $46 million (115.3 times its $400,000 production budget), the film’s highest weekend gross was just $2.8 million. Making huge profits on a modest investment and garnering a loyal fan base, the film has gone down in history as one of his cult classics of 21st century cinema.
little miss sunshine
One of 2006’s most surprising and captivating films was this drama about an impromptu family vacation that culminates in a wacky beauty pageant.oscar winner Michael Arndtoriginal script of Alan Arkinsupport performance of little miss sunshine It proved to be the sleeper hit of the year. Like many other films on this list, the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and then hit theaters in July. , little miss sunshine It gradually expanded over the next few weeks, eventually reaching 1,602 screens in the country. After eight months in theaters, it grossed an impressive $100 million worldwide, well above its $8 million budget.
9th district
Perhaps the most expensive ($30 million) film on this list, even after adjusting for inflation, 9th district One of the unexpected and satisfying hits of modern cinema. After spending years developing a film based on Hello Video game franchise, filmmaker Neil Blompkampwith the help of the producer peter jacksonshifted gears and pursued this thrilling science-fiction allegory of apartheid in South Africa. 9th district Expectations were dashed when it opened in August 2009 for $37 million. Clever viral marketing Her campaign and strong word-of-mouth buzz helped the film gross $212 worldwide, earning him four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.
peanut butter falcon
Loved by critics and audiences at the same time as their debut, peanut butter falcon A heartwarming story of life.Supported by strong performances by newcomers Zack Gottsagen, Shia LaBeoufWhen Dakota Johnsonthis contemporary drama that undoubtedly draws inspiration of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn It went mainstream when it was released in August 2019. Yet another film unfolding in a limited release of 17 screens only, peanut butter falcon In the weeks that followed, it found more and more audiences. Expanding to a peak of 1,490 screens in September, the top 10 box office hit, and a $6.2 million budget, the comedy-drama left theaters in December with a combined total of over $20 million domestically.
