A film’s success is calculated by comparing its earnings with its budget. By this method, 2007’s ‘Paranormal Activity’ is the most profitable film.
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Made with a meagre budget of $15,000 the horror flick has made Rs16,000 crores ($194 million) at the box office since its release in 2007.
The sleeper hit is considered the most successful film of all time, dwarfing giants like “Titanic”, “Avatar”, and “Avengers”.
Directed by filmmaker Oren Peli, the horror movie starred only two SAG-affiliated actors on a minimum wage of $500.
Reports said that two new actors including Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat, who both were struggling actors to get work at the time, saw the casting call on LACasting and auditioned.
Both the actors ended up earning $500 each for their work. During a guest appearance on The Jay Leno Show in November 2009, the actors added that they earned residual income from the film’s profits after it was released in theatres two years later and did good business.
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Oren Peli shot the low-budget horror film using a home camera without using a real script, and most scenes of the film were improvised.
To manage the cost of ‘Paranormal Activity’, Oren Peli used practical effects for the horror scenes.
Following its premiere at several film festivals, the horror flick impressed viewers and distributors alike, leading Paramount Pictures to purchase the film and invest $200,000 for post-production and marketing.
‘Paranormal Activity’ hit theatres in September 2009 and was a massive hit, earning a record $194.2 million worldwide.
The film’s fresh context, raw footage, storyline, and paranormal sequences floored fans and became a blockbuster within no time.
The film’s $194 million profit, around 130,0000 times its budget, makes it the most profitable film in the history.
Following the immense success of ‘Paranormal Activity’, the film was followed by three sequels and two spinoffs, collectively earning over $600 million worldwide.
