Saw ($1.2 million budget)
There seems to be a pattern with low-budget horror movies – they perform exceptionally well at the box office! Saw was released in 2004 after only a few days of filming. The movie made $103 million and launched a franchise that includes 8 movies and one on the way. The series became a Halloween staple for much of the 2000s.
James Wan and Leigh Whannell combined forces to make a truly original masterpiece on a small budget. As for Billy the Puppet, the face of the series, he’s now one of the most easily recognizable mascots in the new age of cinema.