Annabelle ($6.5 million budget)
With the success of The Conjuring, filmmakers decided to try their luck with Annabelle, the prequel to the 2013 film. The 2014 film which was written by Gary Dauberman and directed by John R. Leonetti, and produced by Peter Safran and James Wan, made over $257 million from its $6.5 million budget, an impressive feat.
The film which is centered around a haunted doll, Annabelle, was directed by Peter Safran and James Wan, the latter who is known for his filmmaking abilities, especially in the horror genre. Since its release, the franchise has gained quite the following.