20 Horror Movies WAY More Successful Than Anyone Expected
10. A Quiet Place
It's extremely commendable but risky when an actor decides to step into the director's chair. After all, talent in front of the camera doesn't necessarily translate into talent behind it. Even though John Krasinski had proven to be a class act in The Office, there was no guarantee his foray into filmmaking, A Quiet Place, would hit.
To be fair, the film had an intriguing hook, since it took place in a post-apocalyptic world populated by aliens with hyper-hearing, meaning the survivors could die if they made the slightest sound. It was a great idea, but Krasinski's background was in comedy, so it was uncertain whether he had the chops to pull it off. The fact that A Quiet Place wasn't heavily marketed indicated even further that this project wasn't going to be anything special.
However, audiences were completely blown away by A Quiet Place's endless tension, masterful world-building, and subtle performances by the mostly mute ensemble. The end result couldn't have been better, as A Quiet Place made a fortune, nabbed an Oscar nomination, kickstarted a franchise, and established Krasinski as a gifted filmmaker.