20 Horror Movies WAY More Successful Than Anyone Expected

After Saw became a horror juggernaut, James Wan and Leigh Whannell could've sat on their laurels and counted their well-deserved earnings. Instead, they got to work on a new horror called Insidious, which revolved around a family being tormented by spirits from another dimension.

Though Wan and Whannell had already proven themselves, they weren't mainstream names yet. Also, even the biggest horror directors struggle to create more than one long-lasting franchise. So, if Insidious made a strong impression, the chances of capturing lightning in a bottle twice seemed unlikely. 

But just like Saw, Insidious recouped a hundred times its budget. Audiences responded strongly to its atmosphere-driven scares, restrained use of effects, and fresh take on astral-projection horror. Encouraging buzz spread fast, helping Insidious gain a reputation as one of the scariest films in years (mainly thanks to that jump scare). What could've been a one-off scare-fest turned into a brand that's lasted over a decade.

Insidious' success led to two sequels and two prequels, allowing the IP to score over $700 million. Considering the combined budget for all five Insidious instalments is under $50 million, that's an astounding return.