20 Horror Movies WAY More Successful Than Anyone Expected
17. Lights Out
In 2013, David F. Sandberg released his Lights Out short film, which centres around a demonic entity that can only exist in darkness. Despite the minimalistic approach and lack of dialogue, the three-minute clip went viral, leading to Sandberg adapting it into a full feature film.
Even though fans of the short were gunning for the feature-length version of Lights Out to succeed, it didn't exactly have universal appeal. Worse still, Lights Out hit theatres in the summer of 2016, meaning it had to go up against heavy hitters like Captain America: Civil War and Finding Dory. Just to rub salt into the wounds, Lights Out came out around the same time as The Conjuring 2, too, which had way more hype.
Taking all of this into account, it's impressive that the movie recouped almost 30 times its budget. Even though it looked like Lights Out was doomed, its loyal fanbase, tight storytelling, and genuine scares let it stand out in a crowded market. Ironically, Sandberg's success led him to work on the same types of blockbusters that Lights Out was competing against, including Shazam and Annabelle: Creation.