20 Movies Way More Successful Than Anyone Expected
10. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is one of the most popular cinematic musicals of all time, but nobody could've expected it to endure for over a half century when it released so modestly in 1975.
The $1.4 million film grossed only $1.2 million in its first year on release, but recognising its small but passionate fandom, Fox re-released it as a midnight movie, with audiences invited to dress up and participate in the experience through singing and dancing.
This strange decision ultimately paid off handsomely as word about the movie spread and its theatrical release continued for years.
By 1980 The Rocky Horror Picture show had grossed $68.6 million worldwide, and even as of 2025 it's still screening as a limited release, making it the longest-running theatrical release in cinema history.
At present its box office total sits at a ridiculous $166 million and the film remains a genuine pop-culture phenomenon with annual conventions around the globe.
At this point would it honestly surprise anyone if Rocky Horror's theatrical run made it to the 100-year mark?