Low Budget Films That Made More Than Their Money Back

Little Miss Sunshine – $8 million budget

This 2006 indie film tells the story of a family’s cross-country road trip so its youngest member can compete in a beauty pageant. It made a total of $100 million from its initial $8 million budget.

It stars Alan Arkin, Greg Kinnear, and an impressive performance by Steve Carrell. The film was so highly-anticipated that it created a bidding war among studios and it ultimately won two Academy Awards and many more nominations.