Some of the best movies of all time have been rated R by the Motion Picture Association, but critical success is no guarantee of profitability, especially since some potential viewers are restricted from watching such films. (The rating means that those under 17 can be admitted only with a parent or guardian.) Nonetheless, some R-rated efforts end up making considerable profits – especially those with low production costs. (While some of them may have had high production budgets, these are some R-rated movies that broke the box office.)
To determine the most profitable R-rated movies of all time, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on box office receipts and production budgets from The Numbers, an online movie database owned by consulting firm Nash Information Services. R-rated movies were ranked based on the ratio of worldwide ticket sales to production budget, or the return in box office receipts for every dollar of production budget invested in the film. Only movies with at least $3.5 million in global ticket sales were considered. Cast credits are from IMDb, an online movie and TV database owned by Amazon.
Click here for a list of the most profitable R-rated movies of all time
Of the 10 most profitable films on our list, eight are horror or thriller movies. A lot of things can go wrong with a horror movie – laughable dialogue, cheesy special effects, weak story, bad casting – but when movie makers get it right, fright flicks can obviously deliver at the box office.
Two examples are evidence of movie makers updating the genre with a mockumentary style and a topical spin. “Chernobyl Diaries” is about American travelers taking an extreme tour of the former nuclear power plant in Ukraine, while “Unfriended” is the story of chatroom friends terrorized by a supernatural force using the social-media account of a deceased friend.
Of the 50 movies on our list, half are either horror flicks or thrillers. But white-knuckle offerings aren’t the only box-office boffo films. Reliable rom-com fare such as “Pretty Woman,” “Swingers,” “The Brothers McMullen,” and “Lost in Translation” were big winners, as were the more raunchy comedy fare like “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” “Porky’s,” and “Kentucky Fried Movie.” (Here’s a list of the best R-rated rom-coms of the past 50 years.)
Source: Courtesy of Automatik Entertainment
50. A Haunted House (2013)
> Return on investment: $23.97 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $59.9 million
> Production budget: $2.5 million
> Starring: Marlon Wayans, Essence Atkins, Marlene Forte
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
49. Magic Mike (2012)
> Return on investment: $24.36 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $170.5 million
> Production budget: $7.0 million
> Starring: Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Olivia Munn
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Source: Courtesy of Miramax
48. In the Bedroom (2001)
> Return on investment: $24.79 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $42.1 million
> Production budget: $1.7 million
> Starring: Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, Nick Stahl
Source: Courtesy of Newmarket Films
47. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
> Return on investment: $24.89 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $622.3 million
> Production budget: $25.0 million
> Starring: Jim Caviezel, Monica Bellucci, Maia Morgenstern
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Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
46. Black Swan (2010)
> Return on investment: $25.48 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $331.3 million
> Production budget: $13.0 million
> Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
45. Halloween (2018)
> Return on investment: $25.54 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $255.4 million
> Production budget: $10.0 million
> Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak
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Source: Courtesy of Miramax
44. Pulp Fiction (1994)
> Return on investment: $26.61 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $212.9 million
> Production budget: $8.0 million
> Starring: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate
43. You’re Next (2011)
> Return on investment: $26.89 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $26.9 million
> Production budget: $1.0 million
> Starring: Sharni Vinson, Joe Swanberg, AJ Bowen
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
42. Porky’s (1981)
> Return on investment: $27.37 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $109.5 million
> Production budget: $4.0 million
> Starring: Dan Monahan, Mark Herrier, Wyatt Knight
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Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
41. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
> Return on investment: $27.42 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $383.8 million
> Production budget: $14.0 million
> Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Saurabh Shukla
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
40. Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)
> Return on investment: $28.56 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $142.8 million
> Production budget: $5.0 million
> Starring: Stephen Dunham, Katie Featherston, Matt Shively
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Source: Courtesy of The Weinstein Company
39. The King’s Speech (2010)
> Return on investment: $28.72 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $430.8 million
> Production budget: $15.0 million
> Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
38. Flashdance (1983)
> Return on investment: $28.78 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $201.5 million
> Production budget: $7.0 million
> Starring: Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri, Lilia Skala
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate
37. Sinister (2012)
> Return on investment: $29.24 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $87.7 million
> Production budget: $3.0 million
> Starring: Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, James Ransone
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Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
36. Lost in Translation (2003)
> Return on investment: $29.27 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $117.1 million
> Production budget: $4.0 million
> Starring: Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Giovanni Ribisi
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
35. The Purge (2013)
> Return on investment: $30.42 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $91.3 million
> Production budget: $3.0 million
> Starring: Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey, Max Burkholder
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Source: Courtesy of Lions Gate Films
34. Saw II (2005)
> Return on investment: $30.59 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $152.9 million
> Production budget: $5.0 million
> Starring: Donnie Wahlberg, Beverley Mitchell, Franky G
Source: Courtesy of RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video
33. Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989)
> Return on investment: $30.62 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $36.7 million
> Production budget: $1.2 million
> Starring: James Spader, Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
32. Pretty Woman (1990)
> Return on investment: $30.90 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $432.6 million
> Production budget: $14.0 million
> Starring: Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Jason Alexander
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Source: Courtesy of Miramax
31. Swingers (1996)
> Return on investment: $33.09 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $6.6 million
> Production budget: $200,000
> Starring: Vince Vaughn, Heather Graham, Jon Favreau
Source: Courtesy of United Film Distribution Company
30. The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)
> Return on investment: $33.33 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $20.0 million
> Production budget: $600,000
> Starring: Evan C. Kim, Bong Soo Han, Bill Bixby
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
29. The Exorcist (1973)
> Return on investment: $35.68 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $428.2 million
> Production budget: $12.0 million
> Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Linda Blair
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
28. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
> Return on investment: $37.11 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $163.3 million
> Production budget: $4.4 million
> Starring: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Michael Berryman
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
27. The Godfather (1972)
> Return on investment: $38.36 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $268.5 million
> Production budget: $7.0 million
> Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
26. Annabelle (2014)
> Return on investment: $39.52 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $256.9 million
> Production budget: $6.5 million
> Starring: Ward Horton, Annabelle Wallis, Alfre Woodard
Source: Courtesy of Island Pictures
25. She’s Gotta Have It (1986)
> Return on investment: $40.79 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $7.1 million
> Production budget: $175,000
> Starring: Tracy Camilla Johns, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
24. Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
> Return on investment: $41.41 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $207.0 million
> Production budget: $5.0 million
> Starring: Chloe Csengery, Jessica Tyler Brown, Christopher Nicholas Smith
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
23. Chernobyl Diaries (2012)
> Return on investment: $42.41 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $42.4 million
> Production budget: $1.0 million
> Starring: Jesse McCartney, Jonathan Sadowski, Olivia Taylor Dudley
Source: Courtesy of A24
22. Moonlight (2016)
> Return on investment: $43.44 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $65.2 million
> Production budget: $1.5 million
> Starring: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Trevante Rhodes
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
21. Blazing Saddles (1974)
> Return on investment: $45.96 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $119.5 million
> Production budget: $2.6 million
> Starring: Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Slim Pickens
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
20. National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)
> Return on investment: $47.20 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $141.6 million
> Production budget: $3.0 million
> Starring: John Belushi, Karen Allen, Tom Hulce
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
19. Get Out (2017)
> Return on investment: $50.50 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $252.5 million
> Production budget: $5.0 million
> Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford
Source: Courtesy of The Samuel Goldwyn Company
18. Hollywood Shuffle (1987)
> Return on investment: $52.29 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $5.2 million
> Production budget: $100,000
> Starring: Robert Townsend, Craigus R. Johnson, Helen Martin
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
17. Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)
> Return on investment: $59.17 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $177.5 million
> Production budget: $3.0 million
> Starring: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Molly Ephraim
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Source: Courtesy of Miramax
16. Chasing Amy (1997)
> Return on investment: $60.62 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $15.2 million
> Production budget: $250,000
> Starring: Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Ethan Suplee
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
15. Unfriended (2014)
> Return on investment: $64.36 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $64.4 million
> Production budget: $1.0 million
> Starring: Heather Sossaman, Matthew Bohrer, Courtney Halverson
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Source: Courtesy of Live Film & Mediaworks Inc.
14. Pi (1998)
> Return on investment: $68.80 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $4.7 million
> Production budget: $68,000
> Starring: Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Ben Shenkman
Source: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
13. The Full Monty (1997)
> Return on investment: $74.64 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $261.2 million
> Production budget: $3.5 million
> Starring: Robert Carlyle, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Addy
Source: Courtesy of Lions Gate Films
12. Saw (2004)
> Return on investment: $86.57 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $103.9 million
> Production budget: $1.2 million
> Starring: Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover
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Source: Courtesy of IFI/Scope III
11. Graduation Day (1981)
> Return on investment: $95.58 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $23.9 million
> Production budget: $250,000
> Starring: Christopher George, Patch Mackenzie, E. Danny Murphy
Source: Courtesy of Insurge Pictures
10. The Devil Inside (2012)
> Return on investment: $101.76 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $101.8 million
> Production budget: $1.0 million
> Starring: Fernanda Andrade, Simon Quarterman, Evan Helmuth
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
9. Friday the 13th (1980)
> Return on investment: $108.64 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $59.8 million
> Production budget: $550,000
> Starring: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Jeannine Taylor
Source: Courtesy of Lions Gate Films
8. Open Water (2003)
> Return on investment: $111.04 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $55.5 million
> Production budget: $500,000
> Starring: Blanchard Ryan, Daniel Travis, Saul Stein
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
7. Clerks (1994)
> Return on investment: $144.23 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $3.9 million
> Production budget: $27,000
> Starring: Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti
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Source: Courtesy of Bryanston Distributing
6. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
> Return on investment: $189.80 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $26.6 million
> Production budget: $140,000
> Starring: Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal, Allen Danziger
Source: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
5. The Brothers McMullen (1995)
> Return on investment: $208.53 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $10.4 million
> Production budget: $50,000
> Starring: Jack Mulcahy, Michael McGlone, Edward Burns
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Source: Courtesy of Aquarius Releasing
4. Halloween (1978)
> Return on investment: $216.23 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $70.3 million
> Production budget: $325,000
> Starring: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tony Moran
Source: Courtesy of Artisan Entertainment
3. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
> Return on investment: $413.83 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $248.3 million
> Production budget: $600,000
> Starring: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
2. The Gallows (2015)
> Return on investment: $416.56 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $41.7 million
> Production budget: $100,000
> Starring: Reese Mishler, Pfeifer Brown, Ryan Shoos
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
1. Paranormal Activity (2007)
> Return on investment: $431.52 for every $1 in production budget
> Worldwide ticket sales: $194.2 million
> Production budget: $450,000
> Starring: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Mark Fredrichs
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