GZUS96 — 11 years ago(December 04, 2014 02:32 PM)

By today's standards at least. Think about it, the dollar had more value back then and took fewer of them to buy most products.$2 million (the budget) would be about $4 million today. Now in 1988 an average movie ticket price was $4. The movie grossed $43.6 million.
That means in 1988 about 10.9 million people went and saw the movie. If 10.9 million went today to see it that would equal $88.8 million
Paranormal Activity 2 cost $3 million to make and pulled in $84.4 million.That is a 2,700% return on investment.
With today's average ticket price at about $8.15 that means only about 10.4 million people went to Paranormal 2. Yet there have been what 3 or 4 sequels done or planned.
Killer Klowns in 1988 made a 2,080% return on investment.
The difference is, studios back then usually did not look at it this way. Studio execs looked for their movies to be in the top 5 or top 10 at the box office in order to consider them successful. Whereas, today execs are content with pumping out sequel after sequel as long they can just spend a couple million to make it and then if they make 50 - 100 million then it is a good pay-day.
Consider this. "Fight Club (1999)" I am pretty sure most here would agree is a GREAT movie. I know I do. Yet, it cost $63 million to make and only grossed WORLD-WIDE $63.8 million. That is only a 1.3% return on investment. Consider this though Fight Club only made $37 million here in the U.S.
Here in the U.S. that would mean that only 7.1 million people here in the U.S. went to see Fight Club with the average ticket price of $5.15.
Conclusion, Killer KLowns actually did quite well at the box office when all things are considered.