Lowest-budget movie to make $1 million at the US box office

The lowest-budget movie to make $1 million at the US box office is Robert Rodriguez’s (USA) El Mariachi (Mexico/USA, 1992). With a stated production budget of only $7,000, this self-financed, self-produced film went on to make a total of $2,041,928 in cinemas worldwide after it was picked up for distribution by Columbia Pictures. Robert Rodriguez carried out 11 of the major creative movie-making roles himself for the film: director, writer, producer, cinematographer, film editor, music editor, sound editor, special effects, camera operator, stills photographer and additional editor.