And the lion share of those grosses were pure profit.Īlso Read: 'Blair Witch' Review: Generation Selfie Gets Lost in the Woods All said, the horror movie made on a shoestring went on to earn $248.6 million worldwide.
“The Blair Witch Project” went on to become one of the biggest sleeper hits in movie history, packing theaters in its first two weekends during its limited release before a successful wide release. The strategy paid off, as the site amassed more than 20 million page views before the movie opened in theaters in the summer of 1999. The marketing ruse even extended to the then fledgling - which listed the three actors as “missing, presumed dead.” A cinematic work of fiction, it was all built up ahead of time as a reflection of “true” events.Īlso Read: Will 'Blair Witch' Beat 'Bridget Jones's Baby' in Box Office Battle of Long-Delayed Sequels? The page hosted extensive character bios, clips from the found film and photos of the group as they prepared for their scary quest. The site first revealed the discovery of mysterious footage made by a trio of young filmmakers who supposedly went missing after investigating a wooded area allegedly haunted by a witch. But the original site served as an extension of the 1999 film - a prelude presentation detailing the supposed history of the Blair Witch dating back to 1785. The original site is still live today, now updated to promote the sequel by Lionsgate, “Blair Witch,” opening this weekend. (The film itself cost less than $25,000 to make.)Īlso Read: 'Blair Witch' Gets a Virtual Reality Trailer, Ushering In VR Ad Age Going live a full year before the found-footage horror movie eventually opened in theaters, up months before the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1999 - when Artisan bought the rights for $1 million. It happened years before the advent of Twitter, YouTube and Snapchat, when producers at Haxan Films pioneered an approach to promoting a movie that’s making new strides with recent hits like “Don’t Breathe” and “Lights Out.” Eighteen years ago, a star-free indie movie called “The Blair Witch Project” became the first movie to focus its marketing strategy around the then-emerging internet with its own dedicated website.
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