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12. The Hangover (2009)

Return on investment: 1297%
Budget $36 million (inflation-adjusted)
Gross revenue $467 million

The Hangover is the ultimate tale of a bachelor party gone horribly, horribly wrong. Released in the summer of 2009, the comedy was intended to serve as comedic counter-programming to such blockbusters as Terminator Salvation and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and was given an accordingly modest budget.

Both of the blockbusters broke even, but their huge budgets made it impossible to make much of a profit. The Hangover, on the other hand, became the sleeper hit of the summer, earning over $467 million and exceeding its $35 million budget by almost thirteen times.

Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures