Jason Blum continúa produciendo películas con menos de un millón de dólares.

Jason Blum, el productor whose name has become virtually synonymous with contemporary horror cinema, will be honored this Saturday with the Milestone Award from the Producers Guild of America. This accolade, previously bestowed upon legends such as Walt Disney, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, and James Cameron, recognizes individuals who have made historic contributions to the entertainment industry. For Blum, whose prolific career spans over two hundred film and television credits, the award caps a two-decade journey that has redefined how genre films are made, marketed, and consumed.

At the heart of Blumhouse Productions’ success lies a counterintuitive business model: systematically minimizing budgets while maximizing creative equity for filmmakers. This approach has yielded a string of commercially viable horror franchises—including Paranormal Activity, Insidious, The Purge, and Five Nights at Freddy’s—alongside critically acclaimed works that transcended genre boundaries, such as Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, and Jordan Peele’s Get Out, the latter earning an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. “I think my biggest contribution to the industry has been starting one of the last truly independent studios with a brand fundamentally based on keeping budgets low by giving artists equity, which allows for cutting-edge television shows and movies,” Blum remarked in a recent conversation.

What began as a niche strategy has since been scaled into a multifaceted entertainment ecosystem. Blumhouse expanded beyond film into live events and merchandising, deliberately intertwining the Blumhouse name with immersive experiences that extend the fear factor beyond the screen. “It’s disingenuous to say we didn’t do it for money,” Blum conceded, “but from the very beginning, I focused on connecting the Blumhouse brand with things that are effectively scary. If we did a live event that was great and carried our name, more people would go to the movies.”

The recent merger with James Wan’s Atomic Monster has amplified Blum’s influence, yet it has not diverted him from his foundational commitment to ultra-low-budget filmmaking. In fact, he has taken steps to safeguard that legacy by hiring Sam Zimmerman, formerly of Shudder, to spearhead sub-million-dollar projects. “Post-merger, we’re making slightly more expensive movies, but I don’t want to lose the capacity to make low-budget and super low-budget films,” Blum stated, signaling an intent to maintain a diversified slate.

This diversification now heavily leans into intellectual property (IP). In a post-pandemic theatrical landscape, original films—especially those with modest budgets—struggle to break out. Blum cited Longlegs as the sole sub-$5 million original to achieve significant crossover success in the past two and a half years. Meanwhile, established IPs like The Black Phone, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and Final Destination have driven blockbuster numbers. “People now decide before they go to the movies,” Blum observed. “They don’t just show up and say, ‘I want to see a horror movie.’ More often than not, they choose something that means something to them beyond a title.”

Yet Blum is wary of overreliance on existing franchises, drawing a parallel to Disney’s live-action remake strategy. “I love being compared to Disney because we want to be the Disney of Fear,” he said with a smile. “But the simple answer is you must keep doing originals.” This year, Blumhouse’s five wide releases include two originals—Obsession and Other Mommy—accounting for roughly 40 percent of their slate. While the ratio has shifted from a historical fifty-fifty split, Blum insists original storytelling remains non-negotiable.

Among hundreds of projects, one film stands out in Blum’s estimation: Get Out. He credits it with fundamentally altering the trajectory of horror in the 21st century. “It was super low-budget, very unusual, left of center, and it changed the face of horror more profoundly than any horror movie this century,” Blum asserted. Its cultural impact extended beyond box office receipts; it made horror ‘cool,’ attracting a wave of auteurs who previously shunned the genre. “For better or for worse, Jordan Peele made the AV Club cool,” Blum quipped, referencing how Get Out elevated horror to a subject of sophisticated critical discourse.

Blum’s enduring drive to produce films for less than $1 million reflects more than fiscal pragmatism—it embodies a belief that constrained resources fuel innovation. As Hollywood continues to pivot toward franchise dominance, his steadfast commitment to micro-budget filmmaking ensures that space remains for daring, unconventional voices. The Milestone Award, then, is not merely a capstone but a validation of a model that proves, repeatedly, that fear—when harnessed with creativity and economic discipline—can yield both artistic resonance and commercial reward.

«