Made on a budget of $777,777, THX 1138 was a low-budget film, even for the early 70s, when most features cost an average of $6 million. Upon its initial release, the film received mixed reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office. Francis Ford Coppola, a producer for THX 1138, ended up owing Warner Bros. $400,000 for budget overruns, which forced the producer to take the job directing The Rain People, the last movie he directed before releasing his iconic film The Godfather in 1972.
However, despite the movie’s rough start, following the success of Lucas’s Star Wars (1977), THX 1138 gained critical acclaim and developed a cult following.
