Budgets

[narrows101]

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news06/060515k.php

A Breakdown of $200+ Million Budgets
Posted: Monday May 15th, 2006 6:16pm
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Author: Garth Franklin

One of the most difficult things to ween out of any filmmaker or studio is a film's budget. More often than not they generally underestimate the amount by a good 20-30%, and of course it almost always never includes development costs or marketing/publicity expenses - an amount which can be as high as the film itself.

This past weekend though, The Wall Street Journal surprised everyone with a breakdown of some Summer movie budgets for the newest club on the block, the $200+ million epic. Amongst their estimates:

"Spider-Man 3" - $250-$300 million
"Superman Returns" - $261 million
"King Kong" - $250 million
" Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" - approaching $225 million
"X-Men: The Last Stand" - $210 million

How they got the numbers remains unsure but for the most part they do seem rather spot on with the word through the grapevine rather than the on the record statements.

Officially X3 cost $165m, Kong cost $207m, and Superman has drawn conflicting amounts ranging from $190m to $250m. In Superman's case its not sure whether that amount includes the $45-65 million in development costs accumulated over nearly ten years before Bryan Singer came onboard.

Also, Spider-Man 3 is still shooting so there's no telling how much higher it will go, whilst Pirates is being worked on to the last minute and may climb further. Pirates will be balanced though with the third film which will obviously re-use much of the elements from the second one and save on costs - by how much though is uncertain.

 

[J.Howlett]

No way in hell X-Men The Last Stand cost 210 million dollars. If that's the case and based on the clips just released, where's the rest of the money?

That 210 million number might also include the marketing budget as well but that's not just the production budget.

 

[Mic]

No way in hell X-Men The Last Stand cost 210 million dollars. If that's the case and based on the clips just released, where's the rest of the money?

That 210 million number might also include the marketing budget as well but that's not just the production budget.

Studios never really give away how much they really spend on films.
So if they say a film cost 150mill, it probabl cost a hell of a lot more. So im guessing the 210 million is the figure fox DONT want you to know. They will probably 'officially' put it at 180mill or something.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

The industry has been saying for several months now that X3 cost $225 million--it's been quoted everywhere. With all things considered, it makes total sense.

Narrows, you find the best articles.

 

[Mic]

The industry has been saying for several months now that X3 cost $225 million--it's been quoted everywhere. With all things considered, it makes total sense.

Narrows, you find the best articles.

Then if thats the true budget, its pretty ****ing high for 90 mins of 'action'

 

[FieryBalrog]

It was probably needed because the production process was compressed so much. Pre-production started last year, after all.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

It was probably needed because the production process was compressed so much. Pre-production started last year, after all.

Absolutely right Fiery. Not to mention the hefty actors' salaries. Hugh, Halle, Ian, etc., are not exactly cheap.

 

[J.Howlett]

You know, LIghtning and Fiery, you both make excellent points. I forgot about the compressed schedule of this film.

That's the only way this film made it to release by throwing numerous amounts of money at it. Fox would've saved themselves alot of money had they started developing this film in January 2004 and started shooting in January 2005. They could've cut that number by at least 50 to 60 million had they done it right.

Just think what Singer would've done with a proper production schedule and 225 million to play with. It hurts the heart to think of it.

But, I'm with Ratner right now. I want this film to work.

 

[narrows101]

Narrows, you find the best articles.

Thanks! Here's another good one - although this isn't about X-3 (although it's mentioned), it's about DaVinci and what Sony expects. It will be interesting to see how it holds up to these numbers since I know a lot of people who are *not* going to see it because of the controversy and "I read the book I don't need to see the movie."

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/sony-predicts-da-vinci-code-dollars

I'm told Sony is looking for a Da Vinci Code domestic opening weekend of $60 million-$70 million from about 3,600 theaters May 19-21, and expects the first 11 days including Memorial Weekend to gross $125 million from U.S. moviegoers. The studio figures to end the summer with an overall worldwide haul of $500 million. (I've already reported that, in Italy, Mexico and Spain, Catholic Moviegoers Overseas Defy Vatican and Sell Out Da Vinci Code In Advance.)
​

I've learned that one thing worrying Sony is that, since The Da Vinci Code is primarily an adult movie, some of those adults may be siphoned off not by falling MI3, or flailing Poseidon but by Paramount/Dreamworks' counter-programming of its big animated flick Over the Hedge in 3,800 theaters that same weekend. (Mom and Dad gotta keep those kiddies entertained, right?)
​

"If Over the Hedge performs as well as Dworks' Madagascar did, we may have to rely more on overseas sales," one Sony source fretted. Plus, 20th Century Fox's X-Men 3 opens over Memorial Weekend, and that's a proven franchise.

​

So what does this mean for Da Vinci Code? It's still going to be a huge grosser, probably one with good enough legs to last the summer. Several showbiz reporters have ridiculously made comparisons to that other adult movie directed by Ron Howard and produced by Brian Grazer (swap Russell Crowe for Tom Hanks) that debuted in the summer, Cinderella Man. Uh, I don't recall a worldwide bestseller named Cinderella Man that put 40 million copies into people's hands. Meanwhile, exhibitors saw the movie for the first time last week and, as expected, loved it. Much has been made of the fact that Sony has been holding back screenings, but big-city film critics get their crack at the movie Tuesday, and the all-press screening is Wednesday.

​

Meanwhile, Da Vinci Code's world premiere kicks off the 59th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 17. Sony plans an absurdly lavish international junket aboard a specially outfitted Eurostar train which will be rerouted from London's Waterloo Station straight to Cannes (instead of Paris) for "old-fashioned Hollywood fun" to amuse the film people and the world press, sources gush and say each train car will be decorated like a different country to signify the different chapters of the book.​

 

[FieryBalrog]

You know, LIghtning and Fiery, you both make excellent points. I forgot about the compressed schedule of this film.

That's the only way this film made it to release by throwing numerous amounts of money at it. Fox would've saved themselves alot of money had they started developing this film in January 2004 and started shooting in January 2005. They could've cut that number by at least 50 to 60 million had they done it right.

Yup. Not to mention, signing actors like Hugh and Halle to two options would have saved them a ton of money, since both were going for a lot less back then, esp. Hugh. Even McKellen, for that matter. He's a much bigger figure after LOTR and the first to Xmen movies.

Absolutely right Fiery. Not to mention the hefty actors' salaries. Hugh, Halle, Ian, etc., are not exactly cheap.

Yea. They messed up not signing one film + 2 options. Isn't that a standard contract in franchise films nowadays?

 

[J.Howlett]

Da Vinci will make 90 million this weekend. Bet on it. It's going to be huge.

 

[narrows101]

Da Vinci will make 90 million this weekend. Bet on it. It's going to be huge.

I don't think it will go over what Sony predicts.

 

[J.Howlett]

Lightning and Fiery, do you guys know when the exact date was when they actually started writing the script and not using Singer's outline?

 

[Matt.S99]

it did cost 210 mill it says so in the premire mag!

 

[JDD]

I hope X3 makes a lot on the box office if we want another X-men movie.

 

[Aiden]

X3's production budget was 150 million

 

[Mic]

X3's production budget was 150 million

So 60 mill on pre production and advertising?

 

[JDD]

I think they used a lot of money to promote the movie.

 

[Mic]

I think they used a lot of money to promote the movie.

Probably too much really.

 

[Aiden]

So 60 mill on pre production and advertising?

Yeah