A Monster Calls Budget
FantasyAdventureFamily1h 48mUpdated
Synopsis
The monster does not come walking often. This time it comes to Conor, and it asks for the one thing Conor cannot bring himself to do. Tell the truth. This is a very touching story about a boy who feels very damaged, guilty and mostly angry. He struggles at school with bullies, and pity looks from everyone, and at home with his mother's sickness. Will Conor overcome his problems? Will everything be okay? Will Conor be able to speak the truth?
What is the budget of A Monster Calls?
"A Monster Calls," a fantasy released in 2016, was directed by J. A. Bayona and stars Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver. The production budget was $43,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for fantasy productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a fantasy production like this include:
- Visual Effects & Creature Design: Fantasy productions require extensive VFX for magical elements, mythical creatures, and fantastical battle sequences.
- Costumes, Prosthetic Makeup & Production Design: Period-inspired or wholly original costumes, elaborate prosthetic and makeup applications, and richly detailed set construction are hallmarks of fantasy filmmaking.
- Music Score & Sound Design: Fantasy epics typically commission full orchestral scores recorded with 80 to 100 piece ensembles, plus extensive sound design for magical effects, creature vocalizations, and immersive world audio.
- Production: Focus Features bought the rights to Patrick Ness' book in March 2014.
What were the major cost factors in A Monster Calls?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "A Monster Calls."
- Visual Effects: Visual Effects & Creature Design is one of the primary cost drivers in fantasy productions of this scale.
- Costumes: Costumes, Prosthetic Makeup & Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in fantasy productions of this scale.
- Music Score: Music Score & Sound Design is one of the primary cost drivers in fantasy productions of this scale.
How Does A Monster Calls's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $43,000,000, A Monster Calls sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 28 Days (2000): Budget $43,000,000, Worldwide Gross $62,198,945
- Along Came Polly (2004): Budget $42,000,000, Worldwide Gross $178,300,000
- 65 (2023): Budget $45,000,000, Worldwide Gross $60,730,568
- 8 Mile (2002): Budget $41,000,000, Worldwide Gross $242,875,078
- Across the Universe (2007): Budget $45,000,000, Worldwide Gross $29,625,761
The median budget for wide-release fantasy films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
A Monster Calls Box Office Performance
"A Monster Calls" earned $3,740,823 domestically and $47,309,313 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $43,000,000, the film showed modest profitability in theatrical release.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "A Monster Calls," that break-even threshold was roughly $86,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $47,309,313, the film fell short of that threshold but recouped its production costs in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $43,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $47,309,313
- Net Return: $4,309,313
- ROI: approximately 10%
At 10%, "A Monster Calls" returned its production investment but margin was tight after marketing and distribution costs.
A Monster Calls Production History
Principal photography began on 30 September 2014, and took place in Spain and Britain. On 9 October, filming began on location in Glossop, Preston, Lancashire (Ramsbottom), Rivington Pike (Chorley/Horwich), Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and Marsden, West Yorkshire. Liam Neeson, who voices the film's titular tree creature, was not on set throughout the shooting process, having completed his motion-capture performance, with MacDougall in the room, during a two-week period beforehand.
Awards and Recognition
39 wins & 57 nominations total
- European Film Award for Best Sound Designer: Oriol Tarragó (30th European Film Awards)
Critical Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 86% of 266 critics' reviews; the site's "critics consensus" reads: "A Monster Calls deftly balances dark themes and fantastical elements to deliver an engrossing and uncommonly moving entry in the crowded coming-of-age genre." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 based on reviews from 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make A Monster Calls (2016)?
The production budget was $43,000,000, covering principal photography, visual effects, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $21,500,000 - $34,400,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $64,500,000 - $77,400,000.
How much did A Monster Calls (2016) earn at the box office?
A Monster Calls grossed $3,740,823 domestic, $43,568,490 international, totaling $47,309,313 worldwide.
Was A Monster Calls (2016) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $47,309,313 against an estimated $107,500,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing A Monster Calls?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Lewis MacDougall, Sigourney Weaver, Felicity Jones); VFX creature work, elaborate costume and prosthetic design, and orchestral scoring; international production across Spain, United States of America.
How does A Monster Calls's budget compare to similar fantasy films?
At $43,000,000, A Monster Calls is classified as a mid-budget production. The median budget for wide-release fantasy films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 28 Days (2000, $43,000,000); Along Came Polly (2004, $42,000,000); 65 (2023, $45,000,000).
Did A Monster Calls (2016) go over budget?
There are no widely reported accounts of significant budget overruns for this production. However, studios rarely disclose precise budget overrun figures publicly. The reported production budget reflects the final estimated cost.
What was the return on investment (ROI) for A Monster Calls?
The theatrical ROI was 10.0%, calculated as ($47,309,313 − $43,000,000) ÷ $43,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did A Monster Calls (2016) win?
39 wins & 57 nominations total.
Who directed A Monster Calls and who were the key crew members?
Directed by J. A. Bayona, written by Patrick Ness, shot by Óscar Faura, with music by Fernando Velázquez, edited by Jaume Martí, Bernat Vilaplana.
Where was A Monster Calls filmed?
A Monster Calls was filmed in Spain, United States of America. Principal photography began on 30 September 2014, and took place in Spain and Britain. On 9 October, filming began on location in Glossop, Preston, Lancashire (Ramsbottom), Rivington Pike (Chorley/Horwich), Blackpool Pleasure Beach, and Marsden, West Yorkshire. Liam Neeson, who voices the film's titular tree creature, was not on set throughout the shooting process, having completed his motion-capture performance, with MacDougall in the room, during a two-week period beforehand. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
A Monster Calls
Official Trailer
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