Alita: Battle Angel Budget
ActionScience FictionAdventure2h 2mUpdated
Synopsis
When Alita awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize, she is taken in by Ido, a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious history while her street-smart new friend Hugo offers instead to help trigger her memories. But it is only when the deadly and corrupt forces that run the city come after Alita that she discovers a clue to her past—she has unique fighting abilities that those in power will stop at nothing to control. If she can stay out of their grasp, she could be the key to saving her friends, her family and the world she’s grown to love.
What is the budget of Alita Battle Angel?
"Alita Battle Angel," an action released in 2019, was directed by Robert Rodriguez and stars Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz. The production budget was $170,000,000, placing it in the blockbuster range for action productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for an action production like this include:
- Stunts, Action Sequences & Visual Effects: Action films allocate a substantial portion of their budget to choreographing and executing practical stunts, pyrotechnics, and CGI-heavy sequences.
- Above-the-Line Talent (Cast & Director): A-list talent commands significant upfront fees plus backend participation.
- Production Design, Sets & Locations: Action films frequently require multiple international shooting locations, large-scale set construction, vehicle acquisitions and modifications, and specialized equipment , all of which drive production costs well above those of dialogue-driven genres.
- Casting: An April 2016 article in The Hollywood Reporter reported that Maika Monroe, Rosa Salazar, and Zendaya were among the final actresses being considered to take the role of Alita in the film, with a decision due within a few weeks.
What were the major cost factors in Alita Battle Angel?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Alita Battle Angel."
- Stunts: Stunts, Action Sequences & Visual Effects is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
- Above-the-Line Talent (Cast: Above-the-Line Talent (Cast & Director) is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
- Production Design: Production Design, Sets & Locations is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
How Does Alita Battle Angel's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $170,000,000, Alita Battle Angel sits in the blockbuster range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016): Budget $170,000,000, Worldwide Gross $299,457,024
- 47 Ronin (2013): Budget $175,000,000, Worldwide Gross $151,783,839
- The Dark Knight (2008): Budget $185,000,000, Worldwide Gross $1,004,558,444
- Alexander (2004): Budget $155,000,000, Worldwide Gross $167,298,192
- 6 Underground (2019): Budget $150,000,000
The median budget for wide-release action films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Alita Battle Angel Box Office Performance
"Alita Battle Angel" earned $85,838,210 domestically and $405,000,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $170,000,000, 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 "Alita Battle Angel," that break-even threshold was roughly $340,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $405,000,000, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $170,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $405,000,000
- Net Return: $235,000,000
- ROI: approximately 138.2%
At 138.2%, "Alita Battle Angel" earned roughly $2.38 for every $1 invested in production.
Alita Battle Angel Production History
An April 2016 article in The Hollywood Reporter reported that Maika Monroe, Rosa Salazar, and Zendaya were among the final actresses being considered to take the role of Alita in the film, with a decision due within a few weeks. In August 2016, it was reported that Christoph Waltz was in negotiations to play Dr. Dyson Ido, the equivalent of Daisuke Ido from the original manga.
The film began shooting at Robert Rodriguez's Troublemaker Studios in Austin, Texas on October 17, 2016, and concluded on February 9, 2017. In late January 2017, a casting call went out looking for rocker, punk, or emo extras to film scenes in Austin on the nights of February 3, 6 and 7, 2017. Salazar went through "five months of exhaustive martial arts training" to prepare for the action sequences in the film, learning Eagle Claw Kung Fu, Muay Thai, and staff work.
On December 17, 2018, it was announced that English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa would have a song featured on the film's soundtrack titled "Swan Song". The song and official music video were released on January 24, 2019, with the official music video directed by Floria Sigismondi. Tom Holkenborg composed the score for the film as well as the song "Swan Song" as a co-writer.
Awards and Recognition
10 wins & 25 nominations total
Critical Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Alita: Battle Angel holds an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The website's critical consensus reads, "Alita: Battle Angels story struggles to keep up with its special effects, but fans of futuristic sci-fi action may still find themselves more than sufficiently entertained." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 53 out of 100, based on 49 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Alita: Battle Angel cost to make?
The production budget was $170,000,000. Twentieth Century Fox produced the film, with James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment co-financing through a development arrangement that had been in place since the early 2000s.
How much did Alita: Battle Angel earn at the box office?
The film grossed $85,800,000 domestically and $319,200,000 internationally, for a worldwide total of approximately $405,000,000. It opened to $28,477,000 on February 14, 2019, finishing first that weekend.
Who stars in Alita: Battle Angel?
Rosa Salazar plays the title cyborg through performance capture. Christoph Waltz plays Dr. Dyson Ido, Jennifer Connelly plays Chiren, Keean Johnson plays Hugo, Mahershala Ali plays Vector, with Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley, and Edward Norton in a cameo as Nova.
Who directed Alita: Battle Angel?
Robert Rodriguez directed the film. James Cameron had originally planned to direct Alita as his follow-up to Avatar (2009) before the Avatar sequels pushed the project off his schedule. Cameron produced and co-wrote the screenplay.
Is Alita: Battle Angel based on a manga?
Yes. The film adapts the manga Gunnm by Yukito Kishiro, originally serialized in Business Jump from 1990 to 1995 and published in English under the title Battle Angel Alita. The screenplay also draws from the 1993 anime adaptation Battle Angel.
Where was Alita: Battle Angel filmed?
Principal photography took place at Troublemaker Studios in Austin, Texas, with Robert Rodriguez taking advantage of the state's production tax incentives. The performance capture work was completed at Manhattan Beach Studios in Los Angeles.
Did Alita: Battle Angel win any awards?
The film received nominations from the Visual Effects Society and the Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards. It was widely cited as a benchmark for performance capture and CGI character creation, particularly the design of Alita's anime-influenced eyes.
Was Alita: Battle Angel profitable?
Marginally. Against the $170,000,000 production budget and an estimated $100,000,000 to $130,000,000 in worldwide marketing spend, the worldwide gross of $405,000,000 produced a small theatrical profit, supported strongly by Chinese box office. Streaming and home video have extended profitability significantly.
Is an Alita: Battle Angel sequel happening?
A sequel has been discussed by Robert Rodriguez and James Cameron since the 2019 release. The Disney acquisition of Twentieth Century Fox in 2019 complicated the rights situation. As of the latest update, the sequel has not entered active production, although a dedicated fan campaign continues to advocate for it.
How does Alita: Battle Angel compare to other anime live-action adaptations?
Alita's $405,000,000 worldwide gross significantly outperformed Ghost in the Shell (2017, $110,000,000 budget, $169,800,000 worldwide), Dragonball Evolution (2009, $30,000,000 budget, $58,000,000 worldwide), and the more recent One Piece live-action Netflix series. It remains the most commercially successful U.S. live-action manga adaptation to date.
Official Trailer
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