American Gangster Budget
DramaCrime2h 37mUpdated
Synopsis
"American Gangster" (2007) is a gripping crime drama that chronicles the rise and fall of Frank Lucas, portrayed by Denzel Washington. Set in the 1970s, the film follows Lucas, a heroin dealer who revolutionizes the drug trade by sourcing his product directly from Southeast Asia, cutting out the middlemen and offering a purer product at a lower price. His empire flourishes, leading to immense wealth and power, but also attracting the attention of law enforcement.
On the other side of the law, Russell Crowe plays Richie Roberts, a dedicated detective determined to bring Lucas to justice. As the two men navigate their respective worlds, the film explores themes of morality, loyalty, and the consequences of ambition. The intense cat-and-mouse game between Lucas and Roberts culminates in a dramatic confrontation, highlighting the complexities of crime and the pursuit of justice in a corrupt system. With its powerful performances and authentic portrayal of the era, "American Gangster" stands as a compelling examination of the American dream gone awry.
What is the budget of American Gangster?
"American Gangster," a drama released in 2007, was directed by Ridley Scott and stars Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe. The production budget was $100,000,000, placing it in the high-budget range for drama productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a drama production like this include:
- Above-the-Line Talent: Drama films live or die on the strength of their performances.
- Location Filming & Period Production Design: Authentic locations , whether contemporary or historical , require scouting, permits, travel, lodging, and often significant dressing to match the story's time period.
- Post-Production, Color Grading & Score: The editorial process for dramas is typically longer than genre films, with careful attention to pacing and tone.
- Development: alt=Russell Crowe in a premiere.|In 2000, Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment purchased the rights to "The Return of Superfly", by Mark Jacobson, an article published in New York magazine story about the rise and fall of the 1970s heroin kingpin Frank Lucas.
What were the major cost factors in American Gangster?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "American Gangster."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
How Does American Gangster's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $100,000,000, American Gangster sits in the high-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 1917 (2019): Budget $100,000,000, Worldwide Gross $446,064,352
- A Wrinkle in Time (2018): Budget $103,000,000, Worldwide Gross $132,675,864
- 10,000 BC (2008): Budget $105,000,000, Worldwide Gross $269,784,201
- Allied (2016): Budget $106,000,000, Worldwide Gross $119,520,023
- Ali (2001): Budget $107,000,000, Worldwide Gross $87,812,729
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2000s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
American Gangster Box Office Performance
"American Gangster" earned $130,164,645 domestically and $269,755,430 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $100,000,000, the film performed strongly at the box office.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "American Gangster," that break-even threshold was roughly $200,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $269,755,430, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $100,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $269,755,430
- Net Return: $169,755,430
- ROI: approximately 169.8%
At 169.8%, "American Gangster" earned roughly $2.7 for every $1 invested in production.
American Gangster Production History
alt=Russell Crowe in a premiere.|In 2000, Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment purchased the rights to "The Return of Superfly", by Mark Jacobson, an article published in New York magazine story about the rise and fall of the 1970s heroin kingpin Frank Lucas. In 2002, screenwriter Steven Zaillian brought a 170-page script to director Ridley Scott, who expressed interest in making two films from it. However, Scott did not immediately pursue the project, choosing to make Kingdom of Heaven instead.
alt=Panoramic view of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.|Principal photography began in July 2006 in New York City. American Gangster was filmed over a period of approximately four months in over 180 different locations, most of them across New York; it set the record for containing the highest number of filming locations of a movie. In his interview with ComingSoon.net, Scott stated that "[he] just walked in [...] and [...] just sho[o]t in the house." Several gas masks were brought by producers due to health hazards and sanitary concerns existing in the buildings.
In 2006, Greg Calloway was approached by producers to produce a soundtrack for the film. He presented the idea to Atlantic Records chairman Craig Kallman, and one of the company's artists, T.I., got an acting role in the film. However, the deal did not go further because Universal Pictures owned the rights to the film; "It was a Universal film and they were not going to give the soundtrack to WMG" (Atlantic's parent company).
Awards and Recognition
Nominated for 2 Oscars. 12 wins & 38 nominations total
Critical Reception
Review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes reports that 81% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 218 reviews, with a rating average of 7.00/10, with the consensus being: "American Gangster is a gritty and entertaining throwback to classic gangster films, with its lead performers firing on all cylinders." On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean score out of 100 to reviews from film critics, the film has a score of 76 based on 38 reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make American Gangster (2007)?
The production budget was $100,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $50,000,000 - $80,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $150,000,000 - $180,000,000.
How much did American Gangster (2007) earn at the box office?
American Gangster grossed $130,164,645 domestic, $139,590,785 international, totaling $269,755,430 worldwide.
Was American Gangster (2007) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $100,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$250,000,000, the film earned $269,755,430 theatrically - a 170% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing American Gangster?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Josh Brolin); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does American Gangster's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $100,000,000, American Gangster is classified as a big-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2000s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 1917 (2019, $100,000,000); A Wrinkle in Time (2018, $103,000,000); 10,000 BC (2008, $105,000,000).
Did American Gangster (2007) 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 American Gangster?
The theatrical ROI was 169.8%, calculated as ($269,755,430 − $100,000,000) ÷ $100,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did American Gangster (2007) win?
Nominated for 2 Oscars. 12 wins & 38 nominations total.
Who directed American Gangster and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Ridley Scott, written by Steven Zaillian, shot by Harris Savides, with music by Marc Streitenfeld, edited by Pietro Scalia.
Where was American Gangster filmed?
American Gangster was filmed in United States of America. alt=Panoramic view of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.|Principal photography began in July 2006 in New York City. American Gangster was filmed over a period of approximately four months in over 180 different locations, most of them across New York; it set the record for containing the highest number of filming locations of a movie. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
American Gangster
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