Synopsis

Following the murder of a physicist, Father Silvano Bentivoglio, a symbolist, Robert Langdon, and a scientist, Vittoria Vetra, are on an adventure involving a secret brotherhood, the Illuminati. Clues lead them all around the Vatican, including the four altars of science, Earth, Air, Fire and Water. An assassin, working for the Illuminati, has captured four cardinals, and murders each, painfully. Robert and Vittoria also are searching for a new very destructive weapon that could kill millions.

What is the budget of Angels & Demons?

"Angels & Demons," a thriller released in 2009, was directed by Ron Howard and stars Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor. The production budget was $150,000,000, placing it in the blockbuster range for thriller productions of its era.

Key Budget Allocation Categories

While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a thriller production like this include:

Talent & Director Compensation: Thrillers depend on compelling lead performances to sustain tension, making cast compensation a primary budget concern. Directors with proven thriller credentials command premium fees.
Cinematography & Location Photography: Thriller aesthetics demand specific visual languages , surveillance-style photography, claustrophobic framing, or expansive location work across multiple cities or countries.
Editorial & Sound Post-Production: Precision editing , controlling information flow, building suspense through pacing, and orchestrating reveals , requires extended post-production schedules.

What were the major cost factors in Angels & Demons?

Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Angels & Demons."

Talent: Talent & Director Compensation is one of the primary cost drivers in thriller productions of this scale.
Cinematography: Cinematography & Location Photography is one of the primary cost drivers in thriller productions of this scale.
Editorial: Editorial & Sound Post-Production is one of the primary cost drivers in thriller productions of this scale.

How Does Angels & Demons's Budget Compare to Similar Films?

At $150,000,000, Angels & Demons sits in the blockbuster range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:

6 Underground (2019): Budget $150,000,000
Alexander (2004): Budget $155,000,000, Worldwide Gross $167,298,192
After Earth (2013): Budget $130,000,000, Worldwide Gross $243,843,127
Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016): Budget $170,000,000, Worldwide Gross $299,457,024
Alita: Battle Angel (2019): Budget $170,000,000 , Gross $405,000,000

The median budget for wide-release thriller films in the 2000s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.

Angels & Demons Box Office Performance

"Angels & Demons" earned $133,375,846 domestically and $485,930,816 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $150,000,000, 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 "Angels & Demons," that break-even threshold was roughly $300,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $485,930,816, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.

Production Budget: $150,000,000
Worldwide Gross: $485,930,816
Net Return: $335,930,816
ROI: approximately 224%

At 224%, "Angels & Demons" earned roughly $3.24 for every $1 invested in production.