Arlington Road Budget
CrimeDramaThrillerMystery1h 57mUpdated
Synopsis
"Arlington Road" is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of trust and paranoia. The story follows Michael Faraday, a college professor played by Jeff Bridges, who becomes increasingly suspicious of his new neighbors, the Langs, portrayed by Tim Robbins and Joan Cusack. After a tragic incident involving his son, Michael's unease grows as he uncovers unsettling truths about the Langs' past. As he digs deeper, he finds himself entangled in a web of conspiracy and deception, leading to a shocking climax that questions the very nature of safety and the lengths one will go to protect their loved ones. The film masterfully explores themes of fear, betrayal, and the fragility of normalcy in a post-9/11 world.
What is the budget of Arlington Road?
"Arlington Road," a crime released in 1999, was directed by Mark Pellington and stars Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins. The production budget was $31,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for crime productions of the 1990s.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a crime 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.
- Production: In May 1997, it was reported that Samuelson Productions would produce the Ehren Kruger scripted thriller Arlington Road to be directed by Mark Pellington.
What were the major cost factors in Arlington Road?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Arlington Road."
- Talent: Talent & Director Compensation is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
- Cinematography: Cinematography & Location Photography is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
- Editorial: Editorial & Sound Post-Production is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
How Does Arlington Road's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $31,000,000, Arlington Road sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Arachnophobia (1990): Budget $31,000,000, Worldwide Gross $53,200,000
- Apocalypse Now (1979): Budget $31,500,000, Worldwide Gross $150,000,000
- A History of Violence (2005): Budget $32,000,000, Worldwide Gross $61,477,797
- A Hologram for the King (2016): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $9,169,507
- A Lot Like Love (2005): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $42,886,719
The median budget for wide-release crime films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Arlington Road Box Office Performance
"Arlington Road" earned $24,756,177 domestically and $41,100,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $31,000,000, 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 "Arlington Road," that break-even threshold was roughly $62,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $41,100,000, the film fell short of that threshold but recouped its production costs in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $31,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $41,100,000
- Net Return: $10,100,000
- ROI: approximately 32.6%
At 32.6%, "Arlington Road" returned its production investment but margin was tight after marketing and distribution costs.
Awards and Recognition
5 nominations total
Critical Reception
The film holds a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 92 reviews. with the site's consensus stating; "A suspenseful thriller led by strong cast performances built around a somewhat implausible story." 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 Arlington Road (1999)?
The production budget was $31,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $15,500,000 - $24,800,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $46,500,000 - $55,800,000.
How much did Arlington Road (1999) earn at the box office?
Arlington Road grossed $24,756,177 domestic, $16,343,823 international, totaling $41,100,000 worldwide.
Was Arlington Road (1999) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $41,100,000 against an estimated $77,500,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Arlington Road?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack); talent compensation, location cinematography, and tension-driven editorial.
How does Arlington Road's budget compare to similar crime films?
At $31,000,000, Arlington Road is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release crime films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Arachnophobia (1990, $31,000,000); Apocalypse Now (1979, $31,500,000); A History of Violence (2005, $32,000,000).
Did Arlington Road (1999) 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 Arlington Road?
The theatrical ROI was 32.6%, calculated as ($41,100,000 − $31,000,000) ÷ $31,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Arlington Road (1999) win?
5 nominations total.
Who directed Arlington Road and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Mark Pellington, written by Ehren Kruger, shot by Bobby Bukowski, with music by Angelo Badalamenti, edited by Conrad Buff IV.
Where was Arlington Road filmed?
Arlington Road was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Arlington Road
Official Trailer
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