Army of the Dead Budget

What is the budget of Army of the Dead?

"Army of the Dead," a crime released in 2021, was directed by Zack Snyder and stars Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell. The production budget was $90,000,000, placing it in the high-budget range for crime productions of its era.

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.
• Casting: Dave Bautista was cast in April 2019, with the production budget now reported at $70 million.

What were the major cost factors in Army of the Dead?

Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Army of the Dead."

• 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 Army of the Dead's Budget Compare to Similar Films?

At $90,000,000, Army of the Dead sits in the high-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:

• Bad Boys for Life (2020): Budget $90,000,000, Worldwide Gross $426,505,244
• Contact (1997): Budget $90,000,000, Worldwide Gross $171,120,329
• DC League of Super-Pets (2022): Budget $90,000,000, Worldwide Gross $203,000,000
• Death on the Nile (2022): Budget $90,000,000, Worldwide Gross $137,307,235
• Men in Black (1997): Budget $90,000,000, Worldwide Gross $589,390,539

The median budget for wide-release crime films in the 2020s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.

Army of the Dead Box Office Performance

"Army of the Dead" earned $190,700,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $90,000,000, 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 "Army of the Dead," that break-even threshold was roughly $180,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $190,700,000, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.

• Production Budget: $90,000,000
• Worldwide Gross: $190,700,000
• Net Return: $100,700,000
• ROI: approximately 111.9%

At 111.9%, "Army of the Dead" earned roughly $2.12 for every $1 invested in production.

Army of the Dead Production History

Dave Bautista was cast in April 2019, with the production budget now reported at $70 million. In joining the film, Bautista said his initial reaction to the offer was a clear "no," as the actor was searching for dramatic roles, but wanting to work with Snyder and having read the screenplay, he changed his mind and agreed to star. He also mentioned that he had to choose the project over The Suicide Squad, and told Digital Spy, "I had The Suicide Squad where I got to work with my boy [James Gunn] again, even though it's a smaller role, and then I had Army of the Dead on which I get to work with Zack, I get to build a relationship with Netflix, I get a lead role in a great film , and I get paid a lot more money.

Principal photography for Army of the Dead began on July 15, 2019, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and moved to Albuquerque Studios in August. Filming in Atlantic City, New Jersey, began in September, where the Atlantic Club Casino Hotel and the Showboat Atlantic City, both closed in 2014, were used for interior scenes and on-location filming. According to the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission, $25 million from the film's budget were used for production in Atlantic City.

Dutch composer Tom Holkenborg confirmed on a Reddit AMA in May 2020 that he would be composing the film's score. The soundtrack album was released by Milan Records on May 21, 2021. It includes Holkenborg's score and the Elvis Presley song "Viva Las Vegas" (performed by Richard Cheese and Allison Crowe).

Awards and Recognition

1 win & 4 nominations total

Critical Reception

The website's critical consensus reads, "An ambitious, over-the-top zombie heist mashup, Army of the Dead brings Zack Snyder back to his genre roots with a suitably gory splash." PostTrak reported that 83% of audience members gave the film a positive score.