Atonement Budget
DramaRomance2h 3mUpdated
Synopsis
When Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan), thirteen-years-old and an aspiring writer, sees her older sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) at the fountain in front of the family estate, she misinterprets what is happening, thus setting into motion a series of misunderstandings and a childish pique that will have lasting repercussions for all of them. Robbie is the son of a family servant toward whom the family has always been kind. They paid for his time at Cambridge and now he plans on going to medical school. After the fountain incident, Briony reads a letter intended for Cecilia and concludes that Robbie is a deviant. When her cousin Lola (Juno Temple) is raped, she tells the Police that it was Robbie she saw committing the deed.
What is the budget of Atonement?
"Atonement," a drama released in 2007, was directed by Joe Wright and stars James McAvoy, Keira Knightley. The production budget was $30,000,000, placing it in the mid-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.
What were the major cost factors in Atonement?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Atonement."
- 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 Atonement's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $30,000,000, Atonement sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 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
- Big Momma's House (2000): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $173,959,438
- Crazy Rich Asians (2018): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $238,539,198
- Doomsday (2008): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $22,472,631
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2000s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Atonement Box Office Performance
"Atonement" earned $50,927,067 domestically and $131,016,624 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $30,000,000, 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 "Atonement," that break-even threshold was roughly $60,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $131,016,624, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $30,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $131,016,624
- Net Return: $101,016,624
- ROI: approximately 336.7%
At 336.7%, "Atonement" earned roughly $4.37 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
Won 1 Oscar. 52 wins & 150 nominations total
- Academy Award for Best Original Score: Dario Marianelli (80th Academy Awards)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Atonement (2007)?
The production budget was $30,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $15,000,000 - $24,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $45,000,000 - $54,000,000.
How much did Atonement (2007) earn at the box office?
Atonement grossed $50,927,067 domestic, $80,089,557 international, totaling $131,016,624 worldwide.
Was Atonement (2007) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $30,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$75,000,000, the film earned $131,016,624 theatrically - a 337% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Atonement?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across France, United Kingdom, United States of America.
How does Atonement's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $30,000,000, Atonement is classified as a low-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: A Hologram for the King (2016, $30,000,000); A Lot Like Love (2005, $30,000,000); Big Momma's House (2000, $30,000,000).
Did Atonement (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 Atonement?
The theatrical ROI was 336.7%, calculated as ($131,016,624 − $30,000,000) ÷ $30,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Atonement (2007) win?
Won 1 Oscar. 52 wins & 150 nominations total.
Who directed Atonement and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Joe Wright, written by Christopher Hampton, shot by Seamus McGarvey, with music by Dario Marianelli, edited by Paul Tothill.
Where was Atonement filmed?
Atonement was filmed in France, United Kingdom, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Atonement
Official Trailer
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