August Rush Budget
FamilyDramaMusic1h 54mUpdated
Synopsis
"August Rush" is a heartwarming drama that follows the journey of a young musical prodigy named Evan Taylor, who believes that he can find his parents through the power of music. Abandoned as a baby, Evan grows up in an orphanage, where he discovers his extraordinary talent for playing the guitar and composing melodies. Driven by an unshakeable belief that music is the key to reuniting with his mother and father, he escapes the orphanage and embarks on a quest to New York City.
In the bustling streets of the city, Evan encounters a variety of characters, including a street musician who becomes his mentor and a group of fellow musicians who help him hone his craft. Meanwhile, his mother, Lyla, a talented cellist, and his father, Louis, a passionate rock musician, are unknowingly drawn closer to their son through the music that resonates in their hearts. As Evan's journey unfolds, the film beautifully intertwines themes of love, hope, and the unbreakable bond of family, culminating in a powerful musical finale that showcases the magic of connection through sound.
What is the budget of August Rush?
"August Rush," a family released in 2007, was directed by Kirsten Sheridan and stars Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell. The production budget was $25,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for family productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a family production like this include:
- Talent Salaries & Producing Deals: Established comedic talent can command $15 to 20 million per film, with top-tier stars earning even more through producing credits and backend deals.
- Production & Location Filming: While comedies generally avoid the VFX costs of action films, location shooting in recognizable cities or exotic locales adds meaningful production expense.
- Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising): Comedies rely heavily on marketing to build opening-weekend momentum.
- Production: In March 2003, it was announced Nick Castle had been hired to write August Rush from an idea by producer Richard B.
What were the major cost factors in August Rush?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "August Rush."
- Talent Salaries: Talent Salaries & Producing Deals is one of the primary cost drivers in family productions of this scale.
- Production: Production & Location Filming is one of the primary cost drivers in family productions of this scale.
- Marketing: Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising) is one of the primary cost drivers in family productions of this scale.
How Does August Rush's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $25,000,000, August Rush sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 1408 (2007): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $133,000,000
- A Journal for Jordan (2021): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $6,700,000
- Abandon (2002): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $10,719,357
- All My Life (2020): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $2,000,000
- The Secret World of Arrietty (2010): Budget $23,000,000, Worldwide Gross $149,660,003
The median budget for wide-release family films in the 2000s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
August Rush Box Office Performance
"August Rush" earned $31,664,162 domestically and $66,122,026 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $25,000,000, 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 "August Rush," that break-even threshold was roughly $50,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $66,122,026, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $25,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $66,122,026
- Net Return: $41,122,026
- ROI: approximately 164.5%
At 164.5%, "August Rush" earned roughly $2.64 for every $1 invested in production.
August Rush Production History
*"Moondance": written by Van Morrison; performed by Jonathan Rhys Meyers *"This Time": written by Chris Trapper; performed by Jonathan Rhys Meyers *"Bari Improv": written by Mark Mancina and Kaki King; performed by Kaki King *"Ritual Dance": written by Michael Hedges; performed by Kaki King *"Raise It Up": written by Impact Repertory Theatre; performed by Jamia Simone Nash and Impact Repertory Theatre; nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song *"Dueling Guitars": written by Heitor Pereira; performed by Heitor Pereira and Doug Smith *"Someday": written by J. Stephens; performed by John Legend *"King of the Earth": written and Performed by John Ondrasik *"God Bless the Child": written by Arthur Herzog Jr. and Billie Holiday; performed by Chris Botti and Paula Cole *"La Bamba": performed by Leon Thomas III *"August's Rhapsody"; written by Mark Mancina The final number with Lyla and Louis begins with Lyla playing the Adagio-Moderato from Edward Elgar's Cello Concerto in E Minor.
Awards and Recognition
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 4 wins & 11 nominations total
Critical Reception
August Rush received mostly unfavorable reviews from film critics. On Metacritic, the film has an average score of 38 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did August Rush (2007) cost to make?
The production budget was $25,000,000. Warner Bros. Pictures distributed the family drama through its CJ Entertainment partnership, with Southpaw Entertainment producing alongside Odd Lot Entertainment.
How much did August Rush earn at the box office?
The film grossed $31,705,873 domestically and $34,300,000 internationally, for a worldwide total of approximately $66,000,000. It opened to $9,439,000 on November 21, 2007, finishing fifth in the busy Thanksgiving weekend behind Enchanted, This Christmas, and Beowulf.
Who directed August Rush?
Kirsten Sheridan directed the film. Sheridan was the daughter of director Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father) and had previously co-written In America (2002), which earned her a shared Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Who stars in August Rush?
Freddie Highmore stars as the musical prodigy August Rush. Keri Russell plays his mother Lyla Novacek and Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays his father Louis Connelly. Robin Williams plays the villainous mentor Maxwell "Wizard" Wallace, with Terrence Howard as Richard Jeffries.
Did August Rush get an Oscar nomination?
Yes. The film received one Academy Award nomination at the 80th Academy Awards for Best Original Song for "Raise It Up," performed by Jamia Simone Nash and Impact Repertory Theatre. The song lost to "Falling Slowly" from Once.
Where was August Rush filmed?
Principal photography took place in New York City in late 2006 and early 2007, with extensive location work in Washington Square Park, the Lower East Side, Central Park, and various Manhattan churches. The New York State and New York City film tax credit programs offset a portion of the production costs.
What did critics think of August Rush?
Reviews were mixed-to-negative, with a 38% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 38 out of 100 score on Metacritic. Audiences gave the film an A- CinemaScore, however, and the film became a sleeper hit on home video as a family-musical recommendation.
Was August Rush profitable?
Yes. Against the $25,000,000 production budget and an estimated $25,000,000 in marketing spend, the worldwide gross of $66,000,000 delivered modest theatrical profit. Significant home video and television syndication revenue extended profitability comfortably, supported by the film's strong word-of-mouth among family audiences.
How does August Rush compare to other Freddie Highmore films?
August Rush was Highmore's follow-up to commercial hits Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005, $206,500,000 worldwide) and Finding Neverland (2004, $116,800,000 worldwide). Its $66,000,000 worldwide gross fell well below those earlier successes but exceeded later Highmore vehicles The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008, $164,400,000 worldwide) on profitability after marketing costs.
Where can I stream August Rush?
The film periodically rotates through Hulu, Max, and Paramount+ subscription tiers, with consistent availability for digital rental and purchase on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play. It remains a frequently recommended family streaming title.
Official Trailer
Build your own production budget
Create professional budgets with industry-standard feature film templates. Real-time collaboration, no spreadsheets.
