BlacKkKlansman Budget
CrimeComedyDramaHistory2h 16mUpdated
Synopsis
In the early 1970s, Ron Stallworth is hired as the first black officer in the Colorado Springs, Colorado police department. Stallworth is initially assigned to work in the records room, where he faces racial slurs from his coworkers. Stallworth requests a transfer to go undercover, and is assigned to infiltrate a local rally at which national civil rights leader Kwame Ture (birth name Stokely Carmichael) is to give a speech. At the rally, Stallworth meets Patrice Dumas, the president of the black student union at Colorado College. While taking Ture to his hotel, Patrice is stopped by patrolman Andy Landers, a corrupt, racist officer in Stallworth's precinct, who threatens Ture and sexually assaults Patrice..
What is the budget of BlacKkKlansman?
"BlacKkKlansman," a crime released in 2018, was directed by Spike Lee and stars John David Washington, Adam Driver. The production budget was $15,000,000, placing it in the low-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.
- Filming & Locations: Filming began in October 2017.
What were the major cost factors in BlacKkKlansman?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "BlacKkKlansman."
- 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 BlacKkKlansman's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $15,000,000, BlacKkKlansman sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- A Dangerous Method (2011): Budget $15,000,000, Worldwide Gross $27,462,041
- Ben-Hur (1959): Budget $15,000,000, Worldwide Gross $164,000,000
- Land of the Dead (2005): Budget $15,000,000, Worldwide Gross $47,074,133
- Into the Wild (2007): Budget $15,000,000, Worldwide Gross $56,255,142
- King's Ransom (2005): Budget $15,000,000, Worldwide Gross $4,139,856
The median budget for wide-release crime films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
BlacKkKlansman Box Office Performance
"BlacKkKlansman" earned $49,275,340 domestically and $93,411,426 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $15,000,000, 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 "BlacKkKlansman," that break-even threshold was roughly $30,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $93,411,426, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $15,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $93,411,426
- Net Return: $78,411,426
- ROI: approximately 522.7%
At 522.7%, "BlacKkKlansman" earned roughly $6.23 for every $1 invested in production.
BlacKkKlansman Production History
Filming began in October 2017. Ossining, New York, was one location used in October. Filming locations also included the Rockland County hamlet of Garnerville, New York, where exterior shots of one of the Colorado Springs police stations were filmed.
Awards and Recognition
Won 1 Oscar. 46 wins & 215 nominations total
Critical Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 96% based on 450 reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "BlacKkKlansman uses history to offer bitingly trenchant commentary on current events,and brings out some of Spike Lee's hardest-hitting work in decades along the way." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 83 out of 100, based on 56 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make BlacKkKlansman (2018)?
The production budget was $15,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $7,500,000 - $12,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $22,500,000 - $27,000,000.
How much did BlacKkKlansman (2018) earn at the box office?
BlacKkKlansman grossed $49,275,340 domestic, $44,136,086 international, totaling $93,411,426 worldwide.
Was BlacKkKlansman (2018) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $15,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$37,500,000, the film earned $93,411,426 theatrically - a 523% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing BlacKkKlansman?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (John David Washington, Adam Driver, Topher Grace); talent compensation, location cinematography, and tension-driven editorial.
How does BlacKkKlansman's budget compare to similar crime films?
At $15,000,000, BlacKkKlansman is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release crime films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: A Dangerous Method (2011, $15,000,000); Ben-Hur (1959, $15,000,000); Land of the Dead (2005, $15,000,000).
Did BlacKkKlansman (2018) 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 BlacKkKlansman?
The theatrical ROI was 522.7%, calculated as ($93,411,426 − $15,000,000) ÷ $15,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did BlacKkKlansman (2018) win?
Won 1 Oscar. 46 wins & 215 nominations total.
Who directed BlacKkKlansman and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Spike Lee, written by David Rabinowitz, Spike Lee, Kevin Willmott, Charlie Wachtel, shot by Chayse Irvin, with music by Terence Blanchard, edited by Barry Alexander Brown.
Where was BlacKkKlansman filmed?
BlacKkKlansman was filmed in United States of America. Filming began in October 2017. Ossining, New York, was one location used in October. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
BlacKkKlansman
Official Trailer
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