Blinded by the Light Budget
DramaComedy1h 57mUpdated
Synopsis
In 1987 Britain, Javed Khan is a British-Pakistani college arts student in Luton in a family with a domineering father. Depressed by his oppressive family life and feeling he has no future in a hostile community, a newfound friend introduces Javed to the music of Bruce Springsteen. Touched by the rock star's powerfully eloquent affinity of his own feelings, Javed is inspired to reach out for his own dreams with his own talents. However, although Javed finds friends he never expected in this personal quest, he also finds himself butting heads with his newly unemployed father who stubbornly refuses to understand his son's new aspirations. In this conflict of values in a troubled time, Javed must decide what is truly important to him while his family struggles to understand what has changed and what remains with a new generation feeling born to run.
What is the budget of Blinded by the Light?
"Blinded by the Light," a drama released in 2019, was directed by Gurinder Chadha and stars Viveik Kalra, Nell Williams. The production budget was $8,300,000, placing it in the low-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 Blinded by the Light?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Blinded by the Light."
- 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 Blinded by the Light's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $8,300,000, Blinded by the Light sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- C'mon C'mon (2021): Budget $8,300,000, Worldwide Gross $4,300,000
- Mary and Max (2009): Budget $8,240,000, Worldwide Gross $1,740,429
- Footloose (1984): Budget $8,200,000, Worldwide Gross $80,035,402
- The Sound of Music (1965): Budget $8,200,000, Worldwide Gross $286,214,286
- All the President's Men (1976): Budget $8,500,000, Worldwide Gross $70,600,000
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Blinded by the Light Box Office Performance
"Blinded by the Light" earned $11,901,145 domestically and $18,144,644 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $8,300,000, 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 "Blinded by the Light," that break-even threshold was roughly $16,600,000. With worldwide earnings of $18,144,644, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $8,300,000
- Worldwide Gross: $18,144,644
- Net Return: $9,844,644
- ROI: approximately 118.6%
At 118.6%, "Blinded by the Light" earned roughly $2.19 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
2 wins & 8 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Blinded by the Light (2019)?
The production budget was $8,300,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $4,150,000 - $6,640,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $12,450,000 - $14,940,000.
How much did Blinded by the Light (2019) earn at the box office?
Blinded by the Light grossed $11,901,145 domestic, $6,243,499 international, totaling $18,144,644 worldwide.
Was Blinded by the Light (2019) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $18,144,644 against an estimated $20,750,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Blinded by the Light?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Viveik Kalra, Nell Williams, Hayley Atwell); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across United Kingdom, United States of America.
How does Blinded by the Light's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $8,300,000, Blinded by the Light is classified as a micro-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: C'mon C'mon (2021, $8,300,000); Mary and Max (2009, $8,240,000); Footloose (1984, $8,200,000).
Did Blinded by the Light (2019) 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 Blinded by the Light?
The theatrical ROI was 118.6%, calculated as ($18,144,644 − $8,300,000) ÷ $8,300,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Blinded by the Light (2019) win?
2 wins & 8 nominations total.
Who directed Blinded by the Light and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Gurinder Chadha, written by Sarfraz Manzoor, Gurinder Chadha, Paul Mayeda Berges, shot by Ben Smithard, with music by A.R. Rahman, A.R. Rahman, edited by Justin Krish.
Where was Blinded by the Light filmed?
Blinded by the Light was filmed in United Kingdom, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Blinded by the Light
Official Trailer
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