Burnt Budget
Drama1h 40mUpdated
Synopsis
Chef Adam Jones had it all—and lost it. A two-star Michelin rockstar with the bad habits to match, the former enfant terrible of the Paris restaurant scene did everything different every time out, and only ever cared about the thrill of creating explosions of taste. To land his own kitchen and that third elusive Michelin star though, he’ll need the best of the best on his side, including the beautiful Helene.
What is the budget of Burnt?
"Burnt," a drama released in 2015, was directed by John Wells and stars Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller. The production budget was $20,000,000, 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.
- Development: In 2013, John Wells was set to direct a cooking comedy film, then titled Chef, with Bradley Cooper signed to star as a former Paris chef, Adam Jones. Sienna Miller signed as lead actress.
What were the major cost factors in Burnt?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Burnt."
- 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 Burnt's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $20,000,000, Burnt sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 12 Years a Slave (2013): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $187,000,000
- 21 Grams (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $60,427,839
- 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $11,798,854
- A Guy Thing (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $17,400,000
- A Most Violent Year (2014): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $12,007,070
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Burnt Box Office Performance
"Burnt" earned $13,651,946 domestically and $36,606,743 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $20,000,000, 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 "Burnt," that break-even threshold was roughly $40,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $36,606,743, the film fell short of that threshold but recouped its production costs in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $20,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $36,606,743
- Net Return: $16,606,743
- ROI: approximately 83%
At 83%, "Burnt" returned its production investment but margin was tight after marketing and distribution costs.
Burnt Production History
In 2013, John Wells was set to direct a cooking comedy film, then titled Chef, with Bradley Cooper signed to star as a former Paris chef, Adam Jones. Sienna Miller signed as lead actress. Omar Sy, Jamie Dornan, Emma Thompson, Daniel Brühl, Alicia Vikander and Lily James were also set to star in the film.
Principal photography on the film began July 23, 2014, in New Orleans, Louisiana, filming for two days. Production then moved to London and West London Film Studios. [Filming] Principal photography on the film began July 23, 2014, in New Orleans, Louisiana, filming for two days. Production then moved to London and West London Film Studios.
Awards and Recognition
6 wins & 1 nomination total
Critical Reception
Burnt received negative reviews from critics, who praised Cooper's performance but derided the script and storytelling. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 29%, based on 161 reviews, with an average rating of 4.90/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Burnt offers a few spoonfuls of compelling culinary drama, but they're lost in a watery goulash dominated by an unsavory main character and overdone clichés." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 42 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Burnt (2015)?
The production budget was $20,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $10,000,000 - $16,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $30,000,000 - $36,000,000.
How much did Burnt (2015) earn at the box office?
Burnt grossed $13,651,946 domestic, $22,954,797 international, totaling $36,606,743 worldwide.
Was Burnt (2015) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $36,606,743 against an estimated $50,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Burnt?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Omar Sy); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Burnt's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $20,000,000, Burnt is classified as a low-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: 12 Years a Slave (2013, $20,000,000); 21 Grams (2003, $20,000,000); 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994, $20,000,000).
Did Burnt (2015) 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 Burnt?
The theatrical ROI was 83.0%, calculated as ($36,606,743 − $20,000,000) ÷ $20,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Burnt (2015) win?
6 wins & 1 nomination total.
Who directed Burnt and who were the key crew members?
Directed by John Wells, written by Steven Knight, Michael Kalesniko, shot by Adriano Goldman, with music by Rob Simonsen, edited by Nick Moore.
Where was Burnt filmed?
Burnt was filmed in United States of America. Principal photography on the film began July 23, 2014, in New Orleans, Louisiana, filming for two days. Production then moved to London and West London Film Studios. [Filming] Principal photography on the film began July 23, 2014, in New Orleans, Louisiana, filming for two days. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Burnt
Official Trailer
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