But I'm a Cheerleader Budget
ComedyRomance1h 25mUpdated
Synopsis
Megan is an all-American girl. She's a cheerleader and has a boyfriend, but she doesn't like kissing him very much, and she's pretty tactile with her cheerleader friends, and she only has pictures of girls up in her locker. Her parents and friends conclude that she *must* be gay and send her off to "sexual redirection" school, full of admittedly homosexual misfits, where she can learn how to be straight. Will Megan be turned around to successful heterosexuality, or will she succumb to her love for the beautiful Graham?
Production Budget Analysis
What was the production budget for But I'm a Cheerleader?
Directed by Jamie Babbit, with Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Cathy Moriarty leading the cast, But I'm a Cheerleader was produced by Ignite Entertainment with a confirmed budget of $1,200,000, placing it in the micro-budget category for comedy films.
At $1,200,000, But I'm a Cheerleader was produced on a lean budget. Lower-budget films benefit from reduced break-even thresholds, with profitability achievable at approximately $3,000,000.
Budget Comparison — Similar Productions
• The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966): Budget $1,200,000 | Gross $38,900,000 → ROI: 3142% • Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2026): Budget $1,200,000 | Gross $4,087,357 → ROI: 241% • Brief Encounter (1945): Budget $1,200,000 | Gross N/A • Rio Bravo (1959): Budget $1,200,000 | Gross $5,750,000 → ROI: 379% • Reservoir Dogs (1992): Budget $1,200,000 | Gross $2,859,750 → ROI: 138%
Key Budget Allocation Categories
▸ Talent Salaries & Producing Deals Established comedic talent can command $15–20 million per film, with top-tier stars earning even more through producing credits and backend deals. Comedy ensembles multiply this cost across several well-known performers.
▸ 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. Studios typically spend 50–100% of the production budget on marketing, with comedy trailers and social media campaigns being particularly expensive.
Key Production Personnel
CAST: Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Cathy Moriarty, RuPaul, Melanie Lynskey Key roles: Natasha Lyonne as Megan; Clea DuVall as Graham; Cathy Moriarty as Mary Brown; RuPaul as Mike
DIRECTOR: Jamie Babbit CINEMATOGRAPHY: Jules Labarthe MUSIC: Pat Irwin EDITING: Cecily Rhett PRODUCTION: Ignite Entertainment, The Kushner-Locke Company, HKM Films FILMED IN: United States of America
Box Office Performance
But I'm a Cheerleader earned $2,205,627 domestically and $394,373 internationally, for a worldwide total of $2,600,000. The film skewed heavily domestic (85%), suggesting strong North American appeal.
Break-Even Analysis
Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), But I'm a Cheerleader needed approximately $3,000,000 to break even. The film fell $400,000 short in theatrical revenue. Ancillary streams (home media, streaming, TV) may have bridged the gap.
Return on Investment (ROI)
Revenue: $2,600,000 Budget: $1,200,000 Net: $1,400,000 ROI: 116.7%
Profitability Assessment
VERDICT: Profitable
But I'm a Cheerleader delivered a solid return, earning $2,600,000 worldwide on a $1,200,000 budget (117% ROI). Combined with ancillary revenue, the film was a financial positive for Ignite Entertainment.
INDUSTRY IMPACT
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Summary: 2 wins & 2 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make But I'm a Cheerleader (2000)?
The production budget was $1,200,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $600,000 - $960,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $1,800,000 - $2,160,000.
How much did But I'm a Cheerleader (2000) earn at the box office?
But I'm a Cheerleader grossed $2,205,627 domestic, $394,373 international, totaling $2,600,000 worldwide.
Was But I'm a Cheerleader (2000) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $2,600,000 against an estimated $3,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing But I'm a Cheerleader?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Cathy Moriarty); star comedian salaries, location filming, and aggressive marketing campaigns.
How does But I'm a Cheerleader's budget compare to similar comedy films?
At $1,200,000, But I'm a Cheerleader is classified as a micro-budget production. The median budget for wide-release comedy films in the 2000s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966, $1,200,000); Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2026, $1,200,000); Brief Encounter (1945, $1,200,000).
Did But I'm a Cheerleader (2000) 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 But I'm a Cheerleader?
The theatrical ROI was 116.7%, calculated as ($2,600,000 − $1,200,000) ÷ $1,200,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did But I'm a Cheerleader (2000) win?
2 wins & 2 nominations total.
Who directed But I'm a Cheerleader and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Jamie Babbit, written by Brian Peterson, Jamie Babbit, shot by Jules Labarthe, with music by Pat Irwin, edited by Cecily Rhett.
Where was But I'm a Cheerleader filmed?
But I'm a Cheerleader was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
But I'm a Cheerleader
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