Carol Budget

What is the budget of Carol?

"Carol," a romance released in 2015, was directed by Todd Haynes and stars Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara. The production budget was $11,800,000, placing it in the low-budget range for romance productions of its era.

Key Budget Allocation Categories

While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a romance production like this include:

• Lead Cast Compensation: Romantic films depend entirely on the chemistry and appeal of their leads, making star casting decisions the most consequential budget item.
• Location Filming: Picturesque, often international locations are central to the romantic genre's visual appeal.
• Music Supervision & Soundtrack: Iconic songs can cost $250,000 to 500,000 to license per use, and a well-curated soundtrack is often as important to marketing as the trailer itself.
• Pre-Production: British producer Elizabeth Karlsen of Number 9 Films came across Nagy's script around 2004, when she was co-producing Mrs.

What were the major cost factors in Carol?

Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Carol."

• Lead Cast Compensation: Lead Cast Compensation is one of the primary cost drivers in romance productions of this scale.
• Location Filming: Location Filming is one of the primary cost drivers in romance productions of this scale.
• Music Supervision: Music Supervision & Soundtrack is one of the primary cost drivers in romance productions of this scale.

How Does Carol's Budget Compare to Similar Films?

At $11,800,000, Carol sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:

• Tell No One (2006): Budget $11,700,000
• Goon (2012): Budget $12,000,000, Worldwide Gross $6,985,158
• Jobs (2013): Budget $12,000,000, Worldwide Gross $42,100,000
• All That Jazz (1979): Budget $12,000,000, Worldwide Gross $37,823,676
• 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): Budget $12,000,000 , Gross $71,923,560

The median budget for wide-release romance films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.

Carol Box Office Performance

"Carol" earned $40,272,135 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $11,800,000, 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 "Carol," that break-even threshold was roughly $23,600,000. With worldwide earnings of $40,272,135, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.

• Production Budget: $11,800,000
• Worldwide Gross: $40,272,135
• Net Return: $28,472,135
• ROI: approximately 241.3%

At 241.3%, "Carol" earned roughly $3.41 for every $1 invested in production.

Carol Production History

The production offices in Cincinnati opened in early January 2014, with filming expected between mid-March and May. In February 2014, the Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Film Commission released the solicitation from producers for extras and vintage vehicles. Principal photography began on March 12, 2014, at Eden Park in Cincinnati.

The soundtrack was released in both digital download and CD album format by Varèse Sarabande on November 20, 2015, followed by a double album vinyl release on June 24, 2016. It includes the original score by Carter Burwell and additional music by The Clovers, Billie Holiday, Georgia Gibbs, Les Paul and Mary Ford, and Jo Stafford. Songs not featured on the CD include "Willow Weep for Me" performed by Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks Orchestra, "Perdido" by Woody Herman, and "That's the Chance You Take" by Eddie Fisher.

Awards and Recognition

• Dorian Award for LGBTQ Film of the Year
• Dorian Award for Film of the Year
• Queer Palm
• AACTA International Award for Best Actress: Cate Blanchett (5th AACTA International Awards)
• AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actress: Rooney Mara (5th AACTA International Awards)

Critical Reception

Carol received a ten-minute standing ovation at its Cannes Film Festival international press screening and premiere. Critics praised Haynes's direction, Blanchett's and Mara's performances, the cinematography, costumes and musical score, and deemed it a strong contender for a Cannes award. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 94% rating based on reviews from 320 critics, and an average rating of 8.60/10.