Cellular Budget

2004

ActionThrillerDramaCrime1h 34m

Updated April 25, 2026

Budget

$25,000,000

Domestic Box Office

$32,003,620

Worldwide Box Office

$57,678,321

Synopsis

"Cellular" is a gripping thriller that revolves around a young man named Ryan, played by Chris Evans, who receives a frantic phone call from a woman named Jessica Martin, portrayed by Kim Basinger. Jessica has been kidnapped and is trapped in a remote location, unable to identify her captors or her whereabouts. With only a broken cell phone to communicate, she desperately reaches out to Ryan, who initially doubts the authenticity of her claims. However, as he learns more about her dire situation, he becomes determined to help her escape.

As Ryan races against time, he faces numerous obstacles, including the kidnappers who are intent on silencing Jessica. The film escalates into a high-stakes chase, showcasing Ryan's resourcefulness and bravery as he navigates through a series of dangerous encounters. The tension builds as he tries to piece together clues from Jessica's fragmented information, leading to a thrilling climax that tests both their limits. "Cellular" explores themes of courage, connection, and the lengths one will go to save a life, all while highlighting the power of technology in dire circumstances.

What is the budget of Cellular?

"Cellular," an action released in 2004, was directed by David R. Ellis and stars Kim Basinger, Chris Evans. The production budget was $25,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for action productions of its era.

Key Budget Allocation Categories

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

Stunts, Action Sequences & Visual Effects: Action films allocate a substantial portion of their budget to choreographing and executing practical stunts, pyrotechnics, and CGI-heavy sequences.
Above-the-Line Talent (Cast & Director): A-list talent commands significant upfront fees plus backend participation.
Production Design, Sets & Locations: Action films frequently require multiple international shooting locations, large-scale set construction, vehicle acquisitions and modifications, and specialized equipment , all of which drive production costs well above those of dialogue-driven genres.

What were the major cost factors in Cellular?

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

Stunts: Stunts, Action Sequences & Visual Effects is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
Above-the-Line Talent (Cast: Above-the-Line Talent (Cast & Director) is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
Production Design: Production Design, Sets & Locations is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.

How Does Cellular's Budget Compare to Similar Films?

At $25,000,000, Cellular sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:

1408 (2007): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $133,000,000
A Journal for Jordan (2021): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $6,700,000
Abandon (2002): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $10,719,357
All My Life (2020): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $2,000,000
August Rush (2007): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $66,122,026

The median budget for wide-release action films in the 2000s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.

Cellular Box Office Performance

"Cellular" earned $32,003,620 domestically and $57,678,321 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $25,000,000, 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 "Cellular," that break-even threshold was roughly $50,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $57,678,321, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.

Production Budget: $25,000,000
Worldwide Gross: $57,678,321
Net Return: $32,678,321
ROI: approximately 130.7%

At 130.7%, "Cellular" earned roughly $2.31 for every $1 invested in production.