Creed II Budget
DramaAction2h 10mUpdated
Synopsis
Years after Adonis Creed made a name for himself under Rocky Balboa's mentorship, the young boxer becomes the Heavyweight Champion of the World. While life is good with that victory and his marriage to Bianca, trouble comes to Philadelphia when Ivan Drago, the Russian boxer who killed Adonis' father, Apollo, arrives with his son, Viktor, to challenge Adonis. Against Rocky's advice, Adonis accepts the challenge without his mentor's participation and pays the price in a punishing bout he wins only by a technicality. Now injured and demoralized, Adonis cannot bring himself to back into the game, leaving his spirit and title in jeopardy. Together, Adonis' family and Rocky must find a way to rekindle Adonis' fighting spirit to face the future in whatever choice he makes. Meanwhile, the Drago family have its own troubles trying to regain the respect in their homeland that they lost at Rocky's hands as they wonder whether is it truly worth it.
What is the budget of Creed II?
"Creed II," a drama released in 2018, was directed by Steven Caple Jr. and stars Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone. The production budget was $50,000,000, 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: On January 5, 2016, Sylvester Stallone and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures CEO Gary Barber confirmed to Variety that a sequel to Creed was in development.
What were the major cost factors in Creed II?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Creed II."
- 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 Creed II's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $50,000,000, Creed II sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Angela's Ashes (1999): Budget $50,000,000, Worldwide Gross $13,042,112
- Dredd (2012): Budget $50,000,000, Worldwide Gross $41,037,742
- Lord of War (2005): Budget $50,000,000, Worldwide Gross $72,600,000
- Shall We Dance? (2004): Budget $50,000,000, Worldwide Gross $170,128,460
- The Iron Giant (1999): Budget $50,000,000, Worldwide Gross $23,300,000
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Creed II Box Office Performance
"Creed II" earned $115,715,889 domestically and $214,200,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $50,000,000, 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 "Creed II," that break-even threshold was roughly $100,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $214,200,000, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $50,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $214,200,000
- Net Return: $164,200,000
- ROI: approximately 328.4%
At 328.4%, "Creed II" earned roughly $4.28 for every $1 invested in production.
Creed II Production History
On January 5, 2016, Sylvester Stallone and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures CEO Gary Barber confirmed to Variety that a sequel to Creed was in development. It was revealed in April 2018 that he had been cast. On January 11, 2016, Barber revealed that Ryan Coogler would not be returning due to scheduling conflicts with Black Panther, though he would return as executive producer.
Principal photography began March 2018. Filming occurred in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the city's Port Richmond neighborhood, and was completed on June 7, 2018. Some scenes were filmed at the Grey Towers Castle at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania.
Awards and Recognition
1 win & 12 nominations total
Critical Reception
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The website's critical consensus reads, "Creed IIs adherence to franchise formula adds up to a sequel with few true surprises, but its time-tested generational themes still pack a solid punch." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on reviews from 45 critics, indicating "favorable reviews".
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Creed II (2018)?
The production budget was $50,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $25,000,000 - $40,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $75,000,000 - $90,000,000.
How much did Creed II (2018) earn at the box office?
Creed II grossed $115,715,889 domestic, $98,484,111 international, totaling $214,200,000 worldwide.
Was Creed II (2018) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $50,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$125,000,000, the film earned $214,200,000 theatrically - a 328% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Creed II?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Creed II's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $50,000,000, Creed II is classified as a mid-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: Angela's Ashes (1999, $50,000,000); Dredd (2012, $50,000,000); Lord of War (2005, $50,000,000).
Did Creed II (2018) 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 Creed II?
The theatrical ROI was 328.4%, calculated as ($214,200,000 − $50,000,000) ÷ $50,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Creed II (2018) win?
1 win & 12 nominations total.
Who directed Creed II and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Steven Caple Jr., written by Sylvester Stallone, Juel Taylor, Cheo Hodari Coker, Sascha Penn, shot by Kramer Morgenthau, with music by Ludwig Göransson, edited by Saira Haider, Dana E. Glauberman.
Where was Creed II filmed?
Creed II was filmed in United States of America. Principal photography began March 2018. Filming occurred in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the city's Port Richmond neighborhood, and was completed on June 7, 2018. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Creed II
Official Trailer
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