Cure Budget
Updated
Synopsis
A wave of gruesome murders is sweeping Tokyo. The only connection is a bloody X carved into the neck of each of the victims. In each case, the murderer is found near the victim and remembers nothing of the crime. Detective Takabe and psychologist Sakuma are called in to figure out the connection, but their investigation goes nowhere. An odd young man is arrested near the scene of the latest murder, who has a strange effect on everyone who comes into contact with him. Detective Takabe starts a series of interrogations to determine the man's connection with the killings.
What is the budget of Cure?
"Cure," a crime released in 1997, was directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa and stars Koji Yakusho, Masato Hagiwara. The production budget was $20,000, placing it in the micro-budget range for crime productions of the 1990s.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a crime production like this include:
- Talent & Director Compensation: Thrillers depend on compelling lead performances to sustain tension, making cast compensation a primary budget concern. Directors with proven thriller credentials command premium fees.
- Cinematography & Location Photography: Thriller aesthetics demand specific visual languages , surveillance-style photography, claustrophobic framing, or expansive location work across multiple cities or countries.
- Editorial & Sound Post-Production: Precision editing , controlling information flow, building suspense through pacing, and orchestrating reveals , requires extended post-production schedules.
What were the major cost factors in Cure?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Cure."
- Talent: Talent & Director Compensation is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
- Cinematography: Cinematography & Location Photography is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
- Editorial: Editorial & Sound Post-Production is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
How Does Cure's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $20,000, Cure sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Rome, Open City (1945): Budget $20,000, Worldwide Gross $1,000,000
- Beats (2019): Budget $25,000, Worldwide Gross $310,827
The median budget for wide-release crime films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Cure Box Office Performance
"Cure" earned $234,821 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $20,000, 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 "Cure," that break-even threshold was roughly $40,000. With worldwide earnings of $234,821, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $20,000
- Worldwide Gross: $234,821
- Net Return: $214,821
- ROI: approximately 1074.1%
At 1074.1%, "Cure" earned roughly $11.74 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
9 wins & 2 nominations total
Critical Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Cure has a 94% approval rating based on 63 reviews, with an average score of 7.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Mesmerizing and psychologically intriguing."
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Cure (1997)?
The production budget was $20,000, 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 - $16,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $30,000 - $36,000.
How much did Cure (1997) earn at the box office?
Cure grossed $234,821 worldwide.
Was Cure (1997) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $20,000 and estimated total costs of ~$50,000, the film earned $234,821 theatrically - a 1074% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Cure?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Koji Yakusho, Masato Hagiwara, Tsuyoshi Ujiki); talent compensation, location cinematography, and tension-driven editorial.
How does Cure's budget compare to similar crime films?
At $20,000, Cure is classified as a ultra-low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release crime films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Rome, Open City (1945, $20,000); Beats (2019, $25,000).
Did Cure (1997) 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 Cure?
The theatrical ROI was 1074.1%, calculated as ($234,821 − $20,000) ÷ $20,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Cure (1997) win?
9 wins & 2 nominations total.
Who directed Cure and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, written by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, shot by Tokushō Kikumura, with music by Gary Ashiya, edited by Kan Suzuki.
Where was Cure filmed?
Cure was filmed in Japan. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Cure
Official Trailer
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