Dark Waters Budget
DramaThriller2h 7mUpdated
Synopsis
A corporate defense attorney takes on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution.
What is the budget of Dark Waters?
"Dark Waters," a drama released in 2019, was directed by Todd Haynes and stars Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway. The production budget was $20,000,000, 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.
What were the major cost factors in Dark Waters?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Dark Waters."
- 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 Dark Waters's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $20,000,000, Dark Waters sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 12 Years a Slave (2013): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $187,000,000
- 21 Grams (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $60,427,839
- 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $11,798,854
- A Guy Thing (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $17,400,000
- A Most Violent Year (2014): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $12,007,070
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Dark Waters Box Office Performance
"Dark Waters" earned $11,136,084 domestically and $13,601,384 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $20,000,000, the film faced challenges in theatrical release. Home video, streaming, and ancillary revenue may have contributed to its overall performance.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Dark Waters," that break-even threshold was roughly $40,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $13,601,384, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $20,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $13,601,384
- Net Return: −$6,398,616
- ROI: approximately -32%
At -32%, "Dark Waters" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Awards and Recognition
10 nominations total
- Environmental Media Awards
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Dark Waters (2019)?
The production budget was $20,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $10,000,000 - $16,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $30,000,000 - $36,000,000.
How much did Dark Waters (2019) earn at the box office?
Dark Waters grossed $11,136,084 domestic, $2,465,300 international, totaling $13,601,384 worldwide.
Was Dark Waters (2019) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $13,601,384 against an estimated $50,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Dark Waters?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Dark Waters's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $20,000,000, Dark Waters is classified as a low-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: 12 Years a Slave (2013, $20,000,000); 21 Grams (2003, $20,000,000); 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994, $20,000,000).
Did Dark Waters (2019) 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 Dark Waters?
The theatrical ROI was -32.0%, calculated as ($13,601,384 − $20,000,000) ÷ $20,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Dark Waters (2019) win?
10 nominations total.
Who directed Dark Waters and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Todd Haynes, written by Mario Correa, Matthew Michael Carnahan, Nathaniel Rich, shot by Edward Lachman, with music by Marcelo Zarvos, edited by Affonso Gonçalves.
Where was Dark Waters filmed?
Dark Waters was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Dark Waters
Official Trailer
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