Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Budget

What is the budget of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes?

"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," a science fiction released in 2014, was directed by Matt Reeves and stars Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke. The production budget was $170,000,000, placing it in the blockbuster range for science fiction productions of its era.

Key Budget Allocation Categories

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

• Visual Effects & CGI Pipeline: Sci-fi films are among the most VFX-intensive productions in Hollywood.
• Production Design & World-Building: Creating a believable sci-fi world required significant investment in set construction, prop fabrication, and conceptual design , from physical environments through LED volume stages and virtual production technology.
• Technology & Camera Systems: Cutting-edge camera rigs, motion capture stages, LED volume stages (virtual production), and proprietary rendering technology often push the technical budget far beyond conventional filming costs.
• Development: After the release of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, director Rupert Wyatt commented on possible sequels: "I think we're ending with certain questions, which is quite exciting.

What were the major cost factors in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes?

Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes."

• Visual Effects: Visual Effects & CGI Pipeline is one of the primary cost drivers in science fiction productions of this scale.
• Production Design: Production Design & World-Building is one of the primary cost drivers in science fiction productions of this scale.
• Technology: Technology & Camera Systems is one of the primary cost drivers in science fiction productions of this scale.

How Does Dawn of the Planet of the Apes's Budget Compare to Similar Films?

At $170,000,000, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes sits in the blockbuster range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:

• Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016): Budget $170,000,000, Worldwide Gross $299,457,024
• Alita: Battle Angel (2019): Budget $170,000,000 , Gross $405,000,000
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014): Budget $170,000,000 , Gross $714,766,572
• 47 Ronin (2013): Budget $175,000,000, Worldwide Gross $151,783,839
• Big Hero 6 (2014): Budget $165,000,000, Worldwide Gross $657,870,525

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

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Box Office Performance

"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" earned $208,545,589 domestically and $710,644,566 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $170,000,000, 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 "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," that break-even threshold was roughly $340,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $710,644,566, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.

• Production Budget: $170,000,000
• Worldwide Gross: $710,644,566
• Net Return: $540,644,566
• ROI: approximately 318%

At 318%, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" earned roughly $4.18 for every $1 invested in production.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Production History

After the release of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, director Rupert Wyatt commented on possible sequels: "I think we're ending with certain questions, which is quite exciting. To me, I can think of all sorts of sequels to this film, but this is just the beginning." Screenwriter and producer Rick Jaffa also stated that Rise featured several clues as to future sequels: "I hope that we're building a platform for future films. We're trying to plant a lot of the seeds for a lot of the things you are talking about in terms of the different apes and so forth." In an interview recorded after the release of Rise, Wyatt stated, "We want to grow and evolve, in the films that will [hopefully] come after this, to the '68 original." Wyatt also stated that he wants it to take place eight years after Rise, as a whole new ape generation can be born, and explore the dynamics of Caesar and Koba's relationship.

In December 2012, after the departure of director Wyatt, James Franco speculated that he would not return for the sequel as his character Will Rodman, saying "Now Rupert's not a part of it so my guess is I won't be in it." Freida Pinto, who played primatologist Caroline Aranha in Rise, confirmed that she would not return for Dawn. In April 2014, when asked by IGN about the fate of Franco and Pinto's characters, producer Dylan Clark said they died due to the Simian Flu. In February 2013, actors Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke and Kodi Smit-McPhee were cast in lead roles for the sequel, set ten years after the events from the first film.

Filming began in April 2013 around the town of Campbell River, British Columbia. The location of Vancouver Island was chosen for its similarity to the locations depicted in the film, the forests, and the variety of landscapes. Filming in New Orleans started in May 2013 and continued in July 2013 at various locations such as the former Six Flags park Six Flags New Orleans.

Awards and Recognition

Nominated for 1 Oscar. 17 wins & 48 nominations total

Critical Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 91% approval rating based on 316 reviews, with an average rating of 7.90/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "With intelligence and emotional resonance to match its stunning special effects, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes expands on its predecessor with an exciting and ambitious burst of sci-fi achievement." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 79 out of 100 based on 48 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.