Death Sentence Budget
ActionCrimeDramaThriller1h 45mUpdated
Synopsis
"Death Sentence" (2007) is a gripping action thriller that delves into the depths of vengeance and moral dilemmas. The story follows Nick Hume, portrayed by Kevin Bacon, a mild-mannered family man whose life takes a tragic turn when his son is brutally murdered by a gang. Stricken with grief and anger, Nick decides to take justice into his own hands after the legal system fails to deliver the punishment he believes the criminals deserve.
As he embarks on a violent quest for retribution, Nick transforms from a loving father into a relentless avenger, confronting the gang responsible for his son's death. The film explores the consequences of his actions, as he finds himself entangled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, ultimately leading to a showdown that tests his resolve and morality. With intense action sequences and emotional depth, "Death Sentence" raises questions about justice, revenge, and the lengths one will go to protect their family.
What is the budget of Death Sentence?
"Death Sentence," an action released in 2007, was directed by James Wan and stars Kevin Bacon, Garrett Hedlund. The production budget was $20,000,000, 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.
- Development: Brian Garfield, author of the original novel Death Wish, was disappointed with the 1974 film adaptation and subsequently wrote a sequel, 1975's Death Sentence.
What were the major cost factors in Death Sentence?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Death Sentence."
- 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 Death Sentence's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $20,000,000, Death Sentence 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 action films in the 2000s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Death Sentence Box Office Performance
"Death Sentence" earned $9,534,258 domestically and $16,974,459 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 "Death Sentence," that break-even threshold was roughly $40,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $16,974,459, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $20,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $16,974,459
- Net Return: −$3,025,541
- ROI: approximately -15.1%
At -15.1%, "Death Sentence" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Death Sentence Production History
Brian Garfield, author of the original novel Death Wish, was disappointed with the 1974 film adaptation and subsequently wrote a sequel, 1975's Death Sentence. In 1980, he was hired by the Cannon Group, Inc. to write a film adaptation of Death Sentence to be helmed by the first film's director Michael Winner.
Kevin Bacon was hired for the role of Nick Hume, at the insistence of Wan. Garrett Hedlund was chosen for the role of Billy Darley, the main leader of the gang. He was asked to shave his head and gain some weight to portray the role.
The film was shot in 2 months. The filming locations included, Columbia, South Carolina and Los Angeles, California. [Filming] The film was shot in 2 months. The filming locations included, Columbia, South Carolina and Los Angeles, California.
Awards and Recognition
3 nominations total
Critical Reception
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C" on an A+ to F scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Death Sentence (2007)?
The production budget was $20,000,000, covering principal photography, visual effects, 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 Death Sentence (2007) earn at the box office?
Death Sentence grossed $9,534,258 domestic, $7,440,201 international, totaling $16,974,459 worldwide.
Was Death Sentence (2007) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $16,974,459 against an estimated $50,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Death Sentence?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Kevin Bacon, Garrett Hedlund, Kelly Preston); visual effects, practical stunts, and A-list talent compensation.
How does Death Sentence's budget compare to similar action films?
At $20,000,000, Death Sentence is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release action films in the 2000s 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 Death Sentence (2007) 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 Death Sentence?
The theatrical ROI was -15.1%, calculated as ($16,974,459 − $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 Death Sentence (2007) win?
3 nominations total.
Who directed Death Sentence and who were the key crew members?
Directed by James Wan, written by Ian Mackenzie Jeffers, shot by John R. Leonetti, with music by Charlie Clouser, edited by Michael N. Knue.
Where was Death Sentence filmed?
Death Sentence was filmed in United States of America. The film was shot in 2 months. The filming locations included, Columbia, South Carolina and Los Angeles, California. [Filming] The film was shot in 2 months. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Death Sentence
Official Trailer
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