Deepwater Horizon Budget
DramaAction1h 47mUpdated
Synopsis
Based on the true events that occurred on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, the story chronicles the courage of those who worked on the Deepwater Horizon and the extreme moments of bravery and survival in the face of what would become one of the biggest man-made disasters in world history.
What is the budget of Deepwater Horizon?
"Deepwater Horizon," a drama released in 2016, was directed by Peter Berg and stars Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell. The production budget was $110,000,000, placing it in the high-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.
- Casting: On August 19, 2014, casting began, with actor Mark Wahlberg added in the lead role of the film.
What were the major cost factors in Deepwater Horizon?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Deepwater Horizon."
- 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 Deepwater Horizon's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $110,000,000, Deepwater Horizon sits in the high-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 300: Rise of an Empire (2014): Budget $110,000,000 , Gross $337,580,051
- Ocean's Twelve (2004): Budget $110,000,000, Worldwide Gross $362,744,280
- Deadpool 2 (2018): Budget $110,000,000, Worldwide Gross $785,896,632
- Ali (2001): Budget $107,000,000, Worldwide Gross $87,812,729
- Allied (2016): Budget $106,000,000, Worldwide Gross $119,520,023
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Deepwater Horizon Box Office Performance
"Deepwater Horizon" earned $61,433,527 domestically and $121,790,376 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $110,000,000, the film showed modest profitability in theatrical release.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Deepwater Horizon," that break-even threshold was roughly $220,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $121,790,376, the film fell short of that threshold but recouped its production costs in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $110,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $121,790,376
- Net Return: $11,790,376
- ROI: approximately 10.7%
At 10.7%, "Deepwater Horizon" returned its production investment but margin was tight after marketing and distribution costs.
Deepwater Horizon Production History
On August 19, 2014, casting began, with actor Mark Wahlberg added in the lead role of the film. Wahlberg plays Mike Williams, a real-life electronics technician on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. On March 18, 2015, Gina Rodriguez was set to play a woman named Andrea Fleytas, who was on the bridge on board the Deepwater Horizon at the time of the blowout, and frantically tried to contact the Coast Guard.
Principal photography on the film began on April 27, 2015. It was officially announced by Lionsgate on May 18, 2015, that filming had begun in New Orleans, Louisiana. Production designer Chris Seagers built a 70 ft (21m) tall, 85% scale version of the Deepwater Horizon rig in the parking lot of the abandoned Six Flags New Orleans park.
Awards and Recognition
Nominated for 2 Oscars. 4 wins & 15 nominations total
Critical Reception
Deepwater Horizon received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 82% based on 265 reviews with an average rating of 7.00/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Deepwater Horizon makes effective use of its titular man-made disaster to deliver an uncommonly serious , yet still suitably gripping , action thriller." On Metacritic, the film has a score 68 out of 100 based on 52 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Deepwater Horizon (2016)?
The production budget was $110,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $55,000,000 - $88,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $165,000,000 - $198,000,000.
How much did Deepwater Horizon (2016) earn at the box office?
Deepwater Horizon grossed $61,433,527 domestic, $60,356,849 international, totaling $121,790,376 worldwide.
Was Deepwater Horizon (2016) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $121,790,376 against an estimated $275,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Deepwater Horizon?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, John Malkovich); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Deepwater Horizon's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $110,000,000, Deepwater Horizon is classified as a big-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: 300: Rise of an Empire (2014, $110,000,000); Ocean's Twelve (2004, $110,000,000); Deadpool 2 (2018, $110,000,000).
Did Deepwater Horizon (2016) 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 Deepwater Horizon?
The theatrical ROI was 10.7%, calculated as ($121,790,376 − $110,000,000) ÷ $110,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Deepwater Horizon (2016) win?
Nominated for 2 Oscars. 4 wins & 15 nominations total.
Who directed Deepwater Horizon and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Peter Berg, written by J.C. Chandor, Matthew Michael Carnahan, Matthew Sand, shot by Enrique Chediak, with music by Steve Jablonsky, edited by Colby Parker, Jr., Gabriel Fleming.
Where was Deepwater Horizon filmed?
Deepwater Horizon was filmed in United States of America. Principal photography on the film began on April 27, 2015. It was officially announced by Lionsgate on May 18, 2015, that filming had begun in New Orleans, Louisiana. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Deepwater Horizon
Official Trailer
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