Den of Thieves Budget
CrimeThrillerAction2h 20mUpdated
Synopsis
A gritty L.A crime saga which follows the intersecting and often personally connected lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff's Dept. and the state's most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan an impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank of downtown Los Angeles.
What is the budget of Den of Thieves?
"Den of Thieves," a crime released in 2018, was directed by Christian Gudegast and stars Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber. The production budget was $30,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for crime productions of its era.
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.
- Production: The film was in development for roughly 14 years, where director Christian Gudegast and a writing partner had a blind deal with New Line Cinema in 2003.
What were the major cost factors in Den of Thieves?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Den of Thieves."
- 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 Den of Thieves's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $30,000,000, Den of Thieves sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- A Hologram for the King (2016): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $9,169,507
- A Lot Like Love (2005): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $42,886,719
- Big Momma's House (2000): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $173,959,438
- Crazy Rich Asians (2018): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $238,539,198
- Doomsday (2008): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $22,472,631
The median budget for wide-release crime films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Den of Thieves Box Office Performance
"Den of Thieves" earned $44,947,622 domestically and $80,509,622 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $30,000,000, 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 "Den of Thieves," that break-even threshold was roughly $60,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $80,509,622, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $30,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $80,509,622
- Net Return: $50,509,622
- ROI: approximately 168.4%
At 168.4%, "Den of Thieves" earned roughly $2.68 for every $1 invested in production.
Den of Thieves Production History
Production began in January 2017. Director of photography, Terry Stacey, shot the movie using the Arri Alexa XT Plus digital motion picture camera. Although set in Los Angeles, California, Den of Thieves was primarily filmed in and around Atlanta, Georgia.
Awards and Recognition
1 nomination total
Critical Reception
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Den of Thieves (2018)?
The production budget was $30,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $15,000,000 - $24,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $45,000,000 - $54,000,000.
How much did Den of Thieves (2018) earn at the box office?
Den of Thieves grossed $44,947,622 domestic, $35,562,000 international, totaling $80,509,622 worldwide.
Was Den of Thieves (2018) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $30,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$75,000,000, the film earned $80,509,622 theatrically - a 168% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Den of Thieves?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, O'Shea Jackson Jr.); talent compensation, location cinematography, and tension-driven editorial.
How does Den of Thieves's budget compare to similar crime films?
At $30,000,000, Den of Thieves is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release crime films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: A Hologram for the King (2016, $30,000,000); A Lot Like Love (2005, $30,000,000); Big Momma's House (2000, $30,000,000).
Did Den of Thieves (2018) 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 Den of Thieves?
The theatrical ROI was 168.4%, calculated as ($80,509,622 − $30,000,000) ÷ $30,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Den of Thieves (2018) win?
1 nomination total.
Who directed Den of Thieves and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Christian Gudegast, written by Christian Gudegast, Paul T. Scheuring, shot by Terry Stacey, with music by Cliff Martinez, edited by Joel Cox, David S. Cox.
Where was Den of Thieves filmed?
Den of Thieves was filmed in United States of America. Production began in January 2017. Director of photography, Terry Stacey, shot the movie using the Arri Alexa XT Plus digital motion picture camera. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Den of Thieves
Official Trailer
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