

Disturbia Budget
Updated
Synopsis
"Disturbia" (2007) is a psychological thriller that follows the story of Kale Brecht, a teenager who is placed under house arrest after an incident involving his teacher. Struggling with the confinement and the emotional turmoil stemming from his father's recent death, Kale becomes increasingly restless. To pass the time, he begins to spy on his neighbors, particularly a mysterious man living across the street. As Kale delves deeper into his observations, he becomes convinced that this neighbor is a serial killer. With the help of his friends, he embarks on a dangerous quest to uncover the truth, leading to a suspenseful climax that tests his courage and resourcefulness. The film explores themes of isolation, grief, and the fine line between curiosity and obsession.
What is the budget of Disturbia?
"Disturbia," a thriller released in 2007, was directed by D.J. Caruso and stars Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Roemer. The production budget was $20,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for thriller productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a thriller 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.
What were the major cost factors in Disturbia?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Disturbia."
- Talent: Talent & Director Compensation is one of the primary cost drivers in thriller productions of this scale.
- Cinematography: Cinematography & Location Photography is one of the primary cost drivers in thriller productions of this scale.
- Editorial: Editorial & Sound Post-Production is one of the primary cost drivers in thriller productions of this scale.
How Does Disturbia's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $20,000,000, Disturbia 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 thriller films in the 2000s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Disturbia Box Office Performance
"Disturbia" earned $80,209,692 domestically and $117,760,134 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $20,000,000, 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 "Disturbia," that break-even threshold was roughly $40,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $117,760,134, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $20,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $117,760,134
- Net Return: $97,760,134
- ROI: approximately 488.8%
At 488.8%, "Disturbia" earned roughly $5.89 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
5 wins & 7 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Disturbia (2007)?
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 Disturbia (2007) earn at the box office?
Disturbia grossed $80,209,692 domestic, $37,550,442 international, totaling $117,760,134 worldwide.
Was Disturbia (2007) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $20,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$50,000,000, the film earned $117,760,134 theatrically - a 489% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Disturbia?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Roemer, Carrie-Anne Moss); talent compensation, location cinematography, and tension-driven editorial.
How does Disturbia's budget compare to similar thriller films?
At $20,000,000, Disturbia is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release thriller 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 Disturbia (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 Disturbia?
The theatrical ROI was 488.8%, calculated as ($117,760,134 − $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 Disturbia (2007) win?
5 wins & 7 nominations total.
Who directed Disturbia and who were the key crew members?
Directed by D.J. Caruso, written by Christopher Landon, Carl Ellsworth, shot by Rogier Stoffers, with music by Geoff Zanelli, edited by Jim Page.
Where was Disturbia filmed?
Disturbia was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Disturbia
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