Don't Be Afraid of the Dark key art background

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark movie poster

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Budget

2010

FantasyHorrorThriller1h 39m

Updated April 25, 2026

Budget

$25,000,000

Domestic Box Office

$24,000,000

Worldwide Box Office

$37,000,000

Synopsis

Blackwood Manor has new tenants. While architect Alex Hurst and his new girlfriend Kim restore their Gothic mansion's period interiors, Alex's young daughter Sally--neglected by her real mother and brushed aside by the careerist father--can investigate the macabre history and dark corners of the estate. Spurring Sally's investigation are the voices--rasping whispers who call out to her from the basement, who promise her understanding and friendship, who are so very hungry and would like to be set free. When Sally gives in to her curiosity, she opens a gateway into a hellish underworld from which an army of beady-eyed, sharp-clawed monsters emerge, small in size but endless in number: the homunculi. Confronted with the horror that now threatens to taker her life and destroy her family, Sally desperately tries to warn the whole house, but there's just one problem: no one believes her. Will she make them understand in time, or will they become another chapter in the centuries-long horror story of Blackwood Manor?

Production Budget Analysis

What was the production budget for Don't Be Afraid of the Dark?

Directed by Troy Nixey, with Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, Bailee Madison leading the cast, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark was produced by Miramax with a confirmed budget of $25,000,000, placing it in the low-budget category for fantasy films.

At $25,000,000, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark was produced on a modest budget. Lower-budget films benefit from reduced break-even thresholds, with profitability achievable at approximately $62,500,000.

Budget Comparison — Similar Productions

• 1408 (2007): Budget $25,000,000 | Gross $133,000,000 → ROI: 432% • A Journal for Jordan (2021): Budget $25,000,000 | Gross $6,700,000 → ROI: -73% • Abandon (2002): Budget $25,000,000 | Gross $10,719,357 → ROI: -57% • All My Life (2020): Budget $25,000,000 | Gross $2,000,000 → ROI: -92% • August Rush (2007): Budget $25,000,000 | Gross $66,122,026 → ROI: 164%

Key Budget Allocation Categories

▸ Visual Effects & Creature Design Fantasy productions require extensive VFX for magical elements, mythical creatures, and fantastical battle sequences. Creature design alone — from concept art through motion capture and digital rendering — can consume tens of millions of dollars on a major production.

▸ Costumes, Prosthetic Makeup & Production Design Period-inspired or wholly original costumes, elaborate prosthetic and makeup applications, and richly detailed set construction are hallmarks of fantasy filmmaking. A single hero costume can cost $30,000–50,000, multiplied across dozens of featured characters.

▸ Music Score & Sound Design Fantasy epics typically commission full orchestral scores recorded with 80–100 piece ensembles, plus extensive sound design for magical effects, creature vocalizations, and immersive world audio.

Key Production Personnel

CAST: Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, Bailee Madison, Jack Thompson, Alan Dale Key roles: Katie Holmes as Kim; Guy Pearce as Alex Hirst; Bailee Madison as Sally Hirst; Jack Thompson as Harris

DIRECTOR: Troy Nixey CINEMATOGRAPHY: Oliver Stapleton MUSIC: Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders EDITING: Jill Bilcock PRODUCTION: Miramax, Necropia Entertainment, Gran Via Productions, FilmDistrict FILMED IN: Australia, Mexico, United States of America

Box Office Performance

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark earned $24,046,682 domestically and $12,946,486 internationally, for a worldwide total of $36,993,168. The film skewed heavily domestic (65%), suggesting strong North American appeal.

Break-Even Analysis

Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), Don't Be Afraid of the Dark needed approximately $62,500,000 to break even. The film fell $25,506,832 short in theatrical revenue. Ancillary streams (home media, streaming, TV) may have bridged the gap.

Return on Investment (ROI)

Revenue: $36,993,168 Budget: $25,000,000 Net: $11,993,168 ROI: 48.0%

Profitability Assessment

VERDICT: Modestly Profitable

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark earned $36,993,168 against a $25,000,000 budget (48% ROI). Full profitability was likely achieved through ancillary revenue streams.