Dumb Money Budget
HistoryComedyDrama1h 45mUpdated
Synopsis
A regular guy sinks his life savings into the stock of videogame store GameStop and starts posting about it. When his social posts start blowing up and a stock tip becomes a movement, everyone gets rich, until the billionaires fig...
What is the budget of Dumb Money?
"Dumb Money," a history released in 2023, was directed by Craig Gillespie and stars Paul Dano, Shailene Woodley. The production budget was $30,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for history productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a history 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: In September 2022, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan and Pete Davidson were set to star; Rogen and Stan previously collaborated with Gillespie on the miniseries Pam & Tommy (2022), with Stan also having starred in Gillespie's film I, Tonya (2017).
What were the major cost factors in Dumb Money?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Dumb Money."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in history productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in history productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in history productions of this scale.
How Does Dumb Money's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $30,000,000, Dumb Money 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 history films in the 2020s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Dumb Money Box Office Performance
"Dumb Money" earned $13,925,356 domestically and $20,703,794 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $30,000,000, 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 "Dumb Money," that break-even threshold was roughly $60,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $20,703,794, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $30,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $20,703,794
- Net Return: −$9,296,206
- ROI: approximately -31%
At -31%, "Dumb Money" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Dumb Money Production History
In September 2022, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan and Pete Davidson were set to star; Rogen and Stan previously collaborated with Gillespie on the miniseries Pam & Tommy (2022), with Stan also having starred in Gillespie's film I, Tonya (2017).
Principal photography occurred in New Jersey from October to November 2022. Filming was done in Morris, Essex and Hudson counties, with scenes filmed at Saint Elizabeth University. [Filming] Principal photography occurred in New Jersey from October to November 2022. Filming was done in Morris, Essex and Hudson counties, with scenes filmed at Saint Elizabeth University.
Composed by Will Bates, the soundtrack was released on September 22, 2023.
Awards and Recognition
1 win & 2 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Dumb Money (2023)?
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 Dumb Money (2023) earn at the box office?
Dumb Money grossed $13,925,356 domestic, $6,778,438 international, totaling $20,703,794 worldwide.
Was Dumb Money (2023) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $20,703,794 against an estimated $75,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Dumb Money?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Paul Dano, Shailene Woodley, America Ferrera); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Dumb Money's budget compare to similar history films?
At $30,000,000, Dumb Money is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release history films in the 2020s 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 Dumb Money (2023) 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 Dumb Money?
The theatrical ROI was -31.0%, calculated as ($20,703,794 − $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 Dumb Money (2023) win?
1 win & 2 nominations total.
Who directed Dumb Money and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Craig Gillespie, written by Rebecca Angelo, Lauren Schuker Blum, shot by Nicolas Karakatsanis, with music by Will Bates, edited by Kirk Baxter.
Where was Dumb Money filmed?
Dumb Money was filmed in United States of America. Principal photography occurred in New Jersey from October to November 2022. Filming was done in Morris, Essex and Hudson counties, with scenes filmed at Saint Elizabeth University. [Filming] Principal photography occurred in New Jersey from October to November 2022. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Dumb Money
Official Trailer
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