In mid-1920s New York, Newt Scamander, a British young activist wizard, arrives in the city, holding a mysterious leather suitcase that shelters diverse and magical creatures that exist among us. Amid an already fragile equilibrium of secrecy, and the increasing disasters ascribed to the dark wizard, Gellert Grindelwald, Newt's precious suitcase goes missing, and to make matters worse, several creatures manage to escape. Before long, this unforeseen complication catches Senior Auror Percival Graves' attention who targets Newt, against the backdrop of an invisible, devastating, and utterly unpredictable menace that still wreaks havoc on 5th Avenue. In the end, is there a hidden agenda behind Graves' intentions? Moreover, what will happen to the remaining fantastic beasts that are still on the loose?

What is the budget of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?

"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," a fantasy released in 2016, was directed by David Yates and stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston. The production budget was $180,000,000, placing it in the blockbuster range for fantasy productions of its era.

Key Budget Allocation Categories

While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a fantasy production like this include:

Visual Effects & Creature Design: Fantasy productions require extensive VFX for magical elements, mythical creatures, and fantastical battle sequences.
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.
Music Score & Sound Design: Fantasy epics typically commission full orchestral scores recorded with 80 to 100 piece ensembles, plus extensive sound design for magical effects, creature vocalizations, and immersive world audio.

What were the major cost factors in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?

Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

Visual Effects: Visual Effects & Creature Design is one of the primary cost drivers in fantasy productions of this scale.
Costumes: Costumes, Prosthetic Makeup & Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in fantasy productions of this scale.
Music Score: Music Score & Sound Design is one of the primary cost drivers in fantasy productions of this scale.

How Does Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them's Budget Compare to Similar Films?

At $180,000,000, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them sits in the blockbuster range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:

Doctor Strange (2016): Budget $180,000,000, Worldwide Gross $676,343,174
Edge of Tomorrow (2014): Budget $178,000,000, Worldwide Gross $370,541,256
The Dark Knight (2008): Budget $185,000,000, Worldwide Gross $1,004,558,444
47 Ronin (2013): Budget $175,000,000, Worldwide Gross $151,783,839
Brave (2012): Budget $185,000,000, Worldwide Gross $538,983,207

The median budget for wide-release fantasy films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Box Office Performance

"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" earned $234,037,575 domestically and $809,342,332 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $180,000,000, 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 "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," that break-even threshold was roughly $360,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $809,342,332, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.

Production Budget: $180,000,000
Worldwide Gross: $809,342,332
Net Return: $629,342,332
ROI: approximately 349.6%

At 349.6%, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" earned roughly $4.5 for every $1 invested in production.

Awards and Recognition

Won 1 Oscar. 15 wins & 54 nominations total

Academy Award for Best Costume Design: Colleen Atwood (89th Academy Awards)
BAFTA Award for Best Production Design: Stuart Craig (70th British Academy Film Awards)
BAFTA Award for Best Production Design: Anna Pinnock (70th British Academy Film Awards)