Flatliners Budget
DramaScience FictionHorror1h 55mUpdated
Synopsis
Five medical students, hoping to gain insight into the mystery of what lies beyond the confines of life, embark on a daring and dangerous experiment. By stopping their hearts for short periods of time, each triggers a near-death experience. As the investigation becomes more and more perilous, they are forced to confront the sins of their pasts, as well as contend with the paranormal consequences of trespassing to the other side.
What is the budget of Flatliners?
"Flatliners," a drama released in 2017, was directed by Joel Schumacher and stars Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts. The production budget was $26,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for drama productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a drama 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.
What were the major cost factors in Flatliners?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Flatliners."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
How Does Flatliners's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $26,000,000, Flatliners sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 1408 (2007): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $133,000,000
- A Journal for Jordan (2021): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $6,700,000
- Abandon (2002): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $10,719,357
- All My Life (2020): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $2,000,000
- August Rush (2007): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $66,122,026
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Flatliners Box Office Performance
"Flatliners" earned $61,489,265 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $26,000,000, the film showed modest profitability in theatrical release.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Flatliners," that break-even threshold was roughly $52,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $61,489,265, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $26,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $61,489,265
- Net Return: $35,489,265
- ROI: approximately 136.5%
At 136.5%, "Flatliners" earned roughly $2.36 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 3 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Flatliners (1990)?
The production budget was $26,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $13,000,000 - $20,800,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $39,000,000 - $46,800,000.
How much did Flatliners (1990) earn at the box office?
Flatliners grossed $61,489,265 domestic, totaling $61,489,265 worldwide.
Was Flatliners (1990) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $61,489,265 against an estimated $65,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Flatliners?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Flatliners's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $26,000,000, Flatliners is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 1408 (2007, $25,000,000); A Journal for Jordan (2021, $25,000,000); Abandon (2002, $25,000,000).
Did Flatliners (1990) 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 Flatliners?
The theatrical ROI was 136.5%, calculated as ($61,489,265 − $26,000,000) ÷ $26,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Flatliners (1990) win?
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 3 nominations total.
Who directed Flatliners and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Joel Schumacher, written by Peter Filardi, shot by Jan de Bont, with music by James Newton Howard, edited by Robert Brown.
Where was Flatliners filmed?
Flatliners was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Flatliners
Official Trailer
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