Skip to main content
Saturation
For Colored Girls key art
For Colored Girls movie poster

For Colored Girls Budget

2010RDrama2h 14m

Updated

Budget
$21,000,000
Domestic Box Office
$37,729,698
Worldwide Box Office
$38,000,000

Synopsis

"For Colored Girls" (2010) is a powerful drama directed by Tyler Perry, based on Ntozake Shange's acclaimed choreopoem, "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf." The film weaves together the stories of several African American women, each grappling with their own struggles, heartbreaks, and triumphs. Set against the backdrop of urban life, the narrative explores themes of love, loss, and resilience as the characters confront issues such as abuse, infidelity, and the search for identity.

As their lives intersect, the women share their experiences through poignant monologues and vivid imagery, revealing the complexities of their emotional landscapes. The ensemble cast, featuring notable performances from actresses like Janet Jackson, Thandie Newton, and Whoopi Goldberg, brings depth to the characters, showcasing their vulnerabilities and strength. Ultimately, "For Colored Girls" serves as a poignant reflection on the challenges faced by women of color, highlighting their journeys toward healing and empowerment.

What is the budget of For Colored Girls?

"For Colored Girls," a drama released in 2010, was directed by Tyler Perry and stars Kimberly Elise, Janet Jackson. The production budget was $21,000,000, 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 For Colored Girls?

Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "For Colored Girls."

  • 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 For Colored Girls's Budget Compare to Similar Films?

At $21,000,000, For Colored Girls sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:

  • Blockers (2018): Budget $21,000,000, Worldwide Gross $94,017,294
  • Death at a Funeral (2010): Budget $21,000,000, Worldwide Gross $49,050,886
  • Everybody's Fine (2009): Budget $21,000,000, Worldwide Gross $16,443,609
  • Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001): Budget $21,150,000, Worldwide Gross $39,438,674
  • The White Ribbon (2009): Budget $21,555,450, Worldwide Gross $11,652,157

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

For Colored Girls Box Office Performance

"For Colored Girls" earned $37,729,698 domestically and $38,000,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $21,000,000, 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 "For Colored Girls," that break-even threshold was roughly $42,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $38,000,000, the film fell short of that threshold but recouped its production costs in theatrical release.

  • Production Budget: $21,000,000
  • Worldwide Gross: $38,000,000
  • Net Return: $17,000,000
  • ROI: approximately 81%

At 81%, "For Colored Girls" returned its production investment but margin was tight after marketing and distribution costs.

Awards and Recognition

14 wins & 17 nominations

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did it cost to make For Colored Girls (2010)?

The production budget was $21,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $10,500,000 - $16,800,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $31,500,000 - $37,800,000.

How much did For Colored Girls (2010) earn at the box office?

For Colored Girls grossed $37,729,698 domestic, $270,302 international, totaling $38,000,000 worldwide.

Was For Colored Girls (2010) profitable?

The film did not break even theatrically, earning $38,000,000 against an estimated $52,500,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.

What were the biggest costs in producing For Colored Girls?

The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Kimberly Elise, Janet Jackson, Loretta Devine); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.

How does For Colored Girls's budget compare to similar drama films?

At $21,000,000, For Colored Girls is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Blockers (2018, $21,000,000); Death at a Funeral (2010, $21,000,000); Everybody's Fine (2009, $21,000,000).

Did For Colored Girls (2010) 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 For Colored Girls?

The theatrical ROI was 81.0%, calculated as ($38,000,000 − $21,000,000) ÷ $21,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.

What awards did For Colored Girls (2010) win?

14 wins & 17 nominations.

Who directed For Colored Girls and who were the key crew members?

Directed by Tyler Perry, written by Tyler Perry, shot by Alexander Gruszynski, with music by Aaron Zigman, edited by Maysie Hoy.

Where was For Colored Girls filmed?

For Colored Girls was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Filmmakers

For Colored Girls

Producers
Tyler Perry, Roger M. Bobb, Paul Hall
Production Companies
Tyler Perry Studios, 34th Street Films
Director
Tyler Perry
Writers
Tyler Perry
Casting
Robi Reed
Key Cast
Kimberly Elise, Janet Jackson, Loretta Devine, Thandiwe Newton, Anika Noni Rose, Kerry Washington
Cinematographer
Alexander Gruszynski
Composer
Aaron Zigman

Official Trailer

Photography template
Netflix Productions template
New Jersey Tax Credit template
Post Production template
Podcast template
New York Tax Credit template
UK Channel 4 template
Short Film template
Photography template
Netflix Productions template
New Jersey Tax Credit template
Post Production template
Podcast template
New York Tax Credit template
UK Channel 4 template
Short Film template
Photography template
Netflix Productions template
New Jersey Tax Credit template
Post Production template
Podcast template
New York Tax Credit template
UK Channel 4 template
Short Film template
Post Production template
Short Film template
New York Tax Credit template
New Jersey Tax Credit template
Photography template
Podcast template
UK Channel 4 template
Netflix Productions template
Post Production template
Short Film template
New York Tax Credit template
New Jersey Tax Credit template
Photography template
Podcast template
UK Channel 4 template
Netflix Productions template
Post Production template
Short Film template
New York Tax Credit template
New Jersey Tax Credit template
Photography template
Podcast template
UK Channel 4 template
Netflix Productions template
Short Film template
New Jersey Tax Credit template
Netflix Productions template
Podcast template
Post Production template
Photography template
UK Channel 4 template
New York Tax Credit template
Short Film template
New Jersey Tax Credit template
Netflix Productions template
Podcast template
Post Production template
Photography template
UK Channel 4 template
New York Tax Credit template
Short Film template
New Jersey Tax Credit template
Netflix Productions template
Podcast template
Post Production template
Photography template
UK Channel 4 template
New York Tax Credit template

Budget Templates

Build your own production budget

Create professional budgets with industry-standard feature film templates. Real-time collaboration, no spreadsheets.

Start Budgeting Free