Ghost Town Budget
ComedyRomanceDramaFantasy1h 42mUpdated
Synopsis
"Ghost Town" (2008) is a unique blend of comedy and supernatural elements that follows the life of Bertram Pincus, a misanthropic dentist played by Ricky Gervais. After undergoing a routine medical procedure, Bertram discovers that he can see and communicate with the dead. This unexpected ability leads him to encounter a group of restless spirits, each with their own unfinished business. Among them is Frank Herlihy, portrayed by Greg Kinnear, who is determined to resolve his issues with his widow, Gwen, played by Téa Leoni. As Bertram reluctantly becomes involved in their lives, he finds himself navigating the complexities of love, loss, and redemption. The film explores themes of connection and the importance of human relationships, all while delivering Gervais's signature humor. Ultimately, "Ghost Town" offers a heartwarming story about a man who learns to embrace life and the people around him, even in the face of the supernatural.
What is the budget of Ghost Town?
"Ghost Town," a comedy released in 2008, was directed by David Koepp and stars Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear. The production budget was $20,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for comedy productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a comedy production like this include:
- Talent Salaries & Producing Deals: Established comedic talent can command $15 to 20 million per film, with top-tier stars earning even more through producing credits and backend deals.
- Production & Location Filming: While comedies generally avoid the VFX costs of action films, location shooting in recognizable cities or exotic locales adds meaningful production expense.
- Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising): Comedies rely heavily on marketing to build opening-weekend momentum.
What were the major cost factors in Ghost Town?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Ghost Town."
- Talent Salaries: Talent Salaries & Producing Deals is one of the primary cost drivers in comedy productions of this scale.
- Production: Production & Location Filming is one of the primary cost drivers in comedy productions of this scale.
- Marketing: Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising) is one of the primary cost drivers in comedy productions of this scale.
How Does Ghost Town's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $20,000,000, Ghost Town sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 12 Years a Slave (2013): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $187,000,000
- 21 Grams (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $60,427,839
- 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $11,798,854
- A Guy Thing (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $17,400,000
- A Most Violent Year (2014): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $12,007,070
The median budget for wide-release comedy films in the 2000s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Ghost Town Box Office Performance
"Ghost Town" earned $13,367,624 domestically and $27,100,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $20,000,000, 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 "Ghost Town," that break-even threshold was roughly $40,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $27,100,000, the film fell short of that threshold but recouped its production costs in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $20,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $27,100,000
- Net Return: $7,100,000
- ROI: approximately 35.5%
At 35.5%, "Ghost Town" returned its production investment but margin was tight after marketing and distribution costs.
Awards and Recognition
3 wins & 2 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Ghost Town (2008)?
The production budget was $20,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $10,000,000 - $16,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $30,000,000 - $36,000,000.
How much did Ghost Town (2008) earn at the box office?
Ghost Town grossed $13,367,624 domestic, $13,732,376 international, totaling $27,100,000 worldwide.
Was Ghost Town (2008) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $27,100,000 against an estimated $50,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Ghost Town?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear, Téa Leoni); star comedian salaries, location filming, and aggressive marketing campaigns.
How does Ghost Town's budget compare to similar comedy films?
At $20,000,000, Ghost Town is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release comedy films in the 2000s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 12 Years a Slave (2013, $20,000,000); 21 Grams (2003, $20,000,000); 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994, $20,000,000).
Did Ghost Town (2008) 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 Ghost Town?
The theatrical ROI was 35.5%, calculated as ($27,100,000 − $20,000,000) ÷ $20,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Ghost Town (2008) win?
3 wins & 2 nominations total.
Who directed Ghost Town and who were the key crew members?
Directed by David Koepp, written by John Kamps, David Koepp, shot by Fred Murphy, with music by Geoff Zanelli, edited by Sam Seig.
Where was Ghost Town filmed?
Ghost Town was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Ghost Town
Official Trailer
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