
Going the Distance
Synopsis
Erin has just six more weeks as an intern at the New York Sentinel before she returns to San Francisco. That's fine with Garrett since he just got out of a relationship. But their relationship blossoms and it quickly becomes something that they can't just drop in six weeks. They admit to wanting to be boyfriend/girlfriend just on opposite coasts. The distance wears on them, as with their nay-saying friends and sister, and soon they are forced to either break up or come up with a solution that has them living in the same city.
Production Budget Analysis
What was the production budget for Going the Distance?
Directed by Nanette Burstein, with Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Charlie Day leading the cast, Going the Distance was produced by New Line Cinema with a confirmed budget of $32,000,000, placing it in the low-budget category for comedy films.
With a $32,000,000 budget, Going the Distance sits in the mid-range of studio releases. Marketing costs for a wide release at this level typically add $30–60 million, putting the break-even point near $80,000,000.
Budget Comparison — Similar Productions
• A History of Violence (2005): Budget $32,000,000 | Gross $61,477,797 → ROI: 92% • Alive (1993): Budget $32,000,000 | Gross $36,700,000 → ROI: 15% • Bad Times at the El Royale (2018): Budget $32,000,000 | Gross $31,882,724 → ROI: -0% • Bogus (1996): Budget $32,000,000 | Gross N/A • Bombshell (2019): Budget $32,000,000 | Gross $61,404,394 → ROI: 92%
Key Budget Allocation Categories
▸ Talent Salaries & Producing Deals Established comedic talent can command $15–20 million per film, with top-tier stars earning even more through producing credits and backend deals. Comedy ensembles multiply this cost across several well-known performers.
▸ 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. Studios typically spend 50–100% of the production budget on marketing, with comedy trailers and social media campaigns being particularly expensive.
Key Production Personnel
CAST: Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Christina Applegate Key roles: Drew Barrymore as Erin Rankin Langford; Justin Long as Garrett Scully; Charlie Day as Dan Grant; Jason Sudeikis as Box Saunders
DIRECTOR: Nanette Burstein CINEMATOGRAPHY: Eric Steelberg MUSIC: Mychael Danna EDITING: Peter Teschner PRODUCTION: New Line Cinema, Offspring Entertainment FILMED IN: United States of America
Box Office Performance
Going the Distance earned $17,804,299 domestically and $24,241,547 internationally, for a worldwide total of $42,045,846. Revenue was split 42% domestic / 58% international.
Break-Even Analysis
Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), Going the Distance needed approximately $80,000,000 to break even. The film fell $37,954,154 short in theatrical revenue. Ancillary streams (home media, streaming, TV) may have bridged the gap.
Return on Investment (ROI)
Revenue: $42,045,846 Budget: $32,000,000 Net: $10,045,846 ROI: 31.4%
Profitability Assessment
VERDICT: Modestly Profitable
Going the Distance earned $42,045,846 against a $32,000,000 budget (31% ROI). Full profitability was likely achieved through ancillary revenue streams.
INDUSTRY IMPACT
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Summary: N/A









































































































































































































































































































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