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.