Green Book Budget
DramaComedyHistory2h 10mUpdated
Synopsis
When Tony Lip, an Italian-American bouncer with a seventh-grade education, is hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley, a world-class African-American pianist on a concert tour from Manhattan to the Deep South, they must rely on the “Negro Motorist Green Book” to guide them to the few establishments that were then safe for Blacks. Confronted with racism, danger—as well as unexpected humanity and humor—they are forced to set aside differences to survive and thrive on the journey of a lifetime.
What is the budget of Green Book?
"Green Book," a drama released in 2018, was directed by Peter Farrelly and stars Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali. The production budget was $23,000,000, 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 Green Book?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Green Book."
- 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 Green Book's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $23,000,000, Green Book sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- The Secret World of Arrietty (2010): Budget $23,000,000, Worldwide Gross $149,660,003
- Bad Santa (2003): Budget $23,000,000, Worldwide Gross $76,500,000
- Chasing Liberty (2004): Budget $23,000,000, Worldwide Gross $12,195,626
- Chéri (2009): Budget $23,000,000, Worldwide Gross $9,400,000
- Eddie the Eagle (2016): Budget $23,000,000, Worldwide Gross $46,152,411
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Green Book Box Office Performance
"Green Book" earned $85,080,171 domestically and $321,752,656 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $23,000,000, the film performed strongly at the box office.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Green Book," that break-even threshold was roughly $46,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $321,752,656, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $23,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $321,752,656
- Net Return: $298,752,656
- ROI: approximately 1298.9%
At 1298.9%, "Green Book" earned roughly $13.99 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
Won 3 Oscars. 58 wins & 124 nominations total
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- National Board of Review Award for Best Film
- Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali (91st Academy Awards)
- Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay: Peter Farrelly (91st Academy Awards)
- Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay: Nick Vallelonga (91st Academy Awards)
- Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay: Brian Currie (91st Academy Awards)
- Academy Award for Best Picture (91st Academy Awards)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Green Book (2018)?
The production budget was $23,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $11,500,000 - $18,400,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $34,500,000 - $41,400,000.
How much did Green Book (2018) earn at the box office?
Green Book grossed $85,080,171 domestic, $236,672,485 international, totaling $321,752,656 worldwide.
Was Green Book (2018) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $23,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$57,500,000, the film earned $321,752,656 theatrically - a 1299% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Green Book?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Green Book's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $23,000,000, Green Book 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: The Secret World of Arrietty (2010, $23,000,000); Bad Santa (2003, $23,000,000); Chasing Liberty (2004, $23,000,000).
Did Green Book (2018) 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 Green Book?
The theatrical ROI was 1298.9%, calculated as ($321,752,656 − $23,000,000) ÷ $23,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Green Book (2018) win?
Won 3 Oscars. 58 wins & 124 nominations total.
Who directed Green Book and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Peter Farrelly, written by Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly, shot by Sean Porter, with music by Kris Bowers, edited by Patrick J. Don Vito.
Where was Green Book filmed?
Green Book was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Green Book
Official Trailer
Budget Templates
Build your own production budget
Create professional budgets with industry-standard feature film templates. Real-time collaboration, no spreadsheets.
Start Budgeting Free
