Groundhog Day Budget
RomanceFantasyComedy1h 41mUpdated
Synopsis
A weather man is reluctantly sent to cover a story about a weather forecasting "rat" (as he calls it). This is his fourth year on the story, and he makes no effort to hide his frustration. On awaking the 'following' day, he discovers that it's Groundhog Day again, and again, and again. First he uses this to his advantage, then comes the realisation that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing every day.
What is the budget of Groundhog Day?
"Groundhog Day," a romance released in 1993, was directed by Harold Ramis and stars Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell. The production budget was $14,600,000, placing it in the low-budget range for romance productions of the 1990s.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a romance production like this include:
- Lead Cast Compensation: Romantic films depend entirely on the chemistry and appeal of their leads, making star casting decisions the most consequential budget item.
- Location Filming: Picturesque, often international locations are central to the romantic genre's visual appeal.
- Music Supervision & Soundtrack: Iconic songs can cost $250,000 to 500,000 to license per use, and a well-curated soundtrack is often as important to marketing as the trailer itself.
What were the major cost factors in Groundhog Day?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Groundhog Day."
- Lead Cast Compensation: Lead Cast Compensation is one of the primary cost drivers in romance productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming is one of the primary cost drivers in romance productions of this scale.
- Music Supervision: Music Supervision & Soundtrack is one of the primary cost drivers in romance productions of this scale.
How Does Groundhog Day's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $14,600,000, Groundhog Day sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Days of Glory (2006): Budget $14,500,000, Worldwide Gross $22,963,701
- Romeo + Juliet (1996): Budget $14,500,000, Worldwide Gross $147,298,761
- Sound of Freedom (2023): Budget $14,500,000, Worldwide Gross $250,600,000
- Unforgiven (1992): Budget $14,400,000, Worldwide Gross $159,157,447
- Faust (2011): Budget $14,400,000
The median budget for wide-release romance films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Groundhog Day Box Office Performance
"Groundhog Day" earned $71,107,962 domestically and $71,108,778 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $14,600,000, 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 "Groundhog Day," that break-even threshold was roughly $29,200,000. With worldwide earnings of $71,108,778, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $14,600,000
- Worldwide Gross: $71,108,778
- Net Return: $56,508,778
- ROI: approximately 387%
At 387%, "Groundhog Day" earned roughly $4.87 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
Won 1 BAFTA Award7 wins & 17 nominations total
- MTV Movie & TV Awards
- Saturn Award for Best Actress
- British Comedy Awards
- BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay
- Q1868958
- BMI Film & TV Awards
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Groundhog Day (1993)?
The production budget was $14,600,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $7,300,000 - $11,680,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $21,900,000 - $26,280,000.
How much did Groundhog Day (1993) earn at the box office?
Groundhog Day grossed $71,107,962 domestic, $816 international, totaling $71,108,778 worldwide.
Was Groundhog Day (1993) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $14,600,000 and estimated total costs of ~$36,500,000, the film earned $71,108,778 theatrically - a 387% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Groundhog Day?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott); lead talent, aspirational location filming, and a carefully curated soundtrack.
How does Groundhog Day's budget compare to similar romance films?
At $14,600,000, Groundhog Day is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release romance films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Days of Glory (2006, $14,500,000); Romeo + Juliet (1996, $14,500,000); Sound of Freedom (2023, $14,500,000).
Did Groundhog Day (1993) 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 Groundhog Day?
The theatrical ROI was 387.0%, calculated as ($71,108,778 − $14,600,000) ÷ $14,600,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Groundhog Day (1993) win?
Won 1 BAFTA Award7 wins & 17 nominations total.
Who directed Groundhog Day and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Harold Ramis, written by Danny Rubin, Harold Ramis, shot by John Bailey, with music by George Fenton, edited by Pembroke J. Herring.
Where was Groundhog Day filmed?
Groundhog Day was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Groundhog Day
Official Trailer
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