Killers of the Flower Moon Budget
CrimeHistoryDrama3h 26mUpdated
Synopsis
At the turn of the 20th century, oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder.
What is the budget of Killers of the Flower Moon?
"Killers of the Flower Moon," a crime released in 2023, was directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro. The production budget was $200,000,000, placing it in the blockbuster range for crime productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a crime production like this include:
- Talent & Director Compensation: Thrillers depend on compelling lead performances to sustain tension, making cast compensation a primary budget concern. Directors with proven thriller credentials command premium fees.
- Cinematography & Location Photography: Thriller aesthetics demand specific visual languages , surveillance-style photography, claustrophobic framing, or expansive location work across multiple cities or countries.
- Editorial & Sound Post-Production: Precision editing , controlling information flow, building suspense through pacing, and orchestrating reveals , requires extended post-production schedules.
What were the major cost factors in Killers of the Flower Moon?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Killers of the Flower Moon."
- Talent: Talent & Director Compensation is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
- Cinematography: Cinematography & Location Photography is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
- Editorial: Editorial & Sound Post-Production is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
How Does Killers of the Flower Moon's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $200,000,000, Killers of the Flower Moon sits in the blockbuster range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 2012 (2009): Budget $200,000,000, Worldwide Gross $791,217,826
- Alice in Wonderland (2010): Budget $200,000,000, Worldwide Gross $1,025,467,110
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023): Budget $200,000,000 , Gross $476,071,180
- Argylle (2024): Budget $200,000,000, Worldwide Gross $96,221,061
- Black Adam (2022): Budget $200,000,000, Worldwide Gross $393,452,111
The median budget for wide-release crime films in the 2020s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Killers of the Flower Moon Box Office Performance
"Killers of the Flower Moon" earned $68,035,488 domestically and $158,722,599 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $200,000,000, the film faced challenges in theatrical release. Home video, streaming, and ancillary revenue may have contributed to its overall performance.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Killers of the Flower Moon," that break-even threshold was roughly $400,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $158,722,599, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $200,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $158,722,599
- Net Return: −$41,277,401
- ROI: approximately -20.6%
At -20.6%, "Killers of the Flower Moon" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Awards and Recognition
Nominated for 10 Oscars. 136 wins & 423 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)?
The production budget was $200,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $100,000,000 - $160,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $300,000,000 - $360,000,000.
How much did Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) earn at the box office?
Killers of the Flower Moon grossed $68,035,488 domestic, $90,687,111 international, totaling $158,722,599 worldwide.
Was Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $158,722,599 against an estimated $500,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Killers of the Flower Moon?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone); talent compensation, location cinematography, and tension-driven editorial.
How does Killers of the Flower Moon's budget compare to similar crime films?
At $200,000,000, Killers of the Flower Moon is classified as a mega-budget production. The median budget for wide-release crime films in the 2020s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 2012 (2009, $200,000,000); Alice in Wonderland (2010, $200,000,000); Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023, $200,000,000).
Did Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) 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 Killers of the Flower Moon?
The theatrical ROI was -20.6%, calculated as ($158,722,599 − $200,000,000) ÷ $200,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) win?
Nominated for 10 Oscars. 136 wins & 423 nominations total.
Who directed Killers of the Flower Moon and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Martin Scorsese, Eric Roth, shot by Rodrigo Prieto, with music by Robbie Robertson, edited by Thelma Schoonmaker.
Where was Killers of the Flower Moon filmed?
Killers of the Flower Moon was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Killers of the Flower Moon
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
