Knock Knock Budget
HorrorThriller1h 39mUpdated
Synopsis
When a devoted husband and father is left home alone for the weekend, two stranded young women unexpectedly knock on his door for help. What starts out as a kind gesture results in a dangerous seduction and a deadly game of cat and mouse.
What is the budget of Knock Knock?
"Knock Knock," a horror released in 2015, was directed by Eli Roth and stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo. The production budget was $10,000,000, placing it in the low-budget range for horror productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a horror production like this include:
- Practical Effects, Prosthetics & Makeup: Horror productions invest disproportionately in practical effects , prosthetic applications, animatronics, blood and gore effects, and creature suits. A single hero creature suit can cost $50,000 to 200,000.
- Atmospheric Production Design & Cinematography: Creating dread through environment is essential. Abandoned locations must be secured and dressed, lighting rigs designed for shadow and tension, and sets built to enable specific camera movements and reveals.
- Sound Design & Score: Horror is arguably the most sound-dependent genre. Foley work, ambient textures, frequency manipulation, and jump-scare stingers require specialized sound designers working with unconventional techniques.
- Production: On April 4, 2014, Keanu Reeves was added to the cast to play Evan Webber.
What were the major cost factors in Knock Knock?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Knock Knock."
- Practical Effects: Practical Effects, Prosthetics & Makeup is one of the primary cost drivers in horror productions of this scale.
- Atmospheric Production Design: Atmospheric Production Design & Cinematography is one of the primary cost drivers in horror productions of this scale.
- Sound Design: Sound Design & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in horror productions of this scale.
How Does Knock Knock's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $10,000,000, Knock Knock sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- By the Sea (2015): Budget $10,000,000, Worldwide Gross $3,727,746
- Eye for an Eye (2025): Budget $10,000,000
- Goal! (2005): Budget $10,000,000, Worldwide Gross $27,610,873
- Phantom (2013): Budget $10,000,000, Worldwide Gross $1,197,759
- War of the Worlds (2025): Budget $10,000,000
The median budget for wide-release horror films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Knock Knock Box Office Performance
"Knock Knock" earned $6,341,684 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $10,000,000, 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 "Knock Knock," that break-even threshold was roughly $20,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $6,341,684, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $10,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $6,341,684
- Net Return: −$3,658,316
- ROI: approximately -36.6%
At -36.6%, "Knock Knock" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Critical Reception
Dread Central awarded it a score of four out of five, saying "what we do have is a home invasion film for the social media generation (yes, it does feature social media in its plot) that should make you think twice before offering warmth and shelter to a stranger on a dark and stormy night."
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Knock Knock (2015)?
The production budget was $10,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $5,000,000 - $8,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $15,000,000 - $18,000,000.
How much did Knock Knock (2015) earn at the box office?
Knock Knock grossed $6,341,684 worldwide.
Was Knock Knock (2015) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $6,341,684 against an estimated $25,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Knock Knock?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas); practical creature effects, atmospheric cinematography, and psychologically engineered sound design; international production across Chile, Germany, United States of America.
How does Knock Knock's budget compare to similar horror films?
At $10,000,000, Knock Knock is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release horror films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: By the Sea (2015, $10,000,000); Eye for an Eye (2025, $10,000,000); Goal! (2005, $10,000,000).
Did Knock Knock (2015) 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 Knock Knock?
The theatrical ROI was -36.6%, calculated as ($6,341,684 − $10,000,000) ÷ $10,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
Who directed Knock Knock and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Eli Roth, written by Eli Roth, Guillermo Amoedo, Nicolás López, Michael Ronald Ross, shot by Antonio Quercia, with music by Manuel Riveiro, edited by Diego Macho Gómez.
Where was Knock Knock filmed?
Knock Knock was filmed in Chile, Germany, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Knock Knock
Official Trailer
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