Production Budget Analysis

What was the production budget for Last Flag Flying?

Directed by Richard Linklater, with Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne leading the cast, Last Flag Flying was produced by Detour Filmproduction with a confirmed budget of $25,000,000, placing it in the low-budget category for drama films.

At $25,000,000, Last Flag Flying was produced on a modest budget. Lower-budget films benefit from reduced break-even thresholds, with profitability achievable at approximately $62,500,000.

Budget Comparison — Similar Productions

• 1408 (2007): Budget $25,000,000 | Gross $133,000,000 → ROI: 432% • A Journal for Jordan (2021): Budget $25,000,000 | Gross $6,700,000 → ROI: -73% • Abandon (2002): Budget $25,000,000 | Gross $10,719,357 → ROI: -57% • All My Life (2020): Budget $25,000,000 | Gross $2,000,000 → ROI: -92% • August Rush (2007): Budget $25,000,000 | Gross $66,122,026 → ROI: 164%

Key Budget Allocation Categories

▸ Above-the-Line Talent Drama films live or die on the strength of their performances. Securing award-caliber actors and experienced directors represents the single largest budget line item, often consuming 30–40% of the total production budget.

▸ 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. Period dramas add the cost of era-accurate props, vehicles, and set decoration.

▸ Post-Production, Color Grading & Score The editorial process for dramas is typically longer than genre films, with careful attention to pacing and tone. Color grading, a nuanced musical score, and detailed sound mixing are critical to achieving the emotional resonance that defines the genre.

Key Production Personnel

CAST: Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne, J. Quinton Johnson, Deanna Reed-Foster Key roles: Steve Carell as Larry 'Doc' Shepherd; Bryan Cranston as Sal Nealon; Laurence Fishburne as Reverend Richard Mueller; J. Quinton Johnson as Charlie Washington

DIRECTOR: Richard Linklater CINEMATOGRAPHY: Shane F. Kelly MUSIC: Graham Reynolds EDITING: Sandra Adair PRODUCTION: Detour Filmproduction, Zenzero Pictures, Cinetic Media, Amazon Studios, Lionsgate FILMED IN: United States of America

Box Office Performance

Last Flag Flying earned $1,872,950 in worldwide box office revenue.

Break-Even Analysis

Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), Last Flag Flying needed approximately $62,500,000 to break even. The film fell $60,627,050 short in theatrical revenue. Ancillary streams (home media, streaming, TV) may have bridged the gap.

Return on Investment (ROI)

Revenue: $1,872,950 Budget: $25,000,000 Net: $-23,127,050 ROI: -92.5%

Profitability Assessment

VERDICT: Unprofitable (Theatrical)

Last Flag Flying earned $1,872,950 against a $25,000,000 budget (-93% ROI), falling short of theatrical profitability. Ancillary revenue may have reduced the deficit.

INDUSTRY IMPACT

The underperformance may have increased risk aversion around low-budget drama productions.

PRODUCTION NOTES

▸ Production

In August 2016, it was announced that Richard Linklater would direct from a script co-written with Darryl Ponicsan, based on Ponicsan's novel, and Amazon Studios would produce and distribute the film. Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell, and Laurence Fishburne were the first actors cast in the film. Richard Robichaux's casting was announced in November. Principal photography began in November 2016 in Pittsburgh.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

No awards data currently available for this title.

CRITICAL RECEPTION

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 76% based on 217 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Last Flag Flying balances raw drama against refreshing moments of humor in an impeccably cast film that wrestles with questions of patriotism, family, and grief." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 65 out of 100, based on 45 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

Writing for Rolling Stone, Peter Travers gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, praising the cast but criticizing some of the writing, saying, "Linklater can't protect them from all the script's potholes, including sentiment, contrivance and a galling mixed-message ending. But spending time in the company of Carell, Cranston and Fishburne? That truly is a pleasure."