Let Me In Budget
DramaHorrorMystery1h 56mUpdated
Synopsis
Twelve-year old Owen is viciously bullied by his classmates and neglected by his divorcing parents. Achingly lonely, Owen spends his days plotting revenge on his middle school tormentors and his evenings spying on the other inhabitants of his apartment complex. His only friend is his new neighbor Abby, an eerily self-possessed young girl who lives next door with her silent father. A frail, troubled child about Owens's age, Abby emerges from her heavily curtained apartment only at night and always barefoot, seemingly immune to the bitter winter elements. Recognizing a fellow outcast, Owen opens up to her and before long, the two have formed a unique bond.
When a string of grisly murders puts the town on high alert, Abby's father disappears, and the terrified girl is left to fend for herself. Still, she repeatedly rebuffs Owen's efforts to help her and her increasingly bizarre behavior leads the imaginative Owen to suspect she's hiding an unthinkable secret.
What is the budget of Let Me In?
"Let Me In," a drama released in 2010, was directed by Matt Reeves and stars Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloë Grace Moretz. The production budget was $20,000,000, 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 Let Me In?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Let Me In."
- 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 Let Me In's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $20,000,000, Let Me In sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 12 Years a Slave (2013): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $187,000,000
- 21 Grams (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $60,427,839
- 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $11,798,854
- A Guy Thing (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $17,400,000
- A Most Violent Year (2014): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $12,007,070
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Let Me In Box Office Performance
"Let Me In" earned $12,134,935 domestically and $24,145,613 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $20,000,000, the film showed modest profitability in theatrical release.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Let Me In," that break-even threshold was roughly $40,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $24,145,613, the film fell short of that threshold but recouped its production costs in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $20,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $24,145,613
- Net Return: $4,145,613
- ROI: approximately 20.7%
At 20.7%, "Let Me In" returned its production investment but margin was tight after marketing and distribution costs.
Awards and Recognition
14 wins & 28 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Let Me In (2010)?
The production budget was $20,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $10,000,000 - $16,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $30,000,000 - $36,000,000.
How much did Let Me In (2010) earn at the box office?
Let Me In grossed $12,134,935 domestic, $12,010,678 international, totaling $24,145,613 worldwide.
Was Let Me In (2010) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $24,145,613 against an estimated $50,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Let Me In?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloë Grace Moretz, Richard Jenkins); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America.
How does Let Me In's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $20,000,000, Let Me In 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: 12 Years a Slave (2013, $20,000,000); 21 Grams (2003, $20,000,000); 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994, $20,000,000).
Did Let Me In (2010) 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 Let Me In?
The theatrical ROI was 20.7%, calculated as ($24,145,613 − $20,000,000) ÷ $20,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Let Me In (2010) win?
14 wins & 28 nominations total.
Who directed Let Me In and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Matt Reeves, written by Matt Reeves, shot by Greig Fraser, with music by Michael Giacchino, edited by Stan Salfas.
Where was Let Me In filmed?
Let Me In was filmed in Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Let Me In
Official Trailer
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