Licorice Pizza Budget
DramaComedyRomance2h 13mUpdated
Synopsis
LICORICE PIZZA is the story of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine growing up, running around and falling in love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973. Written and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film tracks the treacherous navigation of first love.
What is the budget of Licorice Pizza?
"Licorice Pizza," a drama released in 2021, was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and stars Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman. The production budget was $40,000,000, 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 Licorice Pizza?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Licorice Pizza."
- 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 Licorice Pizza's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $40,000,000, Licorice Pizza sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 42 (2013): Budget $40,000,000, Worldwide Gross $95,020,213
- A Few Good Men (1992): Budget $40,000,000, Worldwide Gross $243,240,178
- Big Trouble (2002): Budget $40,000,000, Worldwide Gross $8,493,890
- Boomerang (1992): Budget $40,000,000, Worldwide Gross $131,052,444
- Fifty Shades of Grey (2015): Budget $40,000,000, Worldwide Gross $569,651,467
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2020s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Licorice Pizza Box Office Performance
"Licorice Pizza" earned $17,318,007 domestically and $33,276,075 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $40,000,000, 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 "Licorice Pizza," that break-even threshold was roughly $80,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $33,276,075, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $40,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $33,276,075
- Net Return: −$6,723,925
- ROI: approximately -16.8%
At -16.8%, "Licorice Pizza" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Awards and Recognition
Nominated for 3 Oscars. 61 wins & 197 nominations total
- National Board of Review Award for Best Film (National Board of Review Awards 2021)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Licorice Pizza (2021)?
The production budget was $40,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $20,000,000 - $32,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $60,000,000 - $72,000,000.
How much did Licorice Pizza (2021) earn at the box office?
Licorice Pizza grossed $17,318,007 domestic, $15,958,068 international, totaling $33,276,075 worldwide.
Was Licorice Pizza (2021) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $33,276,075 against an estimated $100,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Licorice Pizza?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Sean Penn); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across Canada, United States of America.
How does Licorice Pizza's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $40,000,000, Licorice Pizza is classified as a mid-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2020s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 42 (2013, $40,000,000); A Few Good Men (1992, $40,000,000); Big Trouble (2002, $40,000,000).
Did Licorice Pizza (2021) 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 Licorice Pizza?
The theatrical ROI was -16.8%, calculated as ($33,276,075 − $40,000,000) ÷ $40,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Licorice Pizza (2021) win?
Nominated for 3 Oscars. 61 wins & 197 nominations total.
Who directed Licorice Pizza and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, written by Paul Thomas Anderson, shot by Paul Thomas Anderson, Michael Bauman, with music by Jonny Greenwood, edited by Andy Jurgensen.
Where was Licorice Pizza filmed?
Licorice Pizza was filmed in Canada, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Licorice Pizza
Official Trailer
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