London Has Fallen Budget
ActionThriller1h 39mUpdated
Synopsis
In London for the Prime Minister’s funeral, Mike Banning discovers a plot to assassinate all the attending world leaders.
What is the budget of London Has Fallen?
"London Has Fallen," an action released in 2016, was directed by Babak Najafi and stars Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart. The production budget was $60,000,000, placing it in the high-budget range for action productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for an action production like this include:
- Stunts, Action Sequences & Visual Effects: Action films allocate a substantial portion of their budget to choreographing and executing practical stunts, pyrotechnics, and CGI-heavy sequences.
- Above-the-Line Talent (Cast & Director): A-list talent commands significant upfront fees plus backend participation.
- Production Design, Sets & Locations: Action films frequently require multiple international shooting locations, large-scale set construction, vehicle acquisitions and modifications, and specialized equipment , all of which drive production costs well above those of dialogue-driven genres.
- Casting: In October 2013, it was announced that Butler, Eckhart, Freeman, Bassett, Leo, Forster and Mitchell would reprise their roles from Olympus Has Fallen.
What were the major cost factors in London Has Fallen?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "London Has Fallen."
- Stunts: Stunts, Action Sequences & Visual Effects is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
- Above-the-Line Talent (Cast: Above-the-Line Talent (Cast & Director) is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
- Production Design: Production Design, Sets & Locations is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
How Does London Has Fallen's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $60,000,000, London Has Fallen sits in the high-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 15 Minutes (2001): Budget $60,000,000, Worldwide Gross $56,359,980
- Almost Famous (2000): Budget $60,000,000, Worldwide Gross $47,386,287
- Analyze That (2002): Budget $60,000,000, Worldwide Gross $55,003,135
- Antz (1998): Budget $60,000,000, Worldwide Gross $171,757,863
- Cats & Dogs (2001): Budget $60,000,000, Worldwide Gross $200,687,492
The median budget for wide-release action films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
London Has Fallen Box Office Performance
"London Has Fallen" earned $62,524,260 domestically and $205,754,447 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $60,000,000, the film performed strongly at the box office.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "London Has Fallen," that break-even threshold was roughly $120,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $205,754,447, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $60,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $205,754,447
- Net Return: $145,754,447
- ROI: approximately 242.9%
At 242.9%, "London Has Fallen" earned roughly $3.43 for every $1 invested in production.
London Has Fallen Production History
In October 2013, it was announced that Butler, Eckhart, Freeman, Bassett, Leo, Forster and Mitchell would reprise their roles from Olympus Has Fallen. Production had been scheduled to begin in May 2015 in London, with Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt returning to write the script. Director Antoine Fuqua, however, did not return, due to his commitments with The Equalizer.
Principal photography began on October 24, 2014, in London. Four weeks of shooting were to take place, involving actors Freeman, Eckhart, Bassett and Melissa Leo, before a break for Christmas. Butler and Angela Bassett were seen filming in Somerset House.
Awards and Recognition
1 win & 2 nominations total
Critical Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 28% based on 197 reviews, with an average rating of 4.10/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "London Has Fallen traps a talented cast,and all who dare to see it,in a mid-1990s basic-cable nightmare of a film loaded with xenophobia and threadbare action-thriller clichés." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 28 out of 100, based on reviews from 35 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale, the same score as the first film.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did London Has Fallen cost to make?
The production budget was $60,000,000, double the $30,000,000 budget of Olympus Has Fallen (2013). Millennium Films and Gerard Butler's G-Base produced the sequel, with Focus Features handling North American distribution.
How much did London Has Fallen earn at the box office?
The film grossed $62,524,260 domestically and $142,995,000 internationally, for a worldwide total of $205,519,260. It opened to $21,627,000 on March 4, 2016, finishing second behind Zootopia in its second weekend.
Who stars in London Has Fallen?
Gerard Butler returns as Secret Service agent Mike Banning. Aaron Eckhart returns as President Benjamin Asher and Morgan Freeman returns as Vice President Allan Trumbull. Supporting cast includes Angela Bassett, Robert Forster, Melissa Leo, Radha Mitchell, and Alon Aboutboul as the antagonist Aamir Barkawi.
Who directed London Has Fallen?
Babak Najafi directed the film, replacing Antoine Fuqua from the original. Najafi is an Iranian-Swedish filmmaker whose previous credits included the Swedish thriller Easy Money II: Hard to Kill (2012). London Has Fallen was his first major Hollywood production.
Where was London Has Fallen filmed?
Principal photography took place in London, Sofia, Bulgaria, and various locations standing in for Whitehall, Downing Street, and Westminster. Sofia hosted significant interior work at Nu Boyana Film Studios, taking advantage of Bulgaria's lower production costs relative to UK locations.
What did critics think of London Has Fallen?
The film received largely negative reviews, with a 27% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 28 out of 100 score on Metacritic. Audiences gave the film a B+ CinemaScore. Critics objected to the broad depiction of Middle Eastern antagonists while praising the action choreography.
Was London Has Fallen profitable?
Yes. Against the $60,000,000 budget and an estimated $50,000,000 to $60,000,000 in worldwide marketing spend, the worldwide gross of $205,519,260 produced a solid theatrical profit. Home video, cable broadcast, and later streaming revenue extended profitability further.
How does London Has Fallen compare to Olympus Has Fallen?
London Has Fallen outgrossed Olympus Has Fallen ($170,300,000 worldwide on a $30,000,000 budget) on absolute box office while doubling the production budget. Olympus produced a higher ROI relative to its cost, but London established the property as a viable global franchise.
Did London Has Fallen get a sequel?
Yes. Angel Has Fallen (2019) continued the franchise with a $60,000,000 budget, grossing $147,400,000 worldwide. A fourth installment titled Night Has Fallen has been in development with Gerard Butler attached since 2021.
Where can I stream London Has Fallen?
The film is available for digital rental and purchase on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play. It periodically rotates through subscription services including Netflix, Hulu, and Paramount+ depending on regional output deals.
Official Trailer
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