"Love in the Time of Cholera" is a romantic drama based on Gabriel García Márquez's acclaimed novel. Set in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the story follows the enduring love between Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza. Their paths first cross in their youth, igniting a passionate but unfulfilled romance. Fermina ultimately marries a wealthy and respectable man, leaving Florentino heartbroken yet resolute in his devotion. Over the decades, he engages in numerous affairs, all the while holding onto the hope of rekindling his love for Fermina. As time passes, the film explores themes of love, obsession, and the passage of time, culminating in a poignant reunion that challenges the boundaries of love and fidelity. The lush cinematography and rich period details transport viewers to a world where love persists against all odds, making it a timeless tale of longing and resilience.

What is the budget of Love in the Time of Cholera?

"Love in the Time of Cholera," a drama released in 2007, was directed by Mike Newell and stars Javier Bardem, Giovanna Mezzogiorno. The production budget was $45,000,000, 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 Love in the Time of Cholera?

Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Love in the Time of Cholera."

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 Love in the Time of Cholera's Budget Compare to Similar Films?

At $45,000,000, Love in the Time of Cholera sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:

65 (2023): Budget $45,000,000, Worldwide Gross $60,730,568
Across the Universe (2007): Budget $45,000,000, Worldwide Gross $29,625,761
Aliens in the Attic (2009): Budget $45,000,000, Worldwide Gross $57,881,056
Bangkok Dangerous (2008): Budget $45,000,000, Worldwide Gross $42,487,390
Chicken Run (2000): Budget $45,000,000, Worldwide Gross $224,834,564

The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2000s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.

Love in the Time of Cholera Box Office Performance

"Love in the Time of Cholera" earned $4,607,608 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $45,000,000, 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 "Love in the Time of Cholera," that break-even threshold was roughly $90,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $4,607,608, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.

Production Budget: $45,000,000
Worldwide Gross: $4,607,608
Net Return: −$40,392,392
ROI: approximately -89.8%

At -89.8%, "Love in the Time of Cholera" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.

Awards and Recognition

1 win & 8 nominations total

Critical Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 26% based on reviews from 111 critics, with an average rating of 4.7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Though beautifully filmed, the makers of Love in the Time of Cholera fail to transfer the novel's magic to the screen." On Metacritic, the film had an average score of 43 out of 100, based on 29 reviews, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.