Production Budget Analysis

What was the production budget for Love Lies Bleeding?

Directed by Rose Glass, with Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Ed Harris leading the cast, Love Lies Bleeding was produced by Film4 Productions with a confirmed budget of $10,000,000, placing it in the low-budget category for crime films.

At $10,000,000, Love Lies Bleeding was produced on a modest budget. Lower-budget films benefit from reduced break-even thresholds, with profitability achievable at approximately $25,000,000.

Budget Comparison — Similar Productions

• By the Sea (2015): Budget $10,000,000 | Gross $3,727,746 → ROI: -63% • Eye for an Eye (2025): Budget $10,000,000 | Gross N/A • Goal! (2005): Budget $10,000,000 | Gross $27,610,873 → ROI: 176% • Phantom (2013): Budget $10,000,000 | Gross $1,197,759 → ROI: -88% • War of the Worlds (2025): Budget $10,000,000 | Gross N/A

Key Budget Allocation Categories

▸ Talent & Director Compensation Thrillers depend on compelling lead performances to sustain tension, making cast compensation a primary budget concern. Directors with proven thriller credentials command premium fees.

▸ Cinematography & Location Photography Thriller aesthetics demand specific visual languages — surveillance-style photography, claustrophobic framing, or expansive location work across multiple cities or countries.

▸ Editorial & Sound Post-Production Precision editing — controlling information flow, building suspense through pacing, and orchestrating reveals — requires extended post-production schedules.

Key Production Personnel

CAST: Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Ed Harris, Dave Franco, Jena Malone Key roles: Kristen Stewart as Lou; Katy O'Brian as Jackie; Ed Harris as Lou Sr.; Dave Franco as JJ

DIRECTOR: Rose Glass CINEMATOGRAPHY: Ben Fordesman MUSIC: Clint Mansell EDITING: Mark Towns PRODUCTION: Film4 Productions, Escape Plan, A24, Lobo Films FILMED IN: United Kingdom, United States of America

Box Office Performance

Love Lies Bleeding earned $8,335,797 domestically and $4,442,428 internationally, for a worldwide total of $12,778,225. The film skewed heavily domestic (65%), suggesting strong North American appeal.

Break-Even Analysis

Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), Love Lies Bleeding needed approximately $25,000,000 to break even. The film fell $12,221,775 short in theatrical revenue. Ancillary streams (home media, streaming, TV) may have bridged the gap.

Return on Investment (ROI)

Revenue: $12,778,225 Budget: $10,000,000 Net: $2,778,225 ROI: 27.8%

Detailed Box Office Notes

Love Lies Bleeding grossed $8.3 million in the United States and Canada and $4.2 million in other territories for a total of $12.5 million.

In its opening weekend, the film made $276,618 from five theaters, a per-venue average of $55,324. Expanding to 1,362 theaters the following weekend, the film made $2.5 million, finishing sixth at the box office.

Profitability Assessment

VERDICT: Modestly Profitable

Love Lies Bleeding earned $12,778,225 against a $10,000,000 budget (28% ROI). Full profitability was likely achieved through ancillary revenue streams.

INDUSTRY IMPACT

PRODUCTION NOTES

▸ Production

Love Lies Bleeding is a co-production between A24 and Film4. It is the second film to be directed by English filmmaker Rose Glass. Kristen Stewart first mentioned her involvement in the film in March 2022, as she was a fan of Glass' previous work, Saint Maud (2019); her casting was confirmed in April. Anna Baryshnikov, Katy O'Brian, Dave Franco, Ed Harris, and Jena Malone joined the cast in June. O'Brian said in an interview that she had to audition for the part, her first leading role, six times.

Principal photography began in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in June 2022. Production concluded by August 2022.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Summary: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award5 wins & 49 nominations total

! rowspan="4" scope="row"| Astra Midseason Movie Awards

! scope="row" | Belgian Film Critics Association

! rowspan="12" scope="row"| British Independent Film Awards

! scope="row"| Golden Trailer Awards

! scope="row"| Gotham Awards

! scope="row"| Independent Spirit Awards

! scope="row"| National Board of Review

CRITICAL RECEPTION

Audiences polled by PostTrak gave the film a 78% overall positive score with an average 3.5 out of 5 stars. Saffron Maeve, for the Toronto Star, gave the film 3.5 stars out of 4, writing that "Love Lies Bleeding becomes increasingly convoluted [...] But this narrative estrangement is grounded in intention".

Director John Waters ranked Love Lies Bleeding first in a list of his favorite movies of 2024, saying the "hilarious, bloody film noir is the best movie of the year, one that Russ Meyer might have made if he had been a lesbian intellectual addicted to steroids."