Ma Budget
HorrorThriller1h 39mUpdated
Synopsis
In this new psychological horror-thriller from Tate Taylor and Blumhouse, a lonely woman befriends a group of teenagers and decides to let them party at her house. Just when the kids think their luck couldn't get any better, things start happening that make them question the intention of their crazy host.
What is the budget of Ma?
"Ma," a horror released in 2019, was directed by Tate Taylor and stars Octavia Spencer, Juliette Lewis. The production budget was $5,000,000, placing it in the low-budget range for horror productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a horror production like this include:
- Practical Effects, Prosthetics & Makeup: Horror productions invest disproportionately in practical effects , prosthetic applications, animatronics, blood and gore effects, and creature suits. A single hero creature suit can cost $50,000 to 200,000.
- Atmospheric Production Design & Cinematography: Creating dread through environment is essential. Abandoned locations must be secured and dressed, lighting rigs designed for shadow and tension, and sets built to enable specific camera movements and reveals.
- Sound Design & Score: Horror is arguably the most sound-dependent genre. Foley work, ambient textures, frequency manipulation, and jump-scare stingers require specialized sound designers working with unconventional techniques.
What were the major cost factors in Ma?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Ma."
- Practical Effects: Practical Effects, Prosthetics & Makeup is one of the primary cost drivers in horror productions of this scale.
- Atmospheric Production Design: Atmospheric Production Design & Cinematography is one of the primary cost drivers in horror productions of this scale.
- Sound Design: Sound Design & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in horror productions of this scale.
How Does Ma's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $5,000,000, Ma sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Come and See (1985): Budget $5,000,000, Worldwide Gross $20,929,648
- Cinema Paradiso (1988): Budget $5,000,000, Worldwide Gross $35,962,062
- Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985): Budget $5,000,000 , Gross $502,758
- Once Upon a Time in the West (1968): Budget $5,000,000, Worldwide Gross $5,380,118
- A Separation (2011): Budget $5,000,000, Worldwide Gross $24,426,169
The median budget for wide-release horror films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Ma Box Office Performance
"Ma" earned $45,896,028 domestically and $61,220,856 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $5,000,000, 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 "Ma," that break-even threshold was roughly $10,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $61,220,856, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $5,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $61,220,856
- Net Return: $56,220,856
- ROI: approximately 1124.4%
At 1124.4%, "Ma" earned roughly $12.24 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
1 win & 8 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Ma (2019)?
The production budget was $5,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $2,500,000 - $4,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $7,500,000 - $9,000,000.
How much did Ma (2019) earn at the box office?
Ma grossed $45,896,028 domestic, $15,324,828 international, totaling $61,220,856 worldwide.
Was Ma (2019) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $5,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$12,500,000, the film earned $61,220,856 theatrically - a 1124% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Ma?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Octavia Spencer, Juliette Lewis, Diana Silvers); practical creature effects, atmospheric cinematography, and psychologically engineered sound design.
How does Ma's budget compare to similar horror films?
At $5,000,000, Ma is classified as a micro-budget production. The median budget for wide-release horror films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Come and See (1985, $5,000,000); Cinema Paradiso (1988, $5,000,000); Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985, $5,000,000).
Did Ma (2019) 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 Ma?
The theatrical ROI was 1124.4%, calculated as ($61,220,856 − $5,000,000) ÷ $5,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Ma (2019) win?
1 win & 8 nominations total.
Who directed Ma and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Tate Taylor, written by Scotty Landes, shot by Christina Alexandra Voros, with music by Gregory Tripi, edited by Lucy Donaldson, Lee Jin.
Where was Ma filmed?
Ma was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Ma
Official Trailer
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