Maleficent Budget
FantasyAdventureActionFamilyRomance1h 37mUpdated
Synopsis
Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king’s newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficent realizes that Aurora may hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever.
What is the budget of Maleficent?
"Maleficent," a fantasy released in 2014, was directed by Robert Stromberg and stars Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning. The production budget was $180,000,000, placing it in the blockbuster range for fantasy productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a fantasy production like this include:
- Visual Effects & Creature Design: Fantasy productions require extensive VFX for magical elements, mythical creatures, and fantastical battle sequences.
- Costumes, Prosthetic Makeup & Production Design: Period-inspired or wholly original costumes, elaborate prosthetic and makeup applications, and richly detailed set construction are hallmarks of fantasy filmmaking.
- Music Score & Sound Design: Fantasy epics typically commission full orchestral scores recorded with 80 to 100 piece ensembles, plus extensive sound design for magical effects, creature vocalizations, and immersive world audio.
What were the major cost factors in Maleficent?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Maleficent."
- Visual Effects: Visual Effects & Creature Design is one of the primary cost drivers in fantasy productions of this scale.
- Costumes: Costumes, Prosthetic Makeup & Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in fantasy productions of this scale.
- Music Score: Music Score & Sound Design is one of the primary cost drivers in fantasy productions of this scale.
How Does Maleficent's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $180,000,000, Maleficent sits in the blockbuster range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Doctor Strange (2016): Budget $180,000,000, Worldwide Gross $676,343,174
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016): Budget $180,000,000, Worldwide Gross $809,342,332
- Edge of Tomorrow (2014): Budget $178,000,000, Worldwide Gross $370,541,256
- Jupiter Ascending (2015): Budget $176,000,000, Worldwide Gross $184,000,000
- The Dark Knight (2008): Budget $185,000,000, Worldwide Gross $1,004,558,444
The median budget for wide-release fantasy films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Maleficent Box Office Performance
"Maleficent" earned $241,410,378 domestically and $758,539,785 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $180,000,000, 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 "Maleficent," that break-even threshold was roughly $360,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $758,539,785, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $180,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $758,539,785
- Net Return: $578,539,785
- ROI: approximately 321.4%
At 321.4%, "Maleficent" earned roughly $4.21 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 12 wins & 44 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Maleficent (2014)?
The production budget was $180,000,000, covering principal photography, visual effects, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $90,000,000 - $144,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $270,000,000 - $324,000,000.
How much did Maleficent (2014) earn at the box office?
Maleficent grossed $241,410,378 domestic, $517,129,407 international, totaling $758,539,785 worldwide.
Was Maleficent (2014) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $180,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$450,000,000, the film earned $758,539,785 theatrically - a 321% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Maleficent?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Imelda Staunton); VFX creature work, elaborate costume and prosthetic design, and orchestral scoring.
How does Maleficent's budget compare to similar fantasy films?
At $180,000,000, Maleficent is classified as a big-budget production. The median budget for wide-release fantasy films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Doctor Strange (2016, $180,000,000); Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016, $180,000,000); Edge of Tomorrow (2014, $178,000,000).
Did Maleficent (2014) 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 Maleficent?
The theatrical ROI was 321.4%, calculated as ($758,539,785 − $180,000,000) ÷ $180,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Maleficent (2014) win?
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 12 wins & 44 nominations total.
Who directed Maleficent and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Robert Stromberg, written by Linda Woolverton, shot by Dean Semler, with music by James Newton Howard, edited by Richard Pearson, Chris Lebenzon.
Where was Maleficent filmed?
Maleficent was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Maleficent
Official Trailer
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