Mei Ren Yu Budget
ComedyFantasyRomance1h 34mUpdated
Synopsis
The story follows what happens after a mermaid saves a professor who then falls in love with her.
What is the budget of Mei Ren Yu?
"Mei Ren Yu," a comedy released in 2016, was directed by Stephen Chow and stars Lin Yun, Deng Chao. The production budget was $60,720,000, placing it in the high-budget range for comedy productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a comedy production like this include:
- Talent Salaries & Producing Deals: Established comedic talent can command $15 to 20 million per film, with top-tier stars earning even more through producing credits and backend deals.
- Production & Location Filming: While comedies generally avoid the VFX costs of action films, location shooting in recognizable cities or exotic locales adds meaningful production expense.
- Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising): Comedies rely heavily on marketing to build opening-weekend momentum.
- Filming & Locations: The Mermaid began filming in October 2014, with shoots taking place in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Dongguan, and in Beijing.
What were the major cost factors in Mei Ren Yu?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Mei Ren Yu."
- Talent Salaries: Talent Salaries & Producing Deals is one of the primary cost drivers in comedy productions of this scale.
- Production: Production & Location Filming is one of the primary cost drivers in comedy productions of this scale.
- Marketing: Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising) is one of the primary cost drivers in comedy productions of this scale.
How Does Mei Ren Yu's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $60,720,000, Mei Ren Yu sits in the high-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 2 Guns (2013): Budget $61,000,000, Worldwide Gross $131,940,411
- Gone Girl (2014): Budget $61,000,000, Worldwide Gross $370,890,259
- 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
The median budget for wide-release comedy films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Mei Ren Yu Box Office Performance
"Mei Ren Yu" earned $3,232,685 domestically and $553,810,228 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $60,720,000, 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 "Mei Ren Yu," that break-even threshold was roughly $121,440,000. With worldwide earnings of $553,810,228, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $60,720,000
- Worldwide Gross: $553,810,228
- Net Return: $493,090,228
- ROI: approximately 812.1%
At 812.1%, "Mei Ren Yu" earned roughly $9.12 for every $1 invested in production.
Mei Ren Yu Production History
The Mermaid began filming in October 2014, with shoots taking place in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Dongguan, and in Beijing. Before the filming, confirmed cast members include Deng Chao, Show Lo, Zhang Yuqi, and newcomer Lin Yun was from a talent contest held specifically for The Mermaid in Shenzhen. The film's production was a well-kept secret.
The theme song of The Mermaid is titled "Invincible". The song was written and composed by Stephen Chow and performed by Deng Chao. Film score composer Raymond Wong (Shaolin Soccer, Kung Fu Hustle, CJ7 and Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons) made the arrangement, while the music producer Patrick Tsang (who produced records for Faye Wong, Eason Chan and more) mixed it.
Awards and Recognition
8 wins & 14 nominations total
Critical Reception
Response to the film was generally positive. It earned a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 37 critic reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Mermaid requires a willingness to embrace the strange, but backs up its wacky flights of fancy with a big-hearted fairy tale and a resonant message." It earned a 69% score on Metacritic.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did The Mermaid (2016) cost to make?
The Mermaid (Mei Ren Yu) was produced on a budget of approximately $60,500,000, financed by China Film Group, Bingo Group, and Edko Films. The investment reflected Stephen Chow's status as the highest-paid director-producer in Chinese cinema and the ambition of a 3D-shot environmental fantasy on the scale of his previous Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (2013).
How much did The Mermaid earn at the box office?
The film grossed an extraordinary $526,848,189 worldwide, of which approximately $526,000,000 came from China alone. It became the highest-grossing Chinese film of all time at the point of release, a record held until Wolf Warrior 2 (2017). Worldwide it returned approximately $8.70 in theatrical revenue for every $1 of production spend.
Who directed The Mermaid?
Stephen Chow directed the film. Chow is the writer, director, and producer behind Kung Fu Hustle (2004) and Shaolin Soccer (2001), and remains one of the most commercially successful filmmakers in Chinese cinema. The Mermaid was his first directorial credit since Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (2013).
Who starred in The Mermaid?
The film starred Lin Yun (Jelly Lin) as the mermaid Shan, in her feature debut. Deng Chao played the businessman Liu Xuan. The supporting cast included Show Lo, Zhang Yuqi, and a cameo by Kris Wu. Stephen Chow did not appear on camera, breaking with his earlier practice of starring in his own films.
Where was The Mermaid filmed?
Principal photography took place in mainland China, with extensive water-tank work at film studios in Shanghai and on-location shooting along the Guangdong coast. The underwater sequences were achieved through a combination of practical tank photography and CGI augmentation.
Why did The Mermaid become such a phenomenon in China?
The film opened on Chinese New Year 2016, the most lucrative release window in the Chinese exhibition calendar, and benefited from Stephen Chow's pre-built family-audience base. Its environmentalist anti-corporate message aligned with state-supported cultural priorities, and the lack of competing domestic releases that holiday allowed it to dominate screens for weeks.
What did critics think of The Mermaid?
The film holds a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on limited Western critic coverage. In China it received broadly positive reviews from Sina, Mtime, and Douban, where audience scores hovered around 7 out of 10. Western critics who reviewed the limited North American release described it as goofy, sincere, and visually inventive, in the established Stephen Chow tradition.
Did The Mermaid win any awards?
The film won Best Visual Effects at the Hong Kong Film Awards 2017 and was nominated in multiple Chinese-language industry ceremonies including the Asian Film Awards. Stephen Chow received Best Director nominations at several festivals. The film was submitted by Hong Kong for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2017 Oscars but was not shortlisted.
How does The Mermaid compare to other 2016 Chinese films?
Its $526,848,189 worldwide gross was more than double the second-highest Chinese release of 2016, Operation Mekong ($188,000,000). It outgrossed every Hollywood release in the Chinese market for 2016, including Warcraft and Captain America: Civil War. Only Furious 7 (2015) had grossed more in China to that point.
Was there a Mermaid sequel?
A sequel titled The Mermaid 2 was filmed in 2018 with much of the original cast but has been repeatedly delayed and as of 2026 remains unreleased. Distribution complications and post-production challenges have kept the film in limbo despite multiple announced release dates.
Official Trailer
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