

Music Budget
Updated
Synopsis
Zu is newly sober and finding her way in the world when she receives news that she is to become the sole guardian of her half-sister named Music, a young girl on the autism spectrum. The film explores two of Sia's favorite themes, finding your voice and what it means to create family.
What is the budget of Music?
"Music," a music released in 2021, was directed by Sia and stars Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr.. The production budget was $16,000,000, placing it in the low-budget range for music productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a music 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 Music?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Music."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in music productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in music productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in music productions of this scale.
How Does Music's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $16,000,000, Music sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Nobody (2021): Budget $16,000,000, Worldwide Gross $57,512,470
- Thelma & Louise (1991): Budget $16,000,000, Worldwide Gross $45,361,000
- 10 Things I Hate About You (1999): Budget $16,000,000, Worldwide Gross $53,478,166
- Bones and All (2022): Budget $16,000,000, Worldwide Gross $15,234,907
- The Princess Bride (1987): Budget $16,000,000, Worldwide Gross $30,900,000
The median budget for wide-release music films in the 2020s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Music Box Office Performance
"Music" earned $645,949 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $16,000,000, 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 "Music," that break-even threshold was roughly $32,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $645,949, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $16,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $645,949
- Net Return: −$15,354,051
- ROI: approximately -96%
At -96%, "Music" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Awards and Recognition
4 wins & 3 nominations
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Music (2021)?
The production budget was $16,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $8,000,000 - $12,800,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $24,000,000 - $28,800,000.
How much did Music (2021) earn at the box office?
Music grossed $645,949 worldwide.
Was Music (2021) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $645,949 against an estimated $40,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Music?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr., Maddie Ziegler); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Music's budget compare to similar music films?
At $16,000,000, Music is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release music films in the 2020s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Nobody (2021, $16,000,000); Thelma & Louise (1991, $16,000,000); 10 Things I Hate About You (1999, $16,000,000).
Did Music (2021) 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 Music?
The theatrical ROI was -96.0%, calculated as ($645,949 − $16,000,000) ÷ $16,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Music (2021) win?
4 wins & 3 nominations.
Who directed Music and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Sia, written by Dallas Clayton, Sia, shot by Sebastian Winterø, with music by Craig Deleon, edited by Matt Chessé, Dana Congdon.
Where was Music filmed?
Music was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Music
Official Trailer


























































































Budget Templates
Build your own production budget
Create professional budgets with industry-standard feature film templates. Real-time collaboration, no spreadsheets.
Start Budgeting Free
