Nine Days Budget
DramaFantasy2h 4mUpdated
Synopsis
Will (Winston Duke) spends his days in a remote outpost watching the live Point of View (POV) on TV's of people going about their lives, until one subject perishes, leaving a vacancy for a new life on earth. Soon, several candidates - unborn souls - arrive at Will's to undergo tests determining their fitness, facing oblivion when they are deemed unsuitable. But Will soon faces his own existential challenge in the form of free-spirited Emma (Zazie Beetz), a candidate who is not like the others, forcing him to turn within and reckon with his own tumultuous past. Fueled by unexpected power, he discovers a bold new path forward in his own life. Making his feature-film debut after a series of highly acclaimed and award-winning short films and music videos, Japanese Brazilian director Edson Oda delivers a heartfelt and meditative vision of human souls in limbo, aching to be born against unimaginable odds, yet hindered by forces beyond their will.
What is the budget of Nine Days?
"Nine Days," a drama released in 2021, was directed by Edson Oda and stars Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz. The production budget was $10,000,000, placing it in the low-budget range for drama productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a drama 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.
- Casting: Winston Duke read the screenplay after working on Us and was immediately interested in its depiction of mental illness and depression.
What were the major cost factors in Nine Days?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Nine Days."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
How Does Nine Days's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $10,000,000, Nine Days sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- By the Sea (2015): Budget $10,000,000, Worldwide Gross $3,727,746
- Eye for an Eye (2025): Budget $10,000,000
- Goal! (2005): Budget $10,000,000, Worldwide Gross $27,610,873
- Phantom (2013): Budget $10,000,000, Worldwide Gross $1,197,759
- War of the Worlds (2025): Budget $10,000,000
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2020s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Nine Days Box Office Performance
"Nine Days" earned $694,849 domestically and $969,204 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $10,000,000, 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 "Nine Days," that break-even threshold was roughly $20,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $969,204, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $10,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $969,204
- Net Return: −$9,030,796
- ROI: approximately -90.3%
At -90.3%, "Nine Days" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Nine Days Production History
Winston Duke read the screenplay after working on Us and was immediately interested in its depiction of mental illness and depression. Duke sat down with Oda for a meeting, which turned into a four-hour conversation about various topics ranging from filmmaking to content they both enjoyed to a discussion about life as an immigrant. As Oda described it, "It was almost like, I don't know, love at first sight.
The cast had rehearsals for two weeks. Cinematographer Wyatt Garfield cited Schindler's List (1993), Seven (1995), Taking Off (1971), and There Will Be Blood (2007) as inspirations for the interview scenes and Gregory Crewdson as a point of reference for lighting. Garfield said there were two distinct locations in the film.
Awards and Recognition
5 wins & 22 nominations total
Critical Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, of critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of . The website's critical consensus reads, "A knockout feature directorial debut from Edson Oda, Nine Days is an ethereal and evocative film about the meaning of life , elevated by a phenomenal performance from Winston Duke." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 72 out of 100 based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Nine Days (2021)?
The production budget was $10,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $5,000,000 - $8,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $15,000,000 - $18,000,000.
How much did Nine Days (2021) earn at the box office?
Nine Days grossed $694,849 domestic, $274,355 international, totaling $969,204 worldwide.
Was Nine Days (2021) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $969,204 against an estimated $25,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Nine Days?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, Benedict Wong); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Nine Days's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $10,000,000, Nine Days is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2020s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: By the Sea (2015, $10,000,000); Eye for an Eye (2025, $10,000,000); Goal! (2005, $10,000,000).
Did Nine Days (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 Nine Days?
The theatrical ROI was -90.3%, calculated as ($969,204 − $10,000,000) ÷ $10,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Nine Days (2021) win?
5 wins & 22 nominations total.
Who directed Nine Days and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Edson Oda, written by Edson Oda, shot by Wyatt Garfield, with music by Antonio Pinto, edited by Michael Taylor, Jeff Betancourt.
Where was Nine Days filmed?
Nine Days was filmed in United States of America. The cast had rehearsals for two weeks. Cinematographer Wyatt Garfield cited Schindler's List (1993), Seven (1995), Taking Off (1971), and There Will Be Blood (2007) as inspirations for the interview scenes and Gregory Crewdson as a point of reference for lighting. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Nine Days
Official Trailer
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