On the Basis of Sex Budget
DramaHistory2hUpdated
Synopsis
A true story that follows young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she teams with her husband Marty to bring a groundbreaking case before the U.S. Court of Appeals and overturn a century of gender discrimination.
What is the budget of On the Basis of Sex?
"On the Basis of Sex," a drama released in 2018, was directed by Mimi Leder and stars Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer. The production budget was $20,000,000, placing it in the mid-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.
- Writing: The film's script, written by Daniel Stiepleman who is Ginsburg's nephew, had made the 2014 blacklist of the best unproduced screenplays of the year.
What were the major cost factors in On the Basis of Sex?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "On the Basis of Sex."
- 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 On the Basis of Sex's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $20,000,000, On the Basis of Sex sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 12 Years a Slave (2013): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $187,000,000
- 21 Grams (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $60,427,839
- 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $11,798,854
- A Guy Thing (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $17,400,000
- A Most Violent Year (2014): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $12,007,070
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
On the Basis of Sex Box Office Performance
"On the Basis of Sex" earned $24,704,837 domestically and $38,755,968 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $20,000,000, the film showed modest profitability in theatrical release.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "On the Basis of Sex," that break-even threshold was roughly $40,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $38,755,968, the film fell short of that threshold but recouped its production costs in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $20,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $38,755,968
- Net Return: $18,755,968
- ROI: approximately 93.8%
At 93.8%, "On the Basis of Sex" returned its production investment but margin was tight after marketing and distribution costs.
On the Basis of Sex Production History
The film's script, written by Daniel Stiepleman who is Ginsburg's nephew, had made the 2014 blacklist of the best unproduced screenplays of the year.
Natalie Portman had previously been linked to the role of Ginsburg. On July 18, 2017, Deadline reported that Jones would play the role of Ginsburg in the film. The cast was completed by Justin Theroux, Kathy Bates, Sam Waterston, Jack Reynor, Stephen Root and Cailee Spaeny in October as filming commenced.
Awards and Recognition
4 wins & 12 nominations total
Critical Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average of . The website's critical consensus reads, "On the Basis of Sex is nowhere near as groundbreaking as its real-life subject, but her extraordinary life makes a solid case for itself as an inspirational, well-acted biopic." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 59 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make On the Basis of Sex (2018)?
The production budget was $20,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $10,000,000 - $16,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $30,000,000 - $36,000,000.
How much did On the Basis of Sex (2018) earn at the box office?
On the Basis of Sex grossed $24,704,837 domestic, $14,051,131 international, totaling $38,755,968 worldwide.
Was On the Basis of Sex (2018) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $38,755,968 against an estimated $50,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing On the Basis of Sex?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does On the Basis of Sex's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $20,000,000, On the Basis of Sex is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 12 Years a Slave (2013, $20,000,000); 21 Grams (2003, $20,000,000); 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994, $20,000,000).
Did On the Basis of Sex (2018) 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 On the Basis of Sex?
The theatrical ROI was 93.8%, calculated as ($38,755,968 − $20,000,000) ÷ $20,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did On the Basis of Sex (2018) win?
4 wins & 12 nominations total.
Who directed On the Basis of Sex and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Mimi Leder, written by Daniel Stiepleman, shot by Michael Grady, with music by Mychael Danna, edited by Michelle Tesoro.
Where was On the Basis of Sex filmed?
On the Basis of Sex was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
On the Basis of Sex
Official Trailer
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