Onward Budget
AnimationFamilyFantasyAdventureComedy1h 42mUpdated
Synopsis
Set in a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left out there.
What is the budget of Onward?
"Onward," a animation released in 2020, was directed by Dan Scanlon and stars Tom Holland, Chris Pratt. The production budget was $200,000,000, placing it in the blockbuster range for animation productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a animation production like this include:
- Animation Production Pipeline: The bulk of an animated film's budget funds the multi-year production pipeline: storyboarding, character modeling, rigging, animation, lighting, rendering, and compositing.
- Voice Talent: Celebrity voice casting has become standard for studio animation, with A-list actors earning $5 to 15 million for voice roles.
- Music, Songs & Sound Design: Original songs and orchestral scores are central to animated storytelling. Sound design for animated worlds must be created entirely from scratch.
- Casting: On December 12, 2018, Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer were announced as starring in the film.
How Does Onward's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $200,000,000, Onward sits in the blockbuster range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 2012 (2009): Budget $200,000,000, Worldwide Gross $791,217,826
- Alice in Wonderland (2010): Budget $200,000,000, Worldwide Gross $1,025,467,110
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023): Budget $200,000,000 , Gross $476,071,180
- Argylle (2024): Budget $200,000,000, Worldwide Gross $96,221,061
- Black Adam (2022): Budget $200,000,000, Worldwide Gross $393,452,111
The median budget for wide-release animation films in the 2020s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Onward Box Office Performance
"Onward" earned $61,555,145 domestically and $141,888,276 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $200,000,000, the film faced challenges in theatrical release. Home video, streaming, and ancillary revenue may have contributed to its overall performance.
- Production Budget: $200,000,000
- Estimated Prints & Advertising (P&A): approximately $175,000,000
- Total Estimated Investment: approximately $375,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $141,888,276
- Net Return: approximately -$58,111,724
- ROI: approximately -29%
At approximately -29%, Onward did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
At -29.1%, "Onward" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Onward Production History
On December 12, 2018, Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer were announced as starring in the film. While having recorded most of their lines separately, Holland and Pratt had some of their recording sessions together since, according to Scanlon, "they've worked together before and hung out together." Rae stated that Holland and Pratt improvised some of their lines while recording together. On December 17, 2019, Ali Wong, Lena Waithe and Mel Rodriguez joined the cast of the film.
On April 16, 2019, Mychael and Jeff Danna, who both previously worked with the studio on The Good Dinosaur (2015), were revealed to be the film's composers. On February 12, 2020, Brandi Carlile revealed she recorded the song "Carried Me With You" for the film's end credits, co-written with Phil and Tim Hanseroth. The film's soundtrack was released on February 28, 2020, seven days ahead of the film's release.
Awards and Recognition
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 4 wins & 64 nominations total
Critical Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The website's critics consensus reads, "It may suffer in comparison to Pixar's classics, but Onward makes effective use of the studio's formula , and stands on its own merits as a funny, heartwarming, dazzlingly animated adventure." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on 56 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Onward?
Pixar's Onward had a production budget of $200,000,000. The film was developed over six years by director Dan Scanlon, who drew inspiration from the death of his own father when Scanlon was very young.
How much did Onward earn at the box office?
Onward earned only $141,900,000 worldwide, with $61,600,000 from domestic (US and Canada) markets and $80,400,000 from international territories. The film's theatrical run was devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced most theaters to close within two weeks of its March 6, 2020 release.
Was Onward profitable?
No, Onward was not profitable at the box office. Against its $200,000,000 budget, the worldwide gross of $141,900,000 resulted in significant losses. The COVID-19 pandemic was the primary factor, as theater closures began just days after the film's release. Disney fast-tracked it to digital on March 20 and Disney+ on April 3, 2020.
What were the biggest costs in Onward?
Major expenses included six years of development and animation production, complex magic effects design that required studying films like Fantasia and Aladdin, hand-drawn animation that was converted to computer effects for magical sequences, and the voice cast featuring Tom Holland and Chris Pratt.
How does Onward's budget compare to other Pixar films?
At $200,000,000, Onward's budget is standard for Pixar productions. Toy Story 4 (2019) cost $175,000,000, Soul (2020) cost $150,000,000, Luca (2021) cost $200,000,000, and Turning Red (2022) cost $175,000,000. Pixar films typically fall in the $150,000,000 to $200,000,000 range.
Did Onward go over budget?
There are no public reports that Onward exceeded its planned budget during production. However, the catastrophic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its theatrical release meant the film fell far short of recouping its investment through traditional box office channels, leading to the accelerated digital and Disney+ release.
What was the ROI of Onward?
The theatrical ROI was deeply negative: ($141,900,000 minus $200,000,000) divided by $200,000,000 times 100 equals negative 29.1%. The pandemic made a fair assessment of the film's commercial potential impossible, as theaters worldwide closed within two weeks of its release.
What awards did Onward win?
Onward won the Saturn Award for Best Animated Film. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film, and the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film, but did not win any of these major awards.
Who directed Onward?
Dan Scanlon directed Onward. Scanlon previously directed Monsters University (2013) for Pixar. The story is deeply personal: it is based on the death of Scanlon's father in a car accident when Scanlon and his older brother were very young children. He was inspired after hearing an audio recording of his late father's voice.
Where was Onward filmed?
As a Pixar animated film, Onward was produced at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California. The fictional suburban fantasy world of New Mushroomton was inspired by American suburban landscapes, and the animators researched various real-world locations to blend modern suburban settings with fantastical medieval elements.
Filmmakers
Onward
Official Trailer
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