
Palm Springs
Synopsis
While stuck at a wedding in Palm Springs, Nyles (Andy Samberg) meets Sarah (Cristin Milioti), the maid of honor and family black sheep. After he rescues her from a disastrous toast, Sarah becomes drawn to Nyles and his offbeat nihilism. But when their impromptu tryst is thwarted by a surreal interruption, Sarah must join Nyles in embracing the idea that nothing really matters, and they begin wreaking spirited havoc on the wedding celebration.
Production Budget Analysis
What was the production budget for Palm Springs?
Directed by Max Barbakow, with Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons leading the cast, Palm Springs was produced by Limelight with a confirmed budget of $5,000,000, placing it in the micro-budget category for comedy films.
At $5,000,000, Palm Springs was produced on a modest budget. Lower-budget films benefit from reduced break-even thresholds, with profitability achievable at approximately $12,500,000.
Budget Comparison — Similar Productions
• Come and See (1985): Budget $5,000,000 | Gross $20,929,648 → ROI: 319% • Cinema Paradiso (1988): Budget $5,000,000 | Gross $35,962,062 → ROI: 619% • Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985): Budget $5,000,000 | Gross $502,758 → ROI: -90% • Once Upon a Time in the West (1968): Budget $5,000,000 | Gross $5,380,118 → ROI: 8% • A Separation (2011): Budget $5,000,000 | Gross $24,426,169 → ROI: 389%
Key Budget Allocation Categories
▸ Talent Salaries & Producing Deals Established comedic talent can command $15–20 million per film, with top-tier stars earning even more through producing credits and backend deals. Comedy ensembles multiply this cost across several well-known performers.
▸ 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. Studios typically spend 50–100% of the production budget on marketing, with comedy trailers and social media campaigns being particularly expensive.
Key Production Personnel
CAST: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons, Peter Gallagher, Meredith Hagner Key roles: Andy Samberg as Nyles; Cristin Milioti as Sarah; J.K. Simmons as Roy; Peter Gallagher as Howard
DIRECTOR: Max Barbakow CINEMATOGRAPHY: Quyen Tran MUSIC: Matthew Compton EDITING: Andrew Dickler, Matthew Friedman PRODUCTION: Limelight, The Lonely Island, Sun Entertainment Culture Los Angeles FILMED IN: United States of America
Box Office Performance
Palm Springs earned $164,000 domestically and $1,654,417 internationally, for a worldwide total of $1,818,417. International markets drove the majority of revenue (91%), indicating strong global appeal.
Break-Even Analysis
Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), Palm Springs needed approximately $12,500,000 to break even. The film fell $10,681,583 short in theatrical revenue. Ancillary streams (home media, streaming, TV) may have bridged the gap.
Return on Investment (ROI)
Revenue: $1,818,417 Budget: $5,000,000 Net: $-3,181,583 ROI: -63.6%
Profitability Assessment
VERDICT: Unprofitable (Theatrical)
Palm Springs earned $1,818,417 against a $5,000,000 budget (-64% ROI), falling short of theatrical profitability. Ancillary revenue may have reduced the deficit.
INDUSTRY IMPACT
The underperformance may have increased risk aversion around micro-budget comedy productions.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Summary: 16 wins & 43 nominations total









































































































































































































































































































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