Poor Things Budget
Science FictionRomanceComedy2h 21mUpdated
Synopsis
An account of the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter.
What is the budget of Poor Things?
"Poor Things," a science fiction released in 2023, was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and stars Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo. The production budget was $35,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for science fiction productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a science fiction production like this include:
- Visual Effects & CGI Pipeline: Sci-fi films are among the most VFX-intensive productions in Hollywood.
- Production Design & World-Building: Creating a believable sci-fi world required significant investment in set construction, prop fabrication, and conceptual design , from physical environments through LED volume stages and virtual production technology.
- Technology & Camera Systems: Cutting-edge camera rigs, motion capture stages, LED volume stages (virtual production), and proprietary rendering technology often push the technical budget far beyond conventional filming costs.
What were the major cost factors in Poor Things?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Poor Things."
- Visual Effects: Visual Effects & CGI Pipeline is one of the primary cost drivers in science fiction productions of this scale.
- Production Design: Production Design & World-Building is one of the primary cost drivers in science fiction productions of this scale.
- Technology: Technology & Camera Systems is one of the primary cost drivers in science fiction productions of this scale.
How Does Poor Things's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $35,000,000, Poor Things sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 1941 (1979): Budget $35,000,000, Worldwide Gross $94,900,000
- Two for the Money (2005): Budget $35,000,000, Worldwide Gross $30,526,509
- Ghost Ship (2002): Budget $35,000,000, Worldwide Gross $71,142,361
- Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022): Budget $35,000,000
- Lion of the Desert (1981): Budget $35,000,000, Worldwide Gross $1,502,136
The median budget for wide-release science fiction films in the 2020s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Poor Things Box Office Performance
"Poor Things" earned $34,553,225 domestically and $117,607,117 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $35,000,000, the film performed strongly at the box office.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Poor Things," that break-even threshold was roughly $70,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $117,607,117, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $35,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $117,607,117
- Net Return: $82,607,117
- ROI: approximately 236%
At 236%, "Poor Things" earned roughly $3.36 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
Won 4 Oscars. 120 wins & 427 nominations total
- Amanda Award for Best Foreign Feature Film (Q126733652)
- FIPRESCI Grand Prix
- Golden Lion
- Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture: Musical or Comedy
- Academy Award for Best Production Design (96th Academy Awards)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Poor Things (2023)?
The production budget was $35,000,000, covering principal photography, visual effects, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $17,500,000 - $28,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $52,500,000 - $63,000,000.
How much did Poor Things (2023) earn at the box office?
Poor Things grossed $34,553,225 domestic, $83,053,892 international, totaling $117,607,117 worldwide.
Was Poor Things (2023) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $35,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$87,500,000, the film earned $117,607,117 theatrically - a 236% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Poor Things?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe); visual effects pipelines, virtual production technology, and speculative world-building; international production across Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America.
How does Poor Things's budget compare to similar science fiction films?
At $35,000,000, Poor Things is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release science fiction films in the 2020s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 1941 (1979, $35,000,000); Two for the Money (2005, $35,000,000); Ghost Ship (2002, $35,000,000).
Did Poor Things (2023) 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 Poor Things?
The theatrical ROI was 236.0%, calculated as ($117,607,117 − $35,000,000) ÷ $35,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Poor Things (2023) win?
Won 4 Oscars. 120 wins & 427 nominations total.
Who directed Poor Things and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, written by Tony McNamara, shot by Robbie Ryan, with music by Jerskin Fendrix, edited by Yorgos Mavropsaridis.
Where was Poor Things filmed?
Poor Things was filmed in Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Poor Things
Official Trailer
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