Relic Budget
HorrorMystery1h 29mUpdated
Synopsis
When elderly mother Edna inexplicably vanishes, her daughter Kay and granddaughter Sam rush to their family's decaying country home, finding clues of her increasing dementia scattered around the house in her absence. After Edna returns just as mysteriously as she disappeared, Kay's concern that her mother seems unwilling or unable to say where she's been clashes with Sam's unabashed enthusiasm to have her grandma back. As Edna's behavior turns increasingly volatile, both begin to sense that an insidious presence in the house might be taking control of her. With RELIC, first-time writer/director Natalie Erika James crafts an unforgettable new spin on the haunted-house movie.
What is the budget of Relic?
"Relic," a horror released in 2020, was directed by Natalie Erika James and stars Emily Mortimer, Bella Heathcote. The production budget was $1,229,578, placing it in the micro-budget range for horror productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a horror production like this include:
- Practical Effects, Prosthetics & Makeup: Horror productions invest disproportionately in practical effects , prosthetic applications, animatronics, blood and gore effects, and creature suits. A single hero creature suit can cost $50,000 to 200,000.
- Atmospheric Production Design & Cinematography: Creating dread through environment is essential. Abandoned locations must be secured and dressed, lighting rigs designed for shadow and tension, and sets built to enable specific camera movements and reveals.
- Sound Design & Score: Horror is arguably the most sound-dependent genre. Foley work, ambient textures, frequency manipulation, and jump-scare stingers require specialized sound designers working with unconventional techniques.
What were the major cost factors in Relic?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Relic."
- Practical Effects: Practical Effects, Prosthetics & Makeup is one of the primary cost drivers in horror productions of this scale.
- Atmospheric Production Design: Atmospheric Production Design & Cinematography is one of the primary cost drivers in horror productions of this scale.
- Sound Design: Sound Design & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in horror productions of this scale.
How Does Relic's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $1,229,578, Relic sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001): Budget $1,250,000, Worldwide Gross $6,776,921
- The Platform (2019): Budget $1,203,235, Worldwide Gross $1,090,116
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966): Budget $1,200,000, Worldwide Gross $38,900,000
- Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2026): Budget $1,200,000, Worldwide Gross $4,087,357
- Brief Encounter (1945): Budget $1,200,000
The median budget for wide-release horror films in the 2020s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Relic Box Office Performance
"Relic" earned $1,047,083 domestically and $3,238,539 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $1,229,578, 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 "Relic," that break-even threshold was roughly $2,459,156. With worldwide earnings of $3,238,539, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $1,229,578
- Worldwide Gross: $3,238,539
- Net Return: $2,008,961
- ROI: approximately 163.4%
At 163.4%, "Relic" earned roughly $2.63 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
5 wins & 29 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Relic (2020)?
The production budget was $1,229,578, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $614,789 - $983,662, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $1,844,367 - $2,213,240.
How much did Relic (2020) earn at the box office?
Relic grossed $1,047,083 domestic, $2,191,456 international, totaling $3,238,539 worldwide.
Was Relic (2020) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $1,229,578 and estimated total costs of ~$3,073,945, the film earned $3,238,539 theatrically - a 163% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Relic?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Emily Mortimer, Bella Heathcote, Robyn Nevin); practical creature effects, atmospheric cinematography, and psychologically engineered sound design; international production across Australia, United States of America.
How does Relic's budget compare to similar horror films?
At $1,229,578, Relic is classified as a micro-budget production. The median budget for wide-release horror films in the 2020s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001, $1,250,000); The Platform (2019, $1,203,235); The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966, $1,200,000).
Did Relic (2020) 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 Relic?
The theatrical ROI was 163.4%, calculated as ($3,238,539 − $1,229,578) ÷ $1,229,578 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Relic (2020) win?
5 wins & 29 nominations total.
Who directed Relic and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Natalie Erika James, written by Natalie Erika James, Christian White, shot by Charlie Sarroff, with music by Brian Reitzell, edited by Denise Haratzis, Sean Lahiff.
Where was Relic filmed?
Relic was filmed in Australia, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Relic
Official Trailer
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