Ride With the Devil Budget
DramaWarRomanceWestern2h 18mUpdated
Synopsis
"Ride With the Devil" is a gripping historical drama set during the tumultuous period of the American Civil War. The film follows the story of a group of young men from Missouri who become embroiled in the conflict as they navigate the complexities of loyalty, friendship, and survival. Central to the narrative is Jake Roedel, a Confederate sympathizer, who grapples with the harsh realities of war and the moral dilemmas it presents. Alongside his friend, the African American freedman, and a band of guerrilla fighters, Jake embarks on a harrowing journey that tests their bonds and challenges their beliefs. As they face the brutality of battle and the impact of their choices, the film explores themes of identity, honor, and the devastating consequences of war. With its rich character development and poignant storytelling, "Ride With the Devil" offers a profound reflection on the human experience amidst chaos.
What is the budget of Ride With the Devil?
"Ride With the Devil," a drama released in 1999, was directed by Ang Lee and stars Skeet Ulrich, Tobey Maguire. The production budget was $35,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for drama productions of the 1990s.
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.
- Music & Score: The original motion picture music for Ride with the Devil, was released by the Atlantic Records music label on November 23, 1999.
What were the major cost factors in Ride With the Devil?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Ride With the Devil."
- 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 Ride With the Devil's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $35,000,000, Ride With the Devil 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 drama films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Ride With the Devil Box Office Performance
"Ride With the Devil" earned $635,096 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $35,000,000, the film faced challenges in theatrical release. Home video, streaming, and ancillary revenue may have contributed to its overall performance.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Ride With the Devil," that break-even threshold was roughly $70,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $635,096, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $35,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $635,096
- Net Return: −$34,364,904
- ROI: approximately -98.2%
At -98.2%, "Ride With the Devil" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Ride With the Devil Production History
The original motion picture music for Ride with the Devil, was released by the Atlantic Records music label on November 23, 1999. The score for the film was orchestrated by Mychael Danna and Nicholas Dodd. Musical artist Jewel contributed vocals to the score with her song "What's Simple Is True", from her 1998 album Spirit.
Awards and Recognition
1 win total
Critical Reception
Among mainstream critics in the U.S., the film received generally positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 65% of 68 sampled critics gave the film a positive review, with an average score of 6.3 out of 10. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average out of 100 to critics' reviews, Ride with the Devil received a score of 69 based on 29 reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Ride with the Devil cost to make?
The production budget was $38,000,000. Universal Pictures produced and distributed the Civil War drama through its specialty banner. The budget was unusually large for a director-driven historical drama and reflected Ang Lee's expanded scope following Sense and Sensibility (1995) and The Ice Storm (1997).
How much did Ride with the Devil earn at the box office?
The film grossed only $635,096 domestically against the $38,000,000 production budget. Universal opted for an extremely limited platform release and never expanded the theatrical footprint, making Ride with the Devil one of the largest box office bombs of 1999 on a budget-to-gross basis.
Who directed Ride with the Devil?
Ang Lee directed the film, his fifth feature. Lee had previously directed Eat Drink Man Woman (1994), Sense and Sensibility (1995), and The Ice Storm (1997). Ride with the Devil preceded his commercial breakthrough with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) by approximately one year.
Who stars in Ride with the Devil?
Tobey Maguire stars as Jake Roedel, a young German American who joins the Confederate Bushwhackers. Skeet Ulrich plays his close friend Jack Bull Chiles, with Jewel Kilcher in her acting debut as Sue Lee Shelley, Jeffrey Wright as the freedman Daniel Holt, and Simon Baker as George Clyde.
Is Ride with the Devil based on a book?
Yes. The film adapts Daniel Woodrell's novel Woe to Live On (1987), which Universal had picked up for development before James Schamus delivered the screenplay. Woodrell later renamed the novel Ride with the Devil to align with the film release.
Where was Ride with the Devil filmed?
Principal photography took place in Missouri and Kansas, the actual states where the Bushwhacker conflict unfolded during the Civil War. The Lawrence, Kansas sequences were filmed at the historically accurate location of William Quantrill's 1863 raid, with extensive set construction recreating the period town.
What did critics think of Ride with the Devil?
The film received mixed reviews on initial release, with a 67% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 67 out of 100 score on Metacritic. The Criterion Collection 2010 director's cut prompted critical reassessment, with many critics retroactively naming it one of Ang Lee's strongest American films.
Was Ride with the Devil a box office bomb?
Yes, decisively. Against the $38,000,000 production budget and Universal's limited platform marketing spend, the worldwide gross of approximately $635,000 represented one of the largest theatrical losses for a star-driven prestige drama of the late 1990s. The film recovered some value through home video and cable broadcast.
Did Ride with the Devil win any awards?
The film received minimal awards attention on initial release due to its limited distribution. The Criterion Collection release in 2010 helped elevate the film's critical reputation and has positioned it as a respected entry in Ang Lee's filmography.
How does Ride with the Devil compare to other Civil War films?
Ride with the Devil joined a small group of 1990s Civil War-era theatrical features including Glory (1989, $18,000,000 budget, $26,800,000 worldwide), Gettysburg (1993, $25,000,000 budget, $10,800,000 worldwide), and Cold Mountain (2003, $79,000,000 budget, $173,000,000 worldwide). Cold Mountain followed Ride with the Devil's template more successfully.
Official Trailer
Build your own production budget
Create professional budgets with industry-standard feature film templates. Real-time collaboration, no spreadsheets.
