Room Budget
DramaThriller1h 58mUpdated
Synopsis
ROOM tells the extraordinary story of Jack, a spirited 5-year-old who is looked after by his loving and devoted mother. Like any good mother, Ma dedicates herself to keeping Jack happy and safe, nurturing him with warmth and love and doing typical things like playing games and telling stories. Their life, however, is anything but typical--they are trapped--confined to a 10-by-10-foot space that Ma has euphemistically named Room. Ma has created a whole universe for Jack within Room, and she will stop at nothing to ensure that, even in this treacherous environment, Jack is able to live a complete and fulfilling life. But as Jack's curiosity about their situation grows, and Ma's resilience reaches its breaking point, they enact a risky plan to escape, ultimately bringing them face-to-face with what may turn out to be the scariest thing yet: the real world.
What is the budget of Room?
"Room," a drama released in 2015, was directed by Lenny Abrahamson and stars Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay. The production budget was $13,000,000, placing it in the low-budget range for drama productions of its era.
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.
What were the major cost factors in Room?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Room."
- 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 Room's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $13,000,000, Room sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Miss Sloane (2016): Budget $13,000,000, Worldwide Gross $9,101,546
- RoboCop (1987): Budget $13,000,000, Worldwide Gross $53,424,681
- The Godfather Part II (1974): Budget $13,000,000, Worldwide Gross $102,600,000
- The Holdovers (2023): Budget $13,000,000, Worldwide Gross $42,513,270
- In the Name of the Father (1993): Budget $13,000,000, Worldwide Gross $65,796,862
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Room Box Office Performance
"Room" earned $14,677,654 domestically and $35,401,758 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $13,000,000, 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 "Room," that break-even threshold was roughly $26,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $35,401,758, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $13,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $35,401,758
- Net Return: $22,401,758
- ROI: approximately 172.3%
At 172.3%, "Room" earned roughly $2.72 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
Won 1 Oscar. 108 wins & 143 nominations total
- Academy Award for Best Actress: Brie Larson (88th Academy Awards)
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Room (2015)?
The production budget was $13,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $6,500,000 - $10,400,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $19,500,000 - $23,400,000.
How much did Room (2015) earn at the box office?
Room grossed $14,677,654 domestic, $20,724,104 international, totaling $35,401,758 worldwide.
Was Room (2015) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $13,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$32,500,000, the film earned $35,401,758 theatrically - a 172% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Room?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America.
How does Room's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $13,000,000, Room is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Miss Sloane (2016, $13,000,000); RoboCop (1987, $13,000,000); The Godfather Part II (1974, $13,000,000).
Did Room (2015) 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 Room?
The theatrical ROI was 172.3%, calculated as ($35,401,758 − $13,000,000) ÷ $13,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Room (2015) win?
Won 1 Oscar. 108 wins & 143 nominations total.
Who directed Room and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Lenny Abrahamson, written by Emma Donoghue, shot by Danny Cohen, with music by Stephen Rennicks, edited by Nathan Nugent.
Where was Room filmed?
Room was filmed in Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Room
Official Trailer
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