Production Budget Analysis

What was the production budget for Samaritan?

Directed by Julius Avery, with Javon Walton, Sylvester Stallone, Dascha Polanco leading the cast, Samaritan was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer with a confirmed budget of $100,000,000, placing it in the big-budget category for science fiction films as part of the Samaritan Collection.

A budget of $100,000,000 represents a significant studio commitment. Including estimated P&A of $50–100 million, the total investment likely approached $170,000,000–$200,000,000, requiring approximately $250,000,000 in worldwide grosses to break even.

Budget Comparison — Similar Productions

• 1917 (2019): Budget $100,000,000 | Gross $446,064,352 → ROI: 346% • American Gangster (2007): Budget $100,000,000 | Gross $269,755,430 → ROI: 170% • Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024): Budget $100,000,000 | Gross $404,547,819 → ROI: 305% • Batman Forever (1995): Budget $100,000,000 | Gross $336,529,144 → ROI: 237% • Bicentennial Man (1999): Budget $100,000,000 | Gross $87,423,861 → ROI: -13%

Key Budget Allocation Categories

▸ Visual Effects & CGI Pipeline Sci-fi films are among the most VFX-intensive productions in Hollywood. Creating photorealistic alien worlds, spacecraft, creatures, and futuristic environments requires hundreds of VFX artists working for months, often at multiple studios simultaneously. VFX budgets for major sci-fi films regularly exceed $50–100 million.

▸ 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.

Key Production Personnel

CAST: Javon Walton, Sylvester Stallone, Dascha Polanco, Moisés Arias, Pilou Asbæk Key roles: Javon Walton as Sam Cleary; Sylvester Stallone as Joe Smith; Dascha Polanco as Tiffany Cleary; Moisés Arias as Reza

DIRECTOR: Julius Avery CINEMATOGRAPHY: David Ungaro MUSIC: Kevin Kiner, Jed Kurzel EDITING: Matt Evans, Pete Beaudreau PRODUCTION: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Balboa Productions FILMED IN: United States of America

Box Office Performance

Samaritan earned $75,000,000 in worldwide box office revenue.

Break-Even Analysis

Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), Samaritan needed approximately $250,000,000 to break even. The film fell $175,000,000 short in theatrical revenue. Ancillary streams (home media, streaming, TV) may have bridged the gap.

Return on Investment (ROI)

Revenue: $75,000,000 Budget: $100,000,000 Net: $-25,000,000 ROI: -25.0%

Profitability Assessment

VERDICT: Unprofitable (Theatrical)

Samaritan earned $75,000,000 against a $100,000,000 budget (-25% ROI), falling short of theatrical profitability. Ancillary revenue may have reduced the deficit.

INDUSTRY IMPACT

Franchise: Samaritan is part of the Samaritan Collection.

The underperformance may have increased risk aversion around big-budget science fiction productions.

PRODUCTION NOTES

▸ Writing

In February 2019, it was announced that MGM had acquired a spec script by Bragi F. Schut titled Samaritan to be co-produced with Balboa Productions. Schut had written the screenplay prior to adapting the story in a series of graphic novels published by Mythos Comics. In September 2019, Julius Avery joined the production as director.

▸ Casting

In February 2019, it was announced that Sylvester Stallone would star in the titular role and also act as producer. In February 2020, Martin Starr, Moisés Arias, Dascha Polanco, Pilou Asbæk, Javon 'Wanna' Walton, Jared Odrick and Michael Aaron Milligan joined the cast in supporting roles. In March 2020, Natacha Karam joined the cast of the film but did not appear in the finished film.

▸ Filming & Locations

In September 2019, filming was scheduled for a 2020 start date in Atlanta. Filming was confirmed to have commenced by February 26, 2020. On March 14, the production went on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By October 8, 2020, filming had resumed.

[Filming] In September 2019, filming was scheduled for a 2020 start date in Atlanta. Filming was confirmed to have commenced by February 26, 2020. On March 14, the production went on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By October 8, 2020, filming had resumed.

▸ Music & Score

Jed Kurzel and Kevin Kiner composed the film score, with former previously collaborating with Avery on Overlord (2018). Lakeshore Records released the soundtrack.