Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Budget
HorrorMystery1h 48mUpdated
Synopsis
It's 1968 in America. Change is blowing in the wind...but seemingly far removed from the unrest in the cities is the small town of Mill Valley where for generations, the shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large. It is in their mansion on the edge of town that Sarah, a young girl with horrible secrets, turned her tortured life into a series of scary stories, written in a book that has transcended time-stories that have a way of becoming all too real for a group of teenagers who discover Sarah's terrifying tomb.
What is the budget of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark?
"Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," a horror released in 2019, was directed by André Øvredal and stars Zoe Colletti, Dean Norris. The production budget was $25,000,000, placing it in the mid-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 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark."
- 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 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $25,000,000, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 1408 (2007): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $133,000,000
- A Journal for Jordan (2021): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $6,700,000
- Abandon (2002): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $10,719,357
- All My Life (2020): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $2,000,000
- August Rush (2007): Budget $25,000,000, Worldwide Gross $66,122,026
The median budget for wide-release horror films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Box Office Performance
"Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" earned $68,947,075 domestically and $104,545,505 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $25,000,000, 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 "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," that break-even threshold was roughly $50,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $104,545,505, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $25,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $104,545,505
- Net Return: $79,545,505
- ROI: approximately 318.2%
At 318.2%, "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" earned roughly $4.18 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
5 wins & 6 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)?
The production budget was $25,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $12,500,000 - $20,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $37,500,000 - $45,000,000.
How much did Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) earn at the box office?
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark grossed $68,947,075 domestic, $35,598,430 international, totaling $104,545,505 worldwide.
Was Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $25,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$62,500,000, the film earned $104,545,505 theatrically - a 318% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Zoe Colletti, Dean Norris, Michael Garza); practical creature effects, atmospheric cinematography, and psychologically engineered sound design; international production across Canada, Hong Kong, United States of America.
How does Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark's budget compare to similar horror films?
At $25,000,000, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release horror films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 1408 (2007, $25,000,000); A Journal for Jordan (2021, $25,000,000); Abandon (2002, $25,000,000).
Did Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) 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 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark?
The theatrical ROI was 318.2%, calculated as ($104,545,505 − $25,000,000) ÷ $25,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) win?
5 wins & 6 nominations total.
Who directed Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and who were the key crew members?
Directed by André Øvredal, written by Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman, shot by Roman Osin, with music by Marco Beltrami, Anna Drubich, edited by Patrick Larsgaard.
Where was Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark filmed?
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was filmed in Canada, Hong Kong, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Official Trailer
Budget Templates
Build your own production budget
Create professional budgets with industry-standard feature film templates. Real-time collaboration, no spreadsheets.
Start Budgeting Free
