School for Scoundrels Budget
ComedyRomance1h 40mUpdated
Synopsis
"School for Scoundrels" (2006) is a comedy that follows the misadventures of Roger (Jon Heder), a timid and socially awkward meter reader who struggles to find confidence in his personal and professional life. After a series of humiliating encounters, he discovers a unique school run by the eccentric Dr. P (Billy Bob Thornton), where men are taught the art of manipulation and deception to win over women and assert dominance.
As Roger immerses himself in the school's unconventional teachings, he begins to transform into a more assertive version of himself. However, his newfound confidence leads to unexpected complications, especially when he finds himself competing for the affections of the same woman, Amanda (Jacinda Barrett), as Dr. P. The film explores themes of self-discovery, rivalry, and the fine line between confidence and deceit, all wrapped in a humorous package that showcases the lengths one might go to in the pursuit of love and respect.
What is the budget of School for Scoundrels?
"School for Scoundrels," a comedy released in 2006, was directed by Todd Phillips and stars Jon Heder, Billy Bob Thornton. The production budget was $20,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for comedy productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a comedy production like this include:
- Talent Salaries & Producing Deals: Established comedic talent can command $15 to 20 million per film, with top-tier stars earning even more through producing credits and backend deals.
- Production & Location Filming: While comedies generally avoid the VFX costs of action films, location shooting in recognizable cities or exotic locales adds meaningful production expense.
- Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising): Comedies rely heavily on marketing to build opening-weekend momentum.
What were the major cost factors in School for Scoundrels?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "School for Scoundrels."
- Talent Salaries: Talent Salaries & Producing Deals is one of the primary cost drivers in comedy productions of this scale.
- Production: Production & Location Filming is one of the primary cost drivers in comedy productions of this scale.
- Marketing: Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising) is one of the primary cost drivers in comedy productions of this scale.
How Does School for Scoundrels's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $20,000,000, School for Scoundrels sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 12 Years a Slave (2013): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $187,000,000
- 21 Grams (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $60,427,839
- 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $11,798,854
- A Guy Thing (2003): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $17,400,000
- A Most Violent Year (2014): Budget $20,000,000, Worldwide Gross $12,007,070
The median budget for wide-release comedy films in the 2000s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
School for Scoundrels Box Office Performance
"School for Scoundrels" earned $17,807,569 domestically and $17,800,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $20,000,000, 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 "School for Scoundrels," that break-even threshold was roughly $40,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $17,800,000, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $20,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $17,800,000
- Net Return: −$2,200,000
- ROI: approximately -11%
At -11%, "School for Scoundrels" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Awards and Recognition
2 nominations total
Critical Reception
School for Scoundrels came in at #4 at the North American box office in its opening weekend, accumulating $8,602,333, before eventually grossing $23,947,685 worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make School for Scoundrels (2006)?
The production budget was $20,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $10,000,000 - $16,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $30,000,000 - $36,000,000.
How much did School for Scoundrels (2006) earn at the box office?
School for Scoundrels grossed $17,807,569 domestic, $-7,569 international, totaling $17,800,000 worldwide.
Was School for Scoundrels (2006) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $17,800,000 against an estimated $50,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing School for Scoundrels?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Jon Heder, Billy Bob Thornton, Jacinda Barrett); star comedian salaries, location filming, and aggressive marketing campaigns.
How does School for Scoundrels's budget compare to similar comedy films?
At $20,000,000, School for Scoundrels is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release comedy films in the 2000s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 12 Years a Slave (2013, $20,000,000); 21 Grams (2003, $20,000,000); 3 Ninjas Kick Back (1994, $20,000,000).
Did School for Scoundrels (2006) 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 School for Scoundrels?
The theatrical ROI was -11.0%, calculated as ($17,800,000 − $20,000,000) ÷ $20,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did School for Scoundrels (2006) win?
2 nominations total.
Who directed School for Scoundrels and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Todd Phillips, written by Scot Armstrong, Todd Phillips, shot by Jonathan Brown, with music by Christophe Beck, edited by Leslie Jones, Dan Schalk.
Where was School for Scoundrels filmed?
School for Scoundrels was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
School for Scoundrels
Official Trailer
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