Space Sweepers Budget
DramaFantasyScience Fiction2h 16mUpdated
Synopsis
When the crew of a space junk collector ship called The Victory discovers a humanoid robot named Dorothy that's known to be a weapon of mass destruction, they get involved in a risky business deal which puts their lives at stake.
What is the budget of Space Sweepers?
"Space Sweepers," a drama released in 2021, was directed by Jo Sung-hee and stars Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri. The production budget was $21,000,000, placing it in the mid-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.
- Casting: In June 2018, it was reported that Song Joong-ki agreed to star in Jo Sung-hee's next film, making it their second collaboration after A Werewolf Boy (2012).
What were the major cost factors in Space Sweepers?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Space Sweepers."
- 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 Space Sweepers's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $21,000,000, Space Sweepers sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Blockers (2018): Budget $21,000,000, Worldwide Gross $94,017,294
- Death at a Funeral (2010): Budget $21,000,000, Worldwide Gross $49,050,886
- Everybody's Fine (2009): Budget $21,000,000, Worldwide Gross $16,443,609
- For Colored Girls (2010): Budget $21,000,000, Worldwide Gross $38,000,000
- Freedom Writers (2007): Budget $21,000,000, Worldwide Gross $43,095,175
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2020s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Space Sweepers Box Office Performance
"Space Sweepers" earned $24,571 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $21,000,000, 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 "Space Sweepers," that break-even threshold was roughly $42,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $24,571, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $21,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $24,571
- Net Return: −$20,975,429
- ROI: approximately -99.9%
At -99.9%, "Space Sweepers" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Space Sweepers Production History
In June 2018, it was reported that Song Joong-ki agreed to star in Jo Sung-hee's next film, making it their second collaboration after A Werewolf Boy (2012). Kim Tae-ri was offered the role of the spaceship captain in January 2019, followed by Jin Seon-kyu for the role of the keeper in April. The final lineup was confirmed in June 2019, with Yoo Hae-jin joining the main cast in the form of robotic motion capture and voice acting.
Principal photography began on July 3, 2019, and filming was completed on November 2. [Filming] Principal photography began on July 3, 2019, and filming was completed on November 2.
Awards and Recognition
8 wins & 19 nominations total
Critical Reception
On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The site's critics consensus reads, "As a story, Space Sweepers isn't as adventurous as its star-navigating protagonists, but relatable characters and impressive effects keep it from drifting out of orbit." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 64 out of 100, based on reviews from 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Space Sweepers (2021)?
The production budget was $21,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $10,500,000 - $16,800,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $31,500,000 - $37,800,000.
How much did Space Sweepers (2021) earn at the box office?
Space Sweepers grossed $24,571 worldwide.
Was Space Sweepers (2021) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $24,571 against an estimated $52,500,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Space Sweepers?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri, Yoo Hai-jin); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does Space Sweepers's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $21,000,000, Space Sweepers is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2020s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Blockers (2018, $21,000,000); Death at a Funeral (2010, $21,000,000); Everybody's Fine (2009, $21,000,000).
Did Space Sweepers (2021) 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 Space Sweepers?
The theatrical ROI was -99.9%, calculated as ($24,571 − $21,000,000) ÷ $21,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Space Sweepers (2021) win?
8 wins & 19 nominations total.
Who directed Space Sweepers and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Jo Sung-hee, written by Jo Sung-hee, Yoon Seung-min, Yoo-kang Seo-ae, shot by Byun Bong-sun, with music by Kim Tae-seong, edited by Nam Na-young, Ha Mi-ra.
Where was Space Sweepers filmed?
Space Sweepers was filmed in South Korea. Principal photography began on July 3, 2019, and filming was completed on November 2. [Filming] Principal photography began on July 3, 2019, and filming was completed on November 2.. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Space Sweepers
Official Trailer
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