Split Budget
HorrorThriller1h 57mUpdated
Synopsis
Though Kevin has evidenced 23 personalities to his trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher, there remains one still submerged who is set to materialize and dominate all the others. Compelled to abduct three teenage girls led by the willful, observant Casey, Kevin reaches a war for survival among all of those contained within him — as well as everyone around him — as the walls between his compartments shatter apart.
What is the budget of Split?
"Split," a horror released in 2017, was directed by M. Night Shyamalan and stars James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy. The production budget was $9,000,000, placing it in the low-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 Split?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Split."
- 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 Split's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $9,000,000, Split sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Memento (2000): Budget $9,000,000, Worldwide Gross $40,060,108
- 3 Idiots (2009): Budget $9,000,000, Worldwide Gross $70,000,000
- There's Still Tomorrow (2023): Budget $9,000,000, Worldwide Gross $50,121,593
- Midsommar (2019): Budget $9,000,000, Worldwide Gross $48,498,408
- Manchester by the Sea (2016): Budget $9,000,000, Worldwide Gross $79,000,000
The median budget for wide-release horror films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Split Box Office Performance
"Split" earned $138,291,365 domestically and $278,454,358 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $9,000,000, 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 "Split," that break-even threshold was roughly $18,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $278,454,358, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $9,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $278,454,358
- Net Return: $269,454,358
- ROI: approximately 2993.9%
At 2993.9%, "Split" earned roughly $30.94 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
10 wins & 27 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Split (2017)?
The production budget was $9,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $4,500,000 - $7,200,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $13,500,000 - $16,200,000.
How much did Split (2017) earn at the box office?
Split grossed $138,291,365 domestic, $140,162,993 international, totaling $278,454,358 worldwide.
Was Split (2017) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $9,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$22,500,000, the film earned $278,454,358 theatrically - a 2994% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Split?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson); practical creature effects, atmospheric cinematography, and psychologically engineered sound design.
How does Split's budget compare to similar horror films?
At $9,000,000, Split is classified as a micro-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: Memento (2000, $9,000,000); 3 Idiots (2009, $9,000,000); There's Still Tomorrow (2023, $9,000,000).
Did Split (2017) 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 Split?
The theatrical ROI was 2993.9%, calculated as ($278,454,358 − $9,000,000) ÷ $9,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Split (2017) win?
10 wins & 27 nominations total.
Who directed Split and who were the key crew members?
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan, written by M. Night Shyamalan, shot by Mike Gioulakis, with music by West Dylan Thordson, edited by Luke Ciarrocchi.
Where was Split filmed?
Split was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Split
Official Trailer
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