The Art of Self-Defense Budget
ComedyThrillerDramaMystery1h 44mUpdated
Synopsis
Casey is attacked at random on the street and enlists in a local dojo led by a charismatic and mysterious Sensei in an effort to learn how to defend himself. What he uncovers is a sinister world of fraternity, violence and hypermasculinity and a woman fighting for her place in it.
What is the budget of The Art of Self-Defense?
"The Art of Self-Defense," a comedy released in 2019, was directed by Riley Stearns and stars Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola. The production budget was $1,800,000, placing it in the micro-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 The Art of Self-Defense?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "The Art of Self-Defense."
- 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 The Art of Self-Defense's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $1,800,000, The Art of Self-Defense sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Dog Day Afternoon (1975): Budget $1,800,000, Worldwide Gross $56,665,856
- Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964): Budget $1,800,000 , Gross $9,500,000
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984): Budget $1,800,000, Worldwide Gross $57,004,513
- Carrie (1976): Budget $1,800,000, Worldwide Gross $33,800,000
- Bone Tomahawk (2015): Budget $1,800,000, Worldwide Gross $475,846
The median budget for wide-release comedy films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
The Art of Self-Defense Box Office Performance
"The Art of Self-Defense" earned $2,410,914 domestically and $2,400,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $1,800,000, the film showed modest profitability in theatrical release.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "The Art of Self-Defense," that break-even threshold was roughly $3,600,000. With worldwide earnings of $2,400,000, the film fell short of that threshold but recouped its production costs in theatrical release.
Box Office Breakdown
The Art of Self-Defense
At 33.3%, "The Art of Self-Defense" returned its production investment but margin was tight after marketing and distribution costs.
Awards and Recognition
5 nominations total
Official Trailer
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