The Favourite Budget
HistoryComedyDrama2hUpdated
Synopsis
England, early 18th century. The close relationship between Queen Anne and Sarah Churchill is threatened by the arrival of Sarah's cousin, Abigail Hill, resulting in a bitter rivalry between the two cousins to be the Queen's favourite.
What is the budget of The Favourite?
"The Favourite," a history released in 2018, was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and stars Emma Stone, Olivia Colman. The production budget was $15,000,000, placing it in the low-budget range for history productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a history 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.
What were the major cost factors in The Favourite?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "The Favourite."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in history productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in history productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in history productions of this scale.
How Does The Favourite's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $15,000,000, The Favourite sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- A Dangerous Method (2011): Budget $15,000,000, Worldwide Gross $27,462,041
- Ben-Hur (1959): Budget $15,000,000, Worldwide Gross $164,000,000
- Land of the Dead (2005): Budget $15,000,000, Worldwide Gross $47,074,133
- Into the Wild (2007): Budget $15,000,000, Worldwide Gross $56,255,142
- King's Ransom (2005): Budget $15,000,000, Worldwide Gross $4,139,856
The median budget for wide-release history films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
The Favourite Box Office Performance
"The Favourite" earned $34,366,783 domestically and $95,918,706 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $15,000,000, 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 "The Favourite," that break-even threshold was roughly $30,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $95,918,706, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $15,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $95,918,706
- Net Return: $80,918,706
- ROI: approximately 539.5%
At 539.5%, "The Favourite" earned roughly $6.39 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
Won 1 Oscar. 187 wins & 352 nominations total
- Grand Jury Prize of the Venice Film Festival
- European Film Award for Best Editor: Yorgos Mavropsaridis (32nd European Film Awards)
- Academy Award for Best Actress: Olivia Colman (91st Academy Awards)
- European Film Award for Best Director: Yorgos Lanthimos (32nd European Film Awards)
- European Film Award for Best Comedy: Yorgos Lanthimos (32nd European Film Awards)
- European Film Award for Best Comedy: Ed Guiney (32nd European Film Awards)
- European Film Award for Best Comedy: Tony McNamara (32nd European Film Awards)
- European Film Award for Best Comedy: Deborah Davis (32nd European Film Awards)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make The Favourite (2018)?
The production budget was $15,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $7,500,000 - $12,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $22,500,000 - $27,000,000.
How much did The Favourite (2018) earn at the box office?
The Favourite grossed $34,366,783 domestic, $61,551,923 international, totaling $95,918,706 worldwide.
Was The Favourite (2018) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $15,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$37,500,000, the film earned $95,918,706 theatrically - a 539% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing The Favourite?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America.
How does The Favourite's budget compare to similar history films?
At $15,000,000, The Favourite is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release history films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: A Dangerous Method (2011, $15,000,000); Ben-Hur (1959, $15,000,000); Land of the Dead (2005, $15,000,000).
Did The Favourite (2018) 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 The Favourite?
The theatrical ROI was 539.5%, calculated as ($95,918,706 − $15,000,000) ÷ $15,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did The Favourite (2018) win?
Won 1 Oscar. 187 wins & 352 nominations total.
Who directed The Favourite and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, written by Tony McNamara, Deborah Davis, shot by Robbie Ryan, edited by Yorgos Mavropsaridis.
Where was The Favourite filmed?
The Favourite was filmed in Ireland, United Kingdom, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
The Favourite
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