The Killing of a Sacred Deer Budget
DramaThrillerMystery2h 1mUpdated
Synopsis
Dr. Steven Murphy is a renowned cardiovascular surgeon who presides over a spotless household with his wife and two children. Lurking at the margins of his idyllic suburban existence is Martin, a fatherless teen who insinuates himself into the doctor's life in gradually unsettling ways.
What is the budget of The Killing of a Sacred Deer?
"The Killing of a Sacred Deer," a drama released in 2017, was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and stars Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman. The production budget was $3,000,000, placing it in the micro-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.
What were the major cost factors in The Killing of a Sacred Deer?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "The Killing of a Sacred Deer."
- 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 The Killing of a Sacred Deer's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $3,000,000, The Killing of a Sacred Deer sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Ghost in the Shell (1995): Budget $3,000,000, Worldwide Gross $10,000,000
- Witness for the Prosecution (1957): Budget $3,000,000, Worldwide Gross $9,000,000
- Perfect Blue (1998): Budget $3,000,000, Worldwide Gross $683,666
- In the Mood for Love (2000): Budget $3,000,000, Worldwide Gross $15,867,968
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975): Budget $3,000,000, Worldwide Gross $108,981,275
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer Box Office Performance
"The Killing of a Sacred Deer" earned $2,291,901 domestically and $10,700,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $3,000,000, 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 Killing of a Sacred Deer," that break-even threshold was roughly $6,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $10,700,000, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $3,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $10,700,000
- Net Return: $7,700,000
- ROI: approximately 256.7%
At 256.7%, "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" earned roughly $3.57 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
7 wins & 53 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)?
The production budget was $3,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $1,500,000 - $2,400,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $4,500,000 - $5,400,000.
How much did The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) earn at the box office?
The Killing of a Sacred Deer grossed $2,291,901 domestic, $8,408,099 international, totaling $10,700,000 worldwide.
Was The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $3,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$7,500,000, the film earned $10,700,000 theatrically - a 257% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing The Killing of a Sacred Deer?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across United Kingdom, United States of America, Ireland.
How does The Killing of a Sacred Deer's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $3,000,000, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is classified as a micro-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Ghost in the Shell (1995, $3,000,000); Witness for the Prosecution (1957, $3,000,000); Perfect Blue (1998, $3,000,000).
Did The Killing of a Sacred Deer (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 The Killing of a Sacred Deer?
The theatrical ROI was 256.7%, calculated as ($10,700,000 − $3,000,000) ÷ $3,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) win?
7 wins & 53 nominations total.
Who directed The Killing of a Sacred Deer and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, written by Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthimis Filippou, shot by Thimios Bakatakis, edited by Yorgos Mavropsaridis.
Where was The Killing of a Sacred Deer filmed?
The Killing of a Sacred Deer was filmed in United Kingdom, United States of America, Ireland. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Official Trailer
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