The King's Daughter Budget
FantasyAdventureFamily1h 34mUpdated
Synopsis
King Louis XIV's quest for immortality leads him to capture and steal a mermaid's life force, a move that is further complicated by his illegitimate daughter's discovery of the creature.
Production Budget Analysis
What was the production budget for The King's Daughter?
Directed by Sean McNamara, with Pierce Brosnan, Kaya Scodelario, Benjamin Walker leading the cast, The King's Daughter was produced by Firstep with a confirmed budget of $40,500,000, placing it in the mid-budget category for fantasy films.
With a $40,500,000 budget, The King's Daughter sits in the mid-range of studio releases. Marketing costs for a wide release at this level typically add $30–60 million, putting the break-even point near $101,250,000.
Budget Comparison — Similar Productions
• 42 (2013): Budget $40,000,000 | Gross $95,020,213 → ROI: 138% • 8 Mile (2002): Budget $41,000,000 | Gross $242,875,078 → ROI: 492% • A Few Good Men (1992): Budget $40,000,000 | Gross $243,240,178 → ROI: 508% • Big Trouble (2002): Budget $40,000,000 | Gross $8,493,890 → ROI: -79% • Boomerang (1992): Budget $40,000,000 | Gross $131,052,444 → ROI: 228%
Key Budget Allocation Categories
▸ Visual Effects & Creature Design Fantasy productions require extensive VFX for magical elements, mythical creatures, and fantastical battle sequences. Creature design alone — from concept art through motion capture and digital rendering — can consume tens of millions of dollars on a major production.
▸ Costumes, Prosthetic Makeup & Production Design Period-inspired or wholly original costumes, elaborate prosthetic and makeup applications, and richly detailed set construction are hallmarks of fantasy filmmaking. A single hero costume can cost $30,000–50,000, multiplied across dozens of featured characters.
▸ Music Score & Sound Design Fantasy epics typically commission full orchestral scores recorded with 80–100 piece ensembles, plus extensive sound design for magical effects, creature vocalizations, and immersive world audio.
Key Production Personnel
CAST: Pierce Brosnan, Kaya Scodelario, Benjamin Walker, William Hurt, Julie Andrews Key roles: Pierce Brosnan as King Louis XIV; Kaya Scodelario as Marie-Josephe D'Alember; Benjamin Walker as Yves De La Croix; William Hurt as Pere La Chaise
DIRECTOR: Sean McNamara CINEMATOGRAPHY: Conrad W. Hall MUSIC: John Coda, Joseph Metcalfe EDITING: Jeff Canavan, Clayton Woodhull PRODUCTION: Firstep, Brookwell-McNamara Entertainment, Kylin Pictures, Bliss Media, Lightstream Entertainment, Ingenious Media, Gravitas Ventures, Fame Universal Entertainment, Interface Productions, Lionsgate FILMED IN: Australia, China, France, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, United States of America
Box Office Performance
The King's Daughter earned $1,758,963 domestically and $441,037 internationally, for a worldwide total of $2,200,000. The film skewed heavily domestic (80%), suggesting strong North American appeal.
Break-Even Analysis
Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), The King's Daughter needed approximately $101,250,000 to break even. The film fell $99,050,000 short in theatrical revenue. Ancillary streams (home media, streaming, TV) may have bridged the gap.
Return on Investment (ROI)
Revenue: $2,200,000 Budget: $40,500,000 Net: $-38,300,000 ROI: -94.6%
Profitability Assessment
VERDICT: Unprofitable (Theatrical)
The King's Daughter earned $2,200,000 against a $40,500,000 budget (-95% ROI), falling short of theatrical profitability. Ancillary revenue may have reduced the deficit.
INDUSTRY IMPACT
The underperformance may have increased risk aversion around mid-budget fantasy productions.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Summary: 1 win & 5 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make The King's Daughter (2022)?
The production budget was $40,500,000, covering principal photography, visual effects, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $20,250,000 - $32,400,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $60,750,000 - $72,900,000.
How much did The King's Daughter (2022) earn at the box office?
The King's Daughter grossed $1,758,963 domestic, $441,037 international, totaling $2,200,000 worldwide.
Was The King's Daughter (2022) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $2,200,000 against an estimated $101,250,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing The King's Daughter?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Pierce Brosnan, Kaya Scodelario, Benjamin Walker); VFX creature work, elaborate costume and prosthetic design, and orchestral scoring; international production across Australia, China, France, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, United States of America.
How does The King's Daughter's budget compare to similar fantasy films?
At $40,500,000, The King's Daughter is classified as a mid-budget production. The median budget for wide-release fantasy films in the 2020s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 42 (2013, $40,000,000); 8 Mile (2002, $41,000,000); A Few Good Men (1992, $40,000,000).
Did The King's Daughter (2022) 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 King's Daughter?
The theatrical ROI was -94.6%, calculated as ($2,200,000 − $40,500,000) ÷ $40,500,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did The King's Daughter (2022) win?
1 win & 5 nominations total.
Who directed The King's Daughter and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Sean McNamara, written by Barry Berman, James Schamus, shot by Conrad W. Hall, with music by John Coda, Joseph Metcalfe, edited by Jeff Canavan, Clayton Woodhull.
Where was The King's Daughter filmed?
The King's Daughter was filmed in Australia, China, France, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
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The King's Daughter
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