The Lighthouse Budget
DramaFantasyThriller1h 49mUpdated
Synopsis
Two lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.
What is the budget of The Lighthouse?
"The Lighthouse," a drama released in 2019, was directed by Robert Eggers and stars Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe. The production budget was $11,000,000, placing it in the low-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 Lighthouse?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "The Lighthouse."
- 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 Lighthouse's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $11,000,000, The Lighthouse sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Forsaken (2015): Budget $11,000,000
- Barry Lyndon (1975): Budget $11,000,000, Worldwide Gross $31,500,000
- Alien (1979): Budget $11,000,000, Worldwide Gross $104,931,801
- Star Wars (1977): Budget $11,000,000, Worldwide Gross $775,398,007
- Gremlins (1984): Budget $11,000,000, Worldwide Gross $153,083,102
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
The Lighthouse Box Office Performance
"The Lighthouse" earned $10,867,104 domestically and $18,262,464 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $11,000,000, 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 Lighthouse," that break-even threshold was roughly $22,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $18,262,464, the film fell short of that threshold but recouped its production costs in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $11,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $18,262,464
- Net Return: $7,262,464
- ROI: approximately 66%
At 66%, "The Lighthouse" returned its production investment but margin was tight after marketing and distribution costs.
Awards and Recognition
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 34 wins & 139 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make The Lighthouse (2019)?
The production budget was $11,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $5,500,000 - $8,800,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $16,500,000 - $19,800,000.
How much did The Lighthouse (2019) earn at the box office?
The Lighthouse grossed $10,867,104 domestic, $7,395,360 international, totaling $18,262,464 worldwide.
Was The Lighthouse (2019) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $18,262,464 against an estimated $27,500,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing The Lighthouse?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Valeriia Karaman); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across Brazil, United States of America.
How does The Lighthouse's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $11,000,000, The Lighthouse is classified as a low-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: Forsaken (2015, $11,000,000); Barry Lyndon (1975, $11,000,000); Alien (1979, $11,000,000).
Did The Lighthouse (2019) 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 Lighthouse?
The theatrical ROI was 66.0%, calculated as ($18,262,464 − $11,000,000) ÷ $11,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did The Lighthouse (2019) win?
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 34 wins & 139 nominations total.
Who directed The Lighthouse and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Robert Eggers, written by Max Eggers, Robert Eggers, shot by Jarin Blaschke, with music by Mark Korven, edited by Louise Ford.
Where was The Lighthouse filmed?
The Lighthouse was filmed in Brazil, United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
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The Lighthouse
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