The Little Things Budget
DramaCrimeThriller2h 8mUpdated
Synopsis
Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter to search for a serial killer who's terrorizing Los Angeles. As they track the culprit, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke's past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case.
What is the budget of The Little Things?
"The Little Things," a drama released in 2021, was directed by John Lee Hancock and stars Denzel Washington, Rami Malek. The production budget was $30,000,000, placing it in the mid-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 Little Things?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "The Little Things."
- 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 Little Things's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $30,000,000, The Little Things sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- A Hologram for the King (2016): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $9,169,507
- A Lot Like Love (2005): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $42,886,719
- Big Momma's House (2000): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $173,959,438
- Crazy Rich Asians (2018): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $238,539,198
- Doomsday (2008): Budget $30,000,000, Worldwide Gross $22,472,631
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2020s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
The Little Things Box Office Performance
"The Little Things" earned $15,342,746 domestically and $29,942,746 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $30,000,000, the film faced challenges in theatrical release. Home video, streaming, and ancillary revenue may have contributed to its overall performance.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "The Little Things," that break-even threshold was roughly $60,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $29,942,746, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $30,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $29,942,746
- Net Return: −$57,254
- ROI: approximately -0.2%
At -0.2%, "The Little Things" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Awards and Recognition
1 win & 2 nominations total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make The Little Things (2021)?
The production budget was $30,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $15,000,000 - $24,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $45,000,000 - $54,000,000.
How much did The Little Things (2021) earn at the box office?
The Little Things grossed $15,342,746 domestic, $14,600,000 international, totaling $29,942,746 worldwide.
Was The Little Things (2021) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $29,942,746 against an estimated $75,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing The Little Things?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production.
How does The Little Things's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $30,000,000, The Little Things is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2020s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: A Hologram for the King (2016, $30,000,000); A Lot Like Love (2005, $30,000,000); Big Momma's House (2000, $30,000,000).
Did The Little Things (2021) 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 Little Things?
The theatrical ROI was -0.2%, calculated as ($29,942,746 − $30,000,000) ÷ $30,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did The Little Things (2021) win?
1 win & 2 nominations total.
Who directed The Little Things and who were the key crew members?
Directed by John Lee Hancock, written by John Lee Hancock, shot by John Schwartzman, with music by Thomas Newman, edited by Robert Frazen.
Where was The Little Things filmed?
The Little Things was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
The Little Things
Official Trailer
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