The Nun Budget
Horror1h 36mUpdated
Synopsis
When a young nun at a cloistered abbey in Romania takes her own life, a priest with a haunted past and a novitiate on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate. Together they uncover the order’s unholy secret. Risking not only their lives but their faith and their very souls, they confront a malevolent force in the form of the same demonic nun that first terrorized audiences in “The Conjuring 2,” as the abbey becomes a horrific battleground between the living and the damned.
What is the budget of The Nun?
"The Nun," a horror released in 2018, was directed by Corin Hardy and stars Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir. The production budget was $22,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget range for horror productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a horror production like this include:
- Practical Effects, Prosthetics & Makeup: Horror productions invest disproportionately in practical effects , prosthetic applications, animatronics, blood and gore effects, and creature suits. A single hero creature suit can cost $50,000 to 200,000.
- Atmospheric Production Design & Cinematography: Creating dread through environment is essential. Abandoned locations must be secured and dressed, lighting rigs designed for shadow and tension, and sets built to enable specific camera movements and reveals.
- Sound Design & Score: Horror is arguably the most sound-dependent genre. Foley work, ambient textures, frequency manipulation, and jump-scare stingers require specialized sound designers working with unconventional techniques.
What were the major cost factors in The Nun?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "The Nun."
- Practical Effects: Practical Effects, Prosthetics & Makeup is one of the primary cost drivers in horror productions of this scale.
- Atmospheric Production Design: Atmospheric Production Design & Cinematography is one of the primary cost drivers in horror productions of this scale.
- Sound Design: Sound Design & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in horror productions of this scale.
How Does The Nun's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $22,000,000, The Nun sits in the mid-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 12 Rounds (2009): Budget $22,000,000, Worldwide Gross $17,280,326
- Before I Go to Sleep (2014): Budget $22,000,000, Worldwide Gross $17,669,776
- Dances with Wolves (1990): Budget $22,000,000, Worldwide Gross $424,208,848
- Derailed (2005): Budget $22,000,000, Worldwide Gross $57,479,076
- Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005): Budget $22,000,000 , Gross $45,109,561
The median budget for wide-release horror films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
The Nun Box Office Performance
"The Nun" earned $117,481,222 domestically and $366,082,797 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $22,000,000, 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 Nun," that break-even threshold was roughly $44,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $366,082,797, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $22,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $366,082,797
- Net Return: $344,082,797
- ROI: approximately 1564%
At 1564%, "The Nun" earned roughly $16.64 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
2 wins & 1 nomination total
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make The Nun (2018)?
The production budget was $22,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $11,000,000 - $17,600,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $33,000,000 - $39,600,000.
How much did The Nun (2018) earn at the box office?
The Nun grossed $117,481,222 domestic, $248,601,575 international, totaling $366,082,797 worldwide.
Was The Nun (2018) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $22,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$55,000,000, the film earned $366,082,797 theatrically - a 1564% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing The Nun?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Taissa Farmiga, Demián Bichir, Bonnie Aarons); practical creature effects, atmospheric cinematography, and psychologically engineered sound design.
How does The Nun's budget compare to similar horror films?
At $22,000,000, The Nun is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release horror films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 12 Rounds (2009, $22,000,000); Before I Go to Sleep (2014, $22,000,000); Dances with Wolves (1990, $22,000,000).
Did The Nun (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 Nun?
The theatrical ROI was 1564.0%, calculated as ($366,082,797 − $22,000,000) ÷ $22,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did The Nun (2018) win?
2 wins & 1 nomination total.
Who directed The Nun and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Corin Hardy, written by Gary Dauberman, James Wan, shot by Maxime Alexandre, with music by Abel Korzeniowski, edited by Michel Aller, Ken Blackwell.
Where was The Nun filmed?
The Nun was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
The Nun
Official Trailer
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