The Package Budget
CrimeThrillerAction1h 48mUpdated
Synopsis
Experienced Green Beret sergeant Johnny Gallagher is escorting a prisoner, Airborne Ranger Thomas Boyette, back to the US, but Boyette escapes and Gallagher must risk life and limb to catch him.
What is the budget of The Package?
"The Package," a crime released in 1989, was directed by Andrew Davis and stars Gene Hackman, Joanna Cassidy. The production budget was $16,000,000, placing it in the low-budget range for crime productions of the 1980s.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a crime production like this include:
- Talent & Director Compensation: Thrillers depend on compelling lead performances to sustain tension, making cast compensation a primary budget concern. Directors with proven thriller credentials command premium fees.
- Cinematography & Location Photography: Thriller aesthetics demand specific visual languages , surveillance-style photography, claustrophobic framing, or expansive location work across multiple cities or countries.
- Editorial & Sound Post-Production: Precision editing , controlling information flow, building suspense through pacing, and orchestrating reveals , requires extended post-production schedules.
- Production: Although the story takes place in West Germany, Washington, D.C., Arlington, Virginia, and ends with numerous Chicago settings, the closing credits reveal the film was shot entirely in Chicago and other Illinois locations, with the exception of the opening credits sequence filmed at the Soviet War Memorial in Tiergarten of the West German territory of West Berlin.
What were the major cost factors in The Package?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "The Package."
- Talent: Talent & Director Compensation is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
- Cinematography: Cinematography & Location Photography is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
- Editorial: Editorial & Sound Post-Production is one of the primary cost drivers in crime productions of this scale.
How Does The Package's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $16,000,000, The Package sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Nobody (2021): Budget $16,000,000, Worldwide Gross $57,512,470
- Thelma & Louise (1991): Budget $16,000,000, Worldwide Gross $45,361,000
- 10 Things I Hate About You (1999): Budget $16,000,000, Worldwide Gross $53,478,166
- Bones and All (2022): Budget $16,000,000, Worldwide Gross $15,234,907
- The Princess Bride (1987): Budget $16,000,000, Worldwide Gross $30,900,000
The median budget for wide-release crime films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
The Package Box Office Performance
"The Package" earned $10,647,219 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $16,000,000, 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 Package," that break-even threshold was roughly $32,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $10,647,219, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $16,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $10,647,219
- Net Return: −$5,352,781
- ROI: approximately -33.5%
At -33.5%, "The Package" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make The Package (1989)?
The production budget was $16,000,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $8,000,000 - $12,800,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $24,000,000 - $28,800,000.
How much did The Package (1989) earn at the box office?
The Package grossed $10,647,219 worldwide.
Was The Package (1989) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $10,647,219 against an estimated $40,000,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing The Package?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Gene Hackman, Joanna Cassidy, Tommy Lee Jones); talent compensation, location cinematography, and tension-driven editorial.
How does The Package's budget compare to similar crime films?
At $16,000,000, The Package is classified as a low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release crime films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Nobody (2021, $16,000,000); Thelma & Louise (1991, $16,000,000); 10 Things I Hate About You (1999, $16,000,000).
Did The Package (1989) 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 Package?
The theatrical ROI was -33.5%, calculated as ($10,647,219 − $16,000,000) ÷ $16,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
Who directed The Package and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Andrew Davis, written by John Bishop, shot by Frank Tidy, with music by James Newton Howard, edited by Billy Weber, Don Zimmerman.
Where was The Package filmed?
The Package was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
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The Package
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