Production Budget Analysis

What was the production budget for The Package?

Directed by Andrew Davis, with Gene Hackman, Joanna Cassidy, Tommy Lee Jones leading the cast, The Package was produced by Orion Pictures with a confirmed budget of $16,000,000, placing it in the low-budget category for crime films.

At $16,000,000, The Package was produced on a modest budget. Lower-budget films benefit from reduced break-even thresholds, with profitability achievable at approximately $40,000,000.

Budget Comparison — Similar Productions

• Nobody (2021): Budget $16,000,000 | Gross $57,512,470 → ROI: 259% • Thelma & Louise (1991): Budget $16,000,000 | Gross $45,361,000 → ROI: 184% • 10 Things I Hate About You (1999): Budget $16,000,000 | Gross $53,478,166 → ROI: 234% • Bones and All (2022): Budget $16,000,000 | Gross $15,234,907 → ROI: -5% • The Princess Bride (1987): Budget $16,000,000 | Gross $30,900,000 → ROI: 93%

Key Budget Allocation Categories

▸ 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.

Key Production Personnel

CAST: Gene Hackman, Joanna Cassidy, Tommy Lee Jones, John Heard, Dennis Franz Key roles: Gene Hackman as Sgt. Johnny Gallagher; Joanna Cassidy as Eileen Gallagher; Tommy Lee Jones as Thomas Boyette; John Heard as Col. Glen Whitacre

DIRECTOR: Andrew Davis CINEMATOGRAPHY: Frank Tidy MUSIC: James Newton Howard EDITING: Billy Weber, Don Zimmerman PRODUCTION: Orion Pictures FILMED IN: United States of America

Box Office Performance

The Package earned $10,647,219 in worldwide box office revenue.

Break-Even Analysis

Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), The Package needed approximately $40,000,000 to break even. The film fell $29,352,781 short in theatrical revenue. Ancillary streams (home media, streaming, TV) may have bridged the gap.

Return on Investment (ROI)

Revenue: $10,647,219 Budget: $16,000,000 Net: $-5,352,781 ROI: -33.5%

Detailed Box Office Notes

In the United States and Canada, The Package grossed $10.6million at the box office, a net loss against its budget of $16million.

Profitability Assessment

VERDICT: Unprofitable (Theatrical)

The Package earned $10,647,219 against a $16,000,000 budget (-33% ROI), falling short of theatrical profitability. Ancillary revenue may have reduced the deficit.

INDUSTRY IMPACT

The underperformance may have increased risk aversion around low-budget crime productions.

PRODUCTION NOTES

▸ 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.