The Perks of Being a Wallflower Budget

What is the budget of The Perks of Being a Wallflower?

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower," a drama released in 2012, was directed by Stephen Chbosky and stars Logan Lerman, Emma Watson. The production budget was $13,000,000, 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.
• Casting: In May 2010, Logan Lerman and Emma Watson were reportedly in talks for the project and confirmed the following year.

What were the major cost factors in The Perks of Being a Wallflower?

Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower."

• 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 Perks of Being a Wallflower's Budget Compare to Similar Films?

At $13,000,000, The Perks of Being a Wallflower sits in the low-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:

• Miss Sloane (2016): Budget $13,000,000, Worldwide Gross $9,101,546
• RoboCop (1987): Budget $13,000,000, Worldwide Gross $53,424,681
• The Godfather Part II (1974): Budget $13,000,000, Worldwide Gross $102,600,000
• The Holdovers (2023): Budget $13,000,000, Worldwide Gross $42,513,270
• In the Name of the Father (1993): Budget $13,000,000, Worldwide Gross $65,796,862

The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Box Office Performance

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" earned $17,742,948 domestically and $33,384,127 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $13,000,000, 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 Perks of Being a Wallflower," that break-even threshold was roughly $26,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $33,384,127, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.

• Production Budget: $13,000,000
• Worldwide Gross: $33,384,127
• Net Return: $20,384,127
• ROI: approximately 156.8%

At 156.8%, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" earned roughly $2.57 for every $1 invested in production.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Production History

In May 2010, Logan Lerman and Emma Watson were reportedly in talks for the project and confirmed the following year. In April 2011, Mae Whitman signed on as Mary Elizabeth and Nina Dobrev was cast as Candace. Paul Rudd was cast as Mr. Anderson later that month. On May 9, 2011, Kate Walsh announced that she was cast in the film as Charlie's mother and had begun filming. On May 19, 2011, it was announced that Ezra Miller had joined the film.

The film was shot in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area from May 9 to June 29, 2011. Initial filming began in Pittsburgh's South Hills, including South Park, Upper St. Clair, and Peters Township High School.

The soundtrack to The Perks of Being a Wallflower was released by Atlantic Records on September 11, 2012, a month before the film's release. The film's music was chosen by the film's director Stephen Chbosky and music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas, while the incidental music was scored by Michael Brook. The score album was released September 25, 2012.

Awards and Recognition

20 wins & 51 nominations total

• National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Critical Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 85% based on 172 reviews, with an average rating of 7.50/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a heartfelt and sincere adaptation that's bolstered by strong lead performances." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.