The Tomorrow War Budget
ActionScience FictionAdventure2h 18mUpdated
Synopsis
The world is stunned when a group of time travelers arrive from the year 2051 to deliver an urgent message: Thirty years in the future mankind is losing a global war against a deadly alien species. The only hope for survival is for soldiers and civilians from the present to be transported to the future and join the fight. Among those recruited is high school teacher and family man Dan Forester. Determined to save the world for his young daughter, Dan teams up with a brilliant scientist and his estranged father in a desperate quest to rewrite the fate of the planet.
What is the budget of The Tomorrow War?
"The Tomorrow War," an action released in 2021, was directed by Chris McKay and stars Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski. The production budget was $200,000,000, placing it in the blockbuster range for action productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for an action production like this include:
- Stunts, Action Sequences & Visual Effects: Action films allocate a substantial portion of their budget to choreographing and executing practical stunts, pyrotechnics, and CGI-heavy sequences.
- Above-the-Line Talent (Cast & Director): A-list talent commands significant upfront fees plus backend participation.
- Production Design, Sets & Locations: Action films frequently require multiple international shooting locations, large-scale set construction, vehicle acquisitions and modifications, and specialized equipment , all of which drive production costs well above those of dialogue-driven genres.
- Development: The film had been in development for several years by Skydance Media when they made a deal with writer Zach Dean.
How Does The Tomorrow War's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $200,000,000, The Tomorrow War sits in the blockbuster range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 2012 (2009): Budget $200,000,000, Worldwide Gross $791,217,826
- Alice in Wonderland (2010): Budget $200,000,000, Worldwide Gross $1,025,467,110
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023): Budget $200,000,000 , Gross $476,071,180
- Argylle (2024): Budget $200,000,000, Worldwide Gross $96,221,061
- Black Adam (2022): Budget $200,000,000, Worldwide Gross $393,452,111
The median budget for wide-release action films in the 2020s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
The Tomorrow War Box Office Performance
"The Tomorrow War" earned $14,400,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $200,000,000, the film faced challenges in theatrical release. Home video, streaming, and ancillary revenue may have contributed to its overall performance.
- Production Budget: $200,000,000
- Estimated Prints & Advertising (P&A): approximately $175,000,000
- Total Estimated Investment: approximately $375,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $14,400,000
- Net Return: approximately -$185,600,000
- ROI: approximately -93%
At approximately -93%, The Tomorrow War did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
At -92.8%, "The Tomorrow War" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
The Tomorrow War Production History
The film had been in development for several years by Skydance Media when they made a deal with writer Zach Dean. On February 13, 2019, Chris Pratt was confirmed as joining the film as the lead star and that it would be directed by Chris McKay, marking the latter's live-action debut after directing only for animated projects such as Moral Orel, Robot Chicken, Titan Maximum, and most recently The Lego Batman Movie. Pratt revealed that he would also serve as an executive producer of the film, making his debut as a producer.
Filming began on September 1, 2019, in Lincolnton, Georgia, the historical city in the central Savannah River area. The film was also shot at the Graves Mountain area in 2019. The battle scenes depicting a future Miami were filmed in downtown Atlanta and Buckhead, Georgia, using both CGI and live pyrotechnics to create the postapocalyptic setting.
On August 6, 2020, Lorne Balfe was confirmed to be the composer for The Tomorrow War. Balfe had already collaborated with director Chris McKay on the score for the 2017 animated comedy movie The Lego Batman Movie. The soundtrack album was released on July 2, 2021, by Milan Records.
Awards and Recognition
8 nominations total
Critical Reception
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 52% based on 207 reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "Chris Pratt ably anchors this sci-fi adventure, even if The Tomorrow War may not linger in the memory much longer than today." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 45 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make The Tomorrow War?
The Tomorrow War had a production budget of $200,000,000, making it one of the most expensive films ever to debut on a streaming platform. Originally planned as a theatrical release through Paramount Pictures, it was sold to Amazon Studios during the pandemic.
How much did The Tomorrow War earn at the box office?
The film earned only $19,200,000 at the theatrical box office, entirely from a limited release in China in September 2021. The Tomorrow War was released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on July 2, 2021, so the vast majority of its viewership came through streaming rather than theaters.
Was The Tomorrow War profitable?
Amazon Studios paid over $200,000,000 to acquire the distribution rights from Paramount Pictures, on top of the $200,000,000 production budget. Amazon used the film primarily to drive Prime Video subscriptions rather than generate direct revenue, so traditional profitability metrics do not fully apply to its streaming release model.
What were the biggest costs in The Tomorrow War?
Major expenses included extensive creature design and visual effects (designer Ken Barthelmey created over 67 different alien concept designs), location shooting across Georgia and Iceland's Vatnajokull glacier, practical action sequences prioritized by director Chris McKay, and the salary of star and producer Chris Pratt.
How does The Tomorrow War's budget compare to similar sci-fi films?
At $200,000,000, The Tomorrow War is comparable to other big-budget sci-fi action films. Edge of Tomorrow (2014) cost $178,000,000, Pacific Rim (2013) cost $190,000,000, and Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) cost $165,000,000. The budget places it firmly in the upper tier of original sci-fi productions.
Did The Tomorrow War go over budget?
There are no public reports that the film exceeded its planned budget. Principal photography ran from September 1, 2019 to January 12, 2020, completing on schedule. However, the pandemic disrupted the original Paramount theatrical release plan, ultimately leading to the Amazon acquisition.
What was the ROI of The Tomorrow War?
Traditional box office ROI was deeply negative: ($19,200,000 minus $200,000,000) divided by $200,000,000 times 100 equals negative 90.4%. However, this figure is misleading since the film was a streaming exclusive. Amazon's $200,000,000 plus acquisition price was an investment in Prime Video content rather than a theatrical bet.
What awards did The Tomorrow War win?
The Tomorrow War received nominations at the Annie Awards, Visual Effects Society Awards, Satellite Awards, and People's Choice Awards but did not win any major industry prizes. The film was recognized primarily for its visual effects and creature design work.
Who directed The Tomorrow War?
Chris McKay directed The Tomorrow War in his live-action directorial debut. McKay was previously known for directing The Lego Batman Movie (2017) and for his work as an animation director and editor on Robot Chicken. The film starred Chris Pratt, who also served as a producer.
Where was The Tomorrow War filmed?
Principal photography took place primarily in Georgia, USA, including locations in Lincolnton, Graves Mountain, downtown Atlanta, and Buckhead. The production also filmed on the Vatnajokull glacier in Iceland, which stood in for Russian settings in the film. Filming ran from September 2019 to January 2020.
Filmmakers
The Tomorrow War
Official Trailer
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