The Twilight Saga New Moon
Synopsis
After Bella recovers from the vampire attack that almost claimed her life, she looks to celebrate her birthday with Edward and his family. However, a minor accident during the festivities results in Bella's blood being shed, a sight that proves too intense for the Cullens, who decide to leave the town of Forks, Washington for Bella and Edward's sake. Initially heartbroken, Bella finds a form of comfort in reckless living, as well as an even-closer friendship with Jacob Black. Danger in different forms awaits.
Production Budget Analysis
What was the production budget for The Twilight Saga: New Moon?
Directed by Chris Weitz, with Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner leading the cast, The Twilight Saga: New Moon was produced by Summit Entertainment with a confirmed budget of $50,000,000, placing it in the mid-budget category for adventure films as part of the The Twilight Collection.
With a $50,000,000 budget, The Twilight Saga: New Moon sits in the mid-range of studio releases. Marketing costs for a wide release at this level typically add $30–60 million, putting the break-even point near $125,000,000.
Budget Comparison — Similar Productions
• Angela's Ashes (1999): Budget $50,000,000 | Gross $13,042,112 → ROI: -74% • Dredd (2012): Budget $50,000,000 | Gross $41,037,742 → ROI: -18% • Lord of War (2005): Budget $50,000,000 | Gross $72,600,000 → ROI: 45% • Shall We Dance? (2004): Budget $50,000,000 | Gross $170,128,460 → ROI: 240% • The Iron Giant (1999): Budget $50,000,000 | Gross $23,300,000 → ROI: -53%
Key Budget Allocation Categories
▸ 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. For large-scale productions, VFX alone can account for 20–30% of the total budget, with additional costs for stunt coordinators, rigging, and safety crews.
▸ Above-the-Line Talent (Cast & Director) A-list talent commands significant upfront fees plus backend participation. Lead actors in major action franchises typically earn $10–25 million per film, with directors often receiving comparable compensation packages tied to box office performance.
▸ 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.
Key Production Personnel
CAST: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Dakota Fanning, Michael Sheen Key roles: Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan; Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen; Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black; Dakota Fanning as Jane
DIRECTOR: Chris Weitz CINEMATOGRAPHY: Javier Aguirresarobe MUSIC: Alexandre Desplat EDITING: Peter Lambert PRODUCTION: Summit Entertainment, Temple Hill Entertainment, Maverick Films, Imprint Entertainment, Sunswept Entertainment FILMED IN: United States of America
Box Office Performance
The Twilight Saga: New Moon earned $298,410,482 domestically and $411,416,980 internationally, for a worldwide total of $709,827,462. Revenue was split 42% domestic / 58% international.
Break-Even Analysis
Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), The Twilight Saga: New Moon needed approximately $125,000,000 to break even. The film surpassed this threshold by $584,827,462.
Return on Investment (ROI)
Revenue: $709,827,462 Budget: $50,000,000 Net: $659,827,462 ROI: 1319.7%
Profitability Assessment
VERDICT: Highly Profitable
The Twilight Saga: New Moon was a clear financial success, generating $709,827,462 worldwide against a $50,000,000 production budget — a 1320% ROI. After estimated marketing costs, the film still delivered substantial profit to Summit Entertainment.
INDUSTRY IMPACT
Franchise: The Twilight Saga: New Moon is part of the The Twilight Collection. Its box office performance strengthened the franchise and likely accelerated subsequent installments.
The outsized success of The Twilight Saga: New Moon likely influenced studio greenlight decisions for similar adventure projects.
Records: Crossed the $500M worldwide threshold, placing it among the top-grossing films of 2009.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Summary: 23 wins & 24 nominations total
Awards Won: ★ World Soundtrack Award for Soundtrack Composer of the Year — Alexandre Desplat ★ MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance — Robert Pattinson ★ MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance — Kristen Stewart ★ MTV Movie Award for Best Movie ★ MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss — Robert Pattinson ★ MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss — Kristen Stewart ★ Teen Choice Award for Best Villain — Rachelle Lefevre
Nominations: ○ Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel ○ Teen Choice Award for Best Villain ○ Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie ○ MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss ○ MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance ○ Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screen Couple/Ensemble ○ Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor - Razzie Award ○ MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance ○ MTV Movie Award for Best Movie ○ Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay
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