Production Budget Analysis

What was the production budget for There's Something About Mary?

Directed by Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly, with Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller leading the cast, There's Something About Mary was produced by 20th Century Fox with a confirmed budget of $23,000,000, placing it in the low-budget category for romance films.

At $23,000,000, There's Something About Mary was produced on a modest budget. Lower-budget films benefit from reduced break-even thresholds, with profitability achievable at approximately $57,500,000.

Budget Comparison — Similar Productions

• The Secret World of Arrietty (2010): Budget $23,000,000 | Gross $149,660,003 → ROI: 551% • Bad Santa (2003): Budget $23,000,000 | Gross $76,500,000 → ROI: 233% • Chasing Liberty (2004): Budget $23,000,000 | Gross $12,195,626 → ROI: -47% • Chéri (2009): Budget $23,000,000 | Gross $9,400,000 → ROI: -59% • Eddie the Eagle (2016): Budget $23,000,000 | Gross $46,152,411 → ROI: 101%

Key Budget Allocation Categories

▸ Lead Cast Compensation Romantic films depend entirely on the chemistry and appeal of their leads, making star casting decisions the most consequential budget item.

▸ Location Filming Picturesque, often international locations are central to the romantic genre's visual appeal.

▸ Music Supervision & Soundtrack Iconic songs can cost $250,000–500,000 to license per use, and a well-curated soundtrack is often as important to marketing as the trailer itself.

Key Production Personnel

CAST: Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller, Lee Evans, Chris Elliott Key roles: Cameron Diaz as Mary Jensen; Matt Dillon as Pat Healy; Ben Stiller as Ted Stroehmann; Lee Evans as Tucker

DIRECTOR: Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly CINEMATOGRAPHY: Mark Irwin MUSIC: Jonathan Richman EDITING: Christopher Greenbury PRODUCTION: 20th Century Fox FILMED IN: United States of America

Box Office Performance

There's Something About Mary earned $176,484,651 domestically and $193,415,349 internationally, for a worldwide total of $369,900,000. Revenue was split 48% domestic / 52% international.

Break-Even Analysis

Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), There's Something About Mary needed approximately $57,500,000 to break even. The film surpassed this threshold by $312,400,000.

Return on Investment (ROI)

Revenue: $369,900,000 Budget: $23,000,000 Net: $346,900,000 ROI: 1508.3%

Profitability Assessment

VERDICT: Highly Profitable

There's Something About Mary was a clear financial success, generating $369,900,000 worldwide against a $23,000,000 production budget — a 1508% ROI. After estimated marketing costs, the film still delivered substantial profit to 20th Century Fox.