Tomb Raider Budget
ActionAdventureFantasy1h 58mUpdated
Synopsis
Lara Croft is the fiercely independent daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished when she was scarcely a teen. Now a young woman of 21 without any real focus or purpose, Lara navigates the chaotic streets of trendy East London as a bike courier, barely making the rent, and takes college courses, rarely making it to class. Determined to forge her own path, she refuses to take the reins of her father’s global empire just as staunchly as she rejects the idea that he’s truly gone. Advised to face the facts and move forward after seven years without him, even Lara can’t understand what drives her to finally solve the puzzle of his mysterious death.
What is the budget of Tomb Raider?
"Tomb Raider," an action released in 2018, was directed by Roar Uthaug and stars Alicia Vikander, Dominic West. The production budget was $94,000,000, placing it in the high-budget 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.
- Filming & Locations: Principal photography began on January 23, 2017, in Cape Town, South Africa, and wrapped on June 9, 2017, at Warner Bros.
What were the major cost factors in Tomb Raider?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Tomb Raider."
- Stunts: Stunts, Action Sequences & Visual Effects is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
- Above-the-Line Talent (Cast: Above-the-Line Talent (Cast & Director) is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
- Production Design: Production Design, Sets & Locations is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
How Does Tomb Raider's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $94,000,000, Tomb Raider sits in the high-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Finding Nemo (2003): Budget $94,000,000, Worldwide Gross $940,335,536
- Cats (2019): Budget $95,000,000, Worldwide Gross $77,276,321
- Ferrari (2023): Budget $95,000,000, Worldwide Gross $39,220,516
- Hollow Man (2000): Budget $95,000,000, Worldwide Gross $190,213,455
- Jurassic Park III (2001): Budget $93,000,000, Worldwide Gross $368,780,809
The median budget for wide-release action films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Tomb Raider Box Office Performance
"Tomb Raider" earned $58,250,803 domestically and $274,650,803 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $94,000,000, 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 "Tomb Raider," that break-even threshold was roughly $188,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $274,650,803, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $94,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $274,650,803
- Net Return: $180,650,803
- ROI: approximately 192.2%
At 192.2%, "Tomb Raider" earned roughly $2.92 for every $1 invested in production.
Tomb Raider Production History
Principal photography began on January 23, 2017, in Cape Town, South Africa, and wrapped on June 9, 2017, at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden in Hertfordshire, England. Wilton House near Salisbury in Wiltshire was the location for exterior shots for Croft Manor.
On June 14, 2017, It was announced that Tom Holkenborg signed on as the film's composer after being removed from Justice League. The soundtrack was released digitally on March 9, 2018, by Sony Classical Records, with the physical edition being released on March 16, 2018, followed by the vinyl on August 24, 2018.
Awards and Recognition
4 wins & 8 nominations total
Critical Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of based on reviews and an average rating of . The website's critical consensus reads, "Tomb Raider reboots the franchise with a more grounded approach and a star who's more than up to the task,neither of which are well served by an uninspired origin story." At the time of its release, it was the best-reviewed movie based on a video game on the site. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 48 out of 100, based on 53 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Tomb Raider (2018) cost to make?
The production budget was $94,000,000. Warner Bros., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and GK Films co-financed the reboot, with Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics consulting on the adaptation of the 2013 video game reboot of the same name.
How much did Tomb Raider earn at the box office?
The film grossed $58,250,803 domestically and $216,000,000 internationally, for a worldwide total of approximately $274,300,000. It opened to $23,622,000 on March 16, 2018, finishing second behind Black Panther in its fifth weekend.
Who stars in Tomb Raider (2018)?
Alicia Vikander stars as Lara Croft, replacing Angelina Jolie from the original 2001 and 2003 films. Supporting cast includes Dominic West as Lord Richard Croft, Walton Goggins as the villain Mathias Vogel, Daniel Wu as Lu Ren, and Kristin Scott Thomas as Ana Miller.
Is Tomb Raider (2018) based on the video games?
Yes. The film adapts the 2013 video game reboot of Tomb Raider developed by Crystal Dynamics, which retold Lara Croft's origin story as a young woman discovering her abilities for the first time on the island of Yamatai. The film closely follows the game's tone and physical realism.
Who directed Tomb Raider (2018)?
Roar Uthaug directed the film. The Norwegian director had previously directed the disaster thriller The Wave (2015), which grossed $12,800,000 on a $6,500,000 budget and was Norway's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Where was Tomb Raider (2018) filmed?
Principal photography took place at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the United Kingdom, with additional location work in Cape Town, South Africa, and the Hong Kong harbor. The UK Creative Industry Tax Relief and South African Department of Trade incentives offset a substantial portion of the production budget.
What did critics think of Tomb Raider (2018)?
Reviews were mixed-to-positive, with a 51% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 48 out of 100 score on Metacritic. Critics praised Alicia Vikander's physical commitment to the role but felt the screenplay leaned too heavily on standard origin-story beats.
Was Tomb Raider (2018) profitable?
Marginally. Against the $94,000,000 production budget and an estimated $100,000,000 in marketing spend, the worldwide gross of $274,300,000 produced a slim theatrical return. International markets, particularly China at $78,500,000, were critical to recouping the investment.
Was there a Tomb Raider (2018) sequel?
A direct sequel was announced with Vikander returning and Misha Green attached to write and direct, but the project lost its rights window in May 2022 when MGM and GK Films allowed the option to lapse. A separate Amazon MGM Studios reboot is now in development with Phoebe Waller-Bridge writing a television series.
How does Tomb Raider (2018) compare to the Angelina Jolie films?
The 2018 reboot grossed $274,300,000 worldwide against $94,000,000, comparable to Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001, $115,000,000 budget, $274,700,000 worldwide) but behind Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003, $95,000,000 budget, $156,500,000 worldwide). The Vikander version was the most profitable of the three on a per-dollar basis.
Official Trailer
Build your own production budget
Create professional budgets with industry-standard feature film templates. Real-time collaboration, no spreadsheets.
