Up Budget
AnimationComedyFamilyAdventure1h 36mUpdated
Synopsis
Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old balloon salesman, is about to fulfill a lifelong dream. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, he flies away to the South American wilderness. But curmudgeonly Carl’s worst nightmare comes true when he discovers a little boy named Russell is a stowaway aboard the balloon-powered house.
What is the budget of Up?
"Up," a animation released in 2009, was directed by Pete Docter and stars Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer. The production budget was $175,000,000, placing it in the blockbuster range for animation productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a animation production like this include:
- Animation Production Pipeline: The bulk of an animated film's budget funds the multi-year production pipeline: storyboarding, character modeling, rigging, animation, lighting, rendering, and compositing.
- Voice Talent: Celebrity voice casting has become standard for studio animation, with A-list actors earning $5 to 15 million for voice roles.
- Music, Songs & Sound Design: Original songs and orchestral scores are central to animated storytelling. Sound design for animated worlds must be created entirely from scratch.
What were the major cost factors in Up?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Up."
- Animation Production Pipeline: Animation Production Pipeline is one of the primary cost drivers in animation productions of this scale.
- Voice Talent: Voice Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in animation productions of this scale.
- Music: Music, Songs & Sound Design is one of the primary cost drivers in animation productions of this scale.
How Does Up's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $175,000,000, Up sits in the blockbuster range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- 47 Ronin (2013): Budget $175,000,000, Worldwide Gross $151,783,839
- Cars 3 (2017): Budget $175,000,000, Worldwide Gross $383,925,276
- Coco (2017): Budget $175,000,000, Worldwide Gross $814,641,172
- Dolittle (2020): Budget $175,000,000, Worldwide Gross $251,410,631
- Evan Almighty (2007): Budget $175,000,000, Worldwide Gross $174,440,724
The median budget for wide-release animation films in the 2000s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Up Box Office Performance
"Up" earned $293,004,164 domestically and $735,103,954 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $175,000,000, 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 "Up," that break-even threshold was roughly $350,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $735,103,954, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $175,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $735,103,954
- Net Return: $560,103,954
- ROI: approximately 320.1%
At 320.1%, "Up" earned roughly $4.2 for every $1 invested in production.
Awards and Recognition
Won 2 Oscars. 81 wins & 88 nominations total
- Genesis Award
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Academy Award for Best Original Score: Michael Giacchino (82nd Academy Awards)
- Academy Award for Best Animated Feature: Pete Docter (82nd Academy Awards)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Up (2009)?
The production budget was $175,000,000, covering principal photography, visual effects, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $87,500,000 - $140,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $262,500,000 - $315,000,000.
How much did Up (2009) earn at the box office?
Up grossed $293,004,164 domestic, $442,099,790 international, totaling $735,103,954 worldwide.
Was Up (2009) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $175,000,000 and estimated total costs of ~$437,500,000, the film earned $735,103,954 theatrically - a 320% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Up?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai); multi-year animation production, celebrity voice talent, and original musical compositions.
How does Up's budget compare to similar animation films?
At $175,000,000, Up is classified as a big-budget production. The median budget for wide-release animation films in the 2000s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: 47 Ronin (2013, $175,000,000); Cars 3 (2017, $175,000,000); Coco (2017, $175,000,000).
Did Up (2009) go over budget?
There are no widely reported accounts of significant budget overruns for this production. However, studios rarely disclose precise budget overrun figures publicly. The reported production budget reflects the final estimated cost.
What was the return on investment (ROI) for Up?
The theatrical ROI was 320.1%, calculated as ($735,103,954 − $175,000,000) ÷ $175,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Up (2009) win?
Won 2 Oscars. 81 wins & 88 nominations total.
Who directed Up and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Pete Docter, written by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Tom McCarthy, shot by Jean-Claude Kalache, Patrick Lin, with music by Michael Giacchino, edited by Kevin Nolting, Katherine Ringgold.
Where was Up filmed?
Up was filmed in United States of America. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Up
Official Trailer
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