The Endless Budget
Updated
Synopsis
Two brothers return to the cult they fled from years ago to discover that the group's beliefs may be more sane than they once thought.
What is the budget of The Endless?
"The Endless," a science fiction released in 2017, was directed by Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson and stars Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson. The production budget was $1,000,000, placing it in the micro-budget range for science fiction productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a science fiction production like this include:
- Visual Effects & CGI Pipeline: Sci-fi films are among the most VFX-intensive productions in Hollywood.
- Production Design & World-Building: Creating a believable sci-fi world required significant investment in set construction, prop fabrication, and conceptual design , from physical environments through LED volume stages and virtual production technology.
- Technology & Camera Systems: Cutting-edge camera rigs, motion capture stages, LED volume stages (virtual production), and proprietary rendering technology often push the technical budget far beyond conventional filming costs.
- Production: The film was shot in Descanso, located in southeastern San Diego County.
What were the major cost factors in The Endless?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "The Endless."
- Visual Effects: Visual Effects & CGI Pipeline is one of the primary cost drivers in science fiction productions of this scale.
- Production Design: Production Design & World-Building is one of the primary cost drivers in science fiction productions of this scale.
- Technology: Technology & Camera Systems is one of the primary cost drivers in science fiction productions of this scale.
How Does The Endless's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $1,000,000, The Endless sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- Gone in 60 Seconds (1974): Budget $1,000,000, Worldwide Gross $40,000,000
- A Woman Under the Influence (1974): Budget $1,000,000, Worldwide Gross $12,200,000
- Rear Window (1954): Budget $1,000,000, Worldwide Gross $37,042,336
- How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024): Budget $1,000,000, Worldwide Gross $73,800,000
- Raise the Red Lantern (1991): Budget $1,000,000, Worldwide Gross $16,600,000
The median budget for wide-release science fiction films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
The Endless Box Office Performance
"The Endless" earned $956,425 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $1,000,000, the film faced challenges in theatrical release. Home video, streaming, and ancillary revenue may have contributed to its overall performance.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "The Endless," that break-even threshold was roughly $2,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $956,425, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $1,000,000
- Worldwide Gross: $956,425
- Net Return: −$43,575
- ROI: approximately -4.4%
At -4.4%, "The Endless" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Critical Reception
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of based on reviews and an average rating of . The website's critical consensus reads, "The Endless benefits from its grounded approach to an increasingly bizarre story, elevated by believable performances by filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make The Endless (2017)?
The production budget was $1,000,000, 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 $500,000 - $800,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $1,500,000 - $1,800,000.
How much did The Endless (2017) earn at the box office?
The Endless grossed $956,425 worldwide.
Was The Endless (2017) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $956,425 against an estimated $2,500,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing The Endless?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Callie Hernandez); visual effects pipelines, virtual production technology, and speculative world-building.
How does The Endless's budget compare to similar science fiction films?
At $1,000,000, The Endless is classified as a micro-budget production. The median budget for wide-release science fiction films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: Gone in 60 Seconds (1974, $1,000,000); A Woman Under the Influence (1974, $1,000,000); Rear Window (1954, $1,000,000).
Did The Endless (2017) 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 The Endless?
The theatrical ROI was -4.4%, calculated as ($956,425 − $1,000,000) ÷ $1,000,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
Who directed The Endless and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, written by Justin Benson, shot by Aaron Moorhead, with music by Jimmy LaValle, edited by Justin Benson, Michael Felker.
Where was The Endless filmed?
The Endless was filmed in United States of America.
Filmmakers
The Endless
Official Trailer
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