Budget Template: Marvel Studios
A blockbuster-scale budget template with 1,358 line items, including visual effects, animation, creature and additional unit accounts, plus the reported production budgets of Marvel Cinematic Universe films.
What's in this Marvel Studios budget template
A blockbuster-scale template with 1,358 line items, built for productions that run several units at once. Saturation is not affiliated with Marvel Studios or Disney.
- Above the line: 1000 Story Rights, 1100 Writing, 1200 Producers Unit, 1300 Direction, 1400 Principal Cast, 1500 Supporting Cast, 1600 Stunts, 1900 ATL Fringes and Travel.
- Production: 2000 Production Staff through 3900 BTL Travel and Living, including 2300 and 2400 Set Construction (more than 130 lines between them) and 3600 Picture Vehicles.
- Units and effects: 4100 Animation, 4200 Creature Manufacturing, 4400 Second Unit, 4500 to 4700 Additional Units, and 5500 Visual Effects with 62 lines (bluescreen, plates, CG builds, wire removal and set extensions, motion control).
- Post and other: 6000 Editing, 6100 Music, 6200 Post-Production Sound, 6300 Post Film and Lab, 7000 Publicity, 7100 Insurance (cast, negative, E&O and more), 7200 General Expense.
What Marvel movies have cost
Reported production budgets for Marvel Cinematic Universe films, with our full breakdowns:
Film | Reported budget |
|---|---|
$140 million | |
$152 million to $175 million | |
$200 million | |
$325 million to $400 million | |
$356 million to $400 million | |
$200 million to $250 million | |
$250 million | |
$374 million gross, $307.3 million net | |
$533.7 million gross, $429 million net | |
$180 million |
The same structure at any scale
The above-the-line, production, post and other split that organizes a studio tentpole is the same one an indie producer uses; the difference is how many units and VFX lines you need. If you are not running second and additional units, start from the Feature Film template, or see Disney for another studio layout.
Frequently asked questions
Which of these Marvel films cost the most?
On the figures above, Deadpool & Wolverine is the most expensive at $533.7 million gross ($429 million net), followed by The Marvels at $374 million gross. Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Infinity War come next at a reported $356 million and $325 million, and estimates for both run as high as $400 million. The two filed figures include costs that reported budgets often leave out, so compare like with like on each film's page.
Why are some Marvel budgets shown as gross and net?
For some recent films, UK company filings show both the gross cost and the cost net of UK tax credits. Deadpool & Wolverine, for example, cost $533.7 million gross and $429 million after $104.7 million in UK tax credits. See each film's breakdown page for its sources.
Is this Marvel's official budget template?
No. It is a studio-scale template in Saturation with the accounts a multi-unit, VFX-heavy production needs.
Open this template in Saturation
Every template lands in a live budget: auto-fill the line items, set your phases and rate packs, and let fringes and reports follow the numbers.
Budget Engine 2.0
Your budget, your cost report and every export run on one engine.
Auto-fill
Rates fill in as you type, from the source you turned on.
PhasesRebuilt
Every column knows its type.
Reports
Drag blocks onto the page and split a row in two.
Rate packs
Verified union rates, versioned.
Fringes and markupsRebuilt
Stack them, cap them, and see the split on every line.
