Inflation, movie budgets and box office

[2099net]

Using the following page (Inflation Calculator) I've done some investigating.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was made in 1937 for a cost of around $1.5 m. According to the calculator this about $20m in 2002.

Fantasia was made in 1940 for $2.2m, or in 2002's money $27.5m.

If you take one of Walt Disney's last animated films 101 Dalmatians in 1961 it was made for around $4m, or in 2002's money around $23.5m.

So the budgets for the movies seem to be around the $20-30m mark in 2002's money. Now, taking a film that was made in 2002, Lilo and Stitch, it was made for a whopping $80m!

Sadly the calcualator I am using only goes upto 2002, but 1994's Lion King cost about $80m itself, or in 2002's money $96m. (2003's Finding Nemo cost about $94m making it actually cheaper in real terms than The Lion King.)

It's clear from these calculations the cost of producing a Disney animated film has risen dramatically over the years. Treasure Planet cost an unbelievable $140m in 2002! (Sadly, the IMDB does not list a budget for this years Brother Bear).

Now, on to Box Office.

In 1994, The Lion King $66.5m (or in 2002's money around $80m). Finding Nemo this year has an opening weekend of about $70.25m.

It's hard to find opening weekend figures for early Disney films, and gross box office figures include rerelease takings too. But the earliest I can find with a weekend figure is The Little Mermaid (1989) with about $10m. In 2002's money this was only about $14.5m.

Although we'll never know the B.O. figures for Snow White, it's last rerelease in 1994 took about $41.5m - a more than respectable $50m in 2002's currency.

[Uncle Remus]

that is some very interesting info.

[Luke]

That is interesting info.

As for some other opening weekends of '80s animation...
Great Mouse Detective made $3.22 M its opening weekend.
Oliver & Company made $4.02 M its opening weekend.

Re-releases used to be a big deal, even as recently as 10 years ago. An interesting, not directly related note. Today's NY Daily News has a reprint of the November 23, 1963 paper, complete with ads and comics in addition to all the Kennedy stuff. Anyway, on the movie ads page, you see that along with the 'new features' like It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World playing, Fantasia is playing at an engagement in Manhattan.

[indianajdp]

Luke, any way you can pick up an extra copy of that NY Daily News?
I'd gladly reimburse you for cost, shipping and energy expended to walk down to the curb

[Grunches]

That very interesting. Finding Nemo was out for 14 weeks here in Salem, Oregon. It made quite a bit of money