Inflation, movie budgets and box office
Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2003 5:14 am
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.
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.
