Dredd (2012)

[dweezil2]

the discrepancies of the first film's reported budget

Funny how that's come back to bite them, assuming Garland was telling the truth (and there's no reason to think otherwise). Big up the film by saying it had a bigger budget than it did, and then that's used as a stick to beat it with when coupled with the dreadful box-office. It'd be interesting to know more accurately what the (pre-marketing) budget was, because there's a world of difference between, say, $15m, $35m and $50m. (That all said, I still think any Dredd follow-up is astonishingly unlikely purely because of risk, but who knows?)

Wasn't Alex Garland quoted as saying that the film's production budget was less than $30M, it was Lionsgate's striking of prints and publicity that bumped it up to $50M?

Anyone got the quotes to hand?   

[IndigoPrime]

The oft-quoted production budget of $50m is _sans_ marketing though. I can't imagine it makes a great deal of difference though. Unless bloke in that video was right and the actual budget was $15m (which would place it closer to the likes of Hot Fuzz than a sci-fi, so that's staggeringly unlikely), its box-office take will still be the sticking point regarding any possibility of a sequel.

It's great to see Urban flying the flag and being so enthusiastic about the film. It reminds me of Nathan Fillion's long-time 'never say never' attitude regarding Firefly (and then Serenity). Here's hoping it works out better for Dredd than Whedon's abruptly canned series.

[JOE SOAP]

The oft-quoted production budget of $50m is _sans_ marketing though.

That number only originated from one source, boxofficemojo, who still have an incorrect box-office total for Dredd so I reckon it's their estimate. Variety and the trades reported it as $45 million and in an early interview with one of the producers in 2010 it was claimed to be $35 million.

[dweezil2]

Cheers Joe!

In an interview with Lena Headey, she stated that the production was of a low budget I seem to remember too.

[Goaty]

Worth mentioning that there are a lot of FX shots that really don't look like FX shots.

Yep, better FX Shots than many Hollywood films...

[radiator]

I've heard time and again that the production budget was always $35m, and that figure never changed, but they claimed it was $50m to make it seem a bigger deal and to build up hype. Iirc they also claimed that shooting in SA would effectively double their spending power so that Dredd would look more like a $100m movie, which, with all respect to the finished article (it's a visually ambitious work that has some great vfx) is clearly not the case.

I also heard that Lionsgate spent $20m on prints and advertising in the US.

When all the dust has settled, it'll be interesting to see how Dredd fared against Robocop 2014. Robocop had a reported budget of $130m, probably closer to $200m with marketing, so I wouldn't be surprised if Dredd ends up doing better, relatively (Dredd probably broke even whereas Robocop may not).

[Jim_Campbell]

Dredd would look more like a $100m movie, which, with all respect to the finished article (it's a visually ambitious work that has some great vfx) is clearly not the case.

I dunno about that... I hear that these days $100M in Hollywood barely covers catering and the cocaine-and-hookers budget for the executive producers.

Cheers!

Jim

[Hawkmumbler]

Dredd would look more like a $100m movie, which, with all respect to the finished article (it's a visually ambitious work that has some great vfx) is clearly not the case.

I dunno about that... I hear that these days $100M in Hollywood barely covers catering and the cocaine-and-hookers budget for the executive producers.

Cheers!

Jim

This is Garland-Block not Bay-Falls.

[radiator]

As for chances of a sequel, I still get a little giddy whenever Karl makes one of these statements, but I also firmly believe that it just isn't feasible, and I've made my peace with that.

I mean, if you'd have told me 5 years ago that not only would there be a new Dredd film, but it would against all odds be a really GREAT one, and not only that, but the producer would put a little Easter egg in the movie just for ME, and to top it all I'd be invited to a secret advanced screening of it and get to meet four of my heroes, it would have blown my mind!

As tantalising as a prequel is, that's enough for me!

[Goaty]

Anyone remember this 2 years ago for 2000AD's 35th...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elmeQVFKe8c

sadly nothing happens today, no Dredd 2 sequel announcement! lol

[Spaceghost]

As tantalising as a prequel is, that's enough for me!

Oooh! Are we getting a sequel AND a prequel?

You heard it here first!

[MR. ELIMINATOR]

I'm not sure I quite understand the distribution issue brought up that video Joe Soap posted. I remember reading the film-makers sold the distribution rights which covered the budget or something along those lines, so they made their money back yeah? So if that means they sold the rights to any sequels too, and the distributors are currently on a loss, why wouldn't they want a sequel? They already have the rights so they don't need to buy them again, and they will more likely than not make their money back considering the demand.

Or have I got that all wrong?

[mimikeke]

I'm not sure I quite understand the distribution issue brought up that video Joe Soap posted. I remember reading the film-makers sold the distribution rights which covered the budget or something along those lines, so they made their money back yeah? So if that means they sold the rights to any sequels too, and the distributors are currently on a loss, why wouldn't they want a sequel? They already have the rights so they don't need to buy them again, and they will more likely than not make their money back considering the demand.

Or have I got that all wrong?

I think a second film in the Cursed Earth would easily require 100mil, I still don't think there is the audience for that.  I think you'd be surprised how expensive wandering around the desert is 

@Goaty: never seen that vid, that is awesome!!

[JOE SOAP]

I also heard that Lionsgate spent $20m on prints and advertising in the US.

The way it has been reported is that Lionsgate spent relatively little and that IMGlobal covered the cost of P&A:

Comic-Con fans seemed to accept this new gritty Dredd last summer, unlike the Sly Stallone version with lycra and codpieces. Reviews were good, and audiences gave the pic a 'B' CinemaScore. The bad news is that Deepak Nayer and Stuart Ford who put the picture together committed Reliance Entertainment to fund the $40M gap and backstop the P&A. The good news for Lionsgate is that it has minimal risk. LG's marketing campaign created a comic strip prequel to the film with the publisher 2000 AD as well as a Motion Comic released online.

http://www.deadline.com/2012/09/soft-friday-box-office-clint-eastwoods-trouble-with-the-curve-disappoints-but-end-of-watch-strong-even-if-house-1-rebooted-dredd-opens-just-dreadful/

[Steve Green]

The money went on forum graffiti and Joe Soap's billboard.