Having just seen Prometheus, I find it incredible it cost only 130 million. Some VERY smart budgeting there, if true. Every frame of the film looks incredible.

$10m SEEKING A FRIEND

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/en ... 6474.story

Isn't managing budget a producers' problem? If anything, indie film directors should know how to work on a tight budget. I doubt it is somehow Webb's fault, considering he's not in the position to demand anything with his track record. I don't why you always blame directors when it is clearly producers/studio fault.

The budget is a producer's problem, but the director manages it with shooting days. Each day of filming is expensive, and going over schedule is going to rapidly raise costs (especially if shooting on location).

That's a great budget for Seeking.

Great is almost an understatement. If accurate, it's AMAZING. It's fifteen million less than the estimated budget of Dan in Real Life five years ago.

The movie has two legitimate stars (Steve Carell and Keira Knightley), a host of recognizable faces (from Adam Brody to Patton Oswalt to Martin Sheen), and, I assume, more than a few locations since the storyline focuses on a road trip. There might even be FX shots considering the asteroid plot element. So the fact its budget is comparable to much more limited-in-scope Focus titles such as It's Kind of a Funny Story and Somewhere is almost a not-so-minor miracle.

I'm super excited for World War Z....we're getting a mega budget zombie movie.

I hope Marc Forster's approach to action cinematography and editing has improved since Quantum of Solace.

According to this, maybe not:

http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/just-wh ... orld-war-z

He was such a poor choice on the studio's part. I know there is a trend now where studios give big projects to "indie" directors in hopes of an Y tu mamá también/Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban or Memento/Batman Begins type success story, but Forster failed this test with Quantum of Solace, which had ineptly shot action and squandered the Bond franchise's considerable post-Casino Royale goodwill. I don't hate the dude (Monster's Ball holds up, and Stay is extremely underrated), but these big-budget, action-oriented projects are not his wheelhouse. Such a misguided and lazy decision to hire him.

I know this would never fly with the studio executives, but I wish the directorial reigns had been handed to an up-and-coming genre talent such as Alexandre Aja or James Watkins. People who have a genuine feeling for horror iconography and have proven they are more than proficient craftsmen.

Maybe Sam Mendes will be the next example of when this kind of thinking won't work out. At least he has shown more potential going into that direction with Road to Perdition (the shootout in the rain ws well-done).

As for Seeking a Friend, I assume the main cast just took paycuts. Judging by interviews they all seemed very much into the project.

Seems so. It's just surprising. I'm sure the roles are actor-friendly (the chance to hit both comic and dramatic notes), but it's not as if it's a chance to be in a Terrence Malick or Coen brothers film. It's from a first-time director whose "claim to fame" is writing Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist. A surprising project to see A-list stars accepting scale to appear in.

As for Mendes, I have faith. He is a talented stylist (Road to Perdition, yes, but also Jarhead). With Jarhead, he more or less made an action film, even though it's not an explicit action film. He understands motion and dramatic, exciting compositions.

BRAVE: 185m

http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bearandthebow.htm

I thought it would have been more expensive to make, knowing that it has been in production since 2004

10m more than Up, 15m less than the recent sequels, makes sense to me.

I thought after Cars 2 they are going to control their budget for sure but this was under development from 2004 so i thought the reduction will come from next project.

Regardless these movies generate enough WW to call them a success, so that is an acceptable number. $150m would have been good in my books but I know people will then bring up the quality of Pixar animation and all.

But it's still cheaper compared to Tangled 260m , which had high costs for the animation of the main character's hair

Tangled was having poorer production history which took long to produce whereas Brave just took a long time to produce very different scenarios.

$50m Ted
$16m People Like Us
$7m Magic Mike

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/en ... ?track=rss

Wow, amazing budget for Magic Mike.

I s'pose Tatum and McConaughey agreed to act for scale.

MOTHER OF GOD that Magic Mike number is GREAT.

Little higher than expected for Ted and good for PLU.

Actually, that number for Ted's actually excellent. Deadline reported it at $65 million. The special effects of the talking bear took into the majority of the budget.

Just to clarify some costs. Magic Mike was bought by WB for domestic distribution for 7.0 million. It still cost a very low 10.0 to produce

Ted was produced by MRC for 50.0 million. Universal bought WW Distribution rights for 69.0 million. Similar to their deal on the Adjustment Bureau.

$12m Katy Perry
$45m Savages

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/en ... 4643.story

Good for Katy Perry but kinda expected.

A little higher for Savages IMO could have done with $30m budget.