The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011), David Fincher's adaptation of Stieg Larsson's novel, cost $90 million and earned $232,617,430 worldwide. Box Office Mojo lists the $90 million budget on its rankings page and the worldwide total on its title page. The film stars Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara and was distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. The gross more than doubled the production budget, but that comparison alone does not establish profit.
Table of Contents
- Where did the gross come from?
- How did it reach theaters?
- Did $232.6 million mean profit?
- What did this mean for sequels?
Where did the gross come from?
Domestic earnings were $102,515,793, about 44.1% of worldwide. The film opened domestically to $12,768,604 after its Dec.
21, 2011 launch. International earnings were about $130.1 million. That foreign share lifted the worldwide result to $232.6 million.
- Domestic: $102,515,793, about 44.1%
- International: about $130.1 million
- Worldwide: $232,617,430
How did it reach theaters?
It premiered at Odeon Leicester Square in London on Dec. 12, 2011. The U.S.
release followed on Dec. 20-21, 2011 through Sony/Columbia. Sony production notes archived by Visual Hollywood document that premiere and release pattern. The winter dates placed an adult thriller in the competitive holiday corridor.
Did $232.6 million mean profit?
No. Gross receipts are split among theaters, distributors, and financiers before costs are covered. Marketing, distribution fees, interest, and participations come out of the theatrical gross.
JoBlo, reporting an MGM investor call, said MGM booked a modest loss despite worldwide earnings above $231 million and had hoped for 10% more. The account is available in its report on the investor call. For readers, budget versus worldwide is a starting point, not a profit statement.
What did this mean for sequels?
MGM said it would co-finance the planned Larsson sequels only with better economics. That position made a prompt continuation of Fincher's series less likely.
The Playlist summarized the investor-call position in its account of MGM's sequel terms. A film can beat its production budget worldwide and still stall a franchise.