Posted by The Sony Brad Pitt & Sandra Bullock summer action movie reportedly costs cost less than half the budget of other films like F9 or No Time to Die.
Sony is reportedly spending $90 million to produce the upcoming Sandra Bullock
and Brad Pitt-led action film, Bullet Train. The film is being directed by David Leitch, who has established a remarkable action film resume in recent years with films such as Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. The movie also has notable stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Michael Shannon joining the high-profile action pic. Bullet Train is based on a 2010 novel from Japanese mystery writer, Kotaro Isaka, titled Maria Beetle and was adapted for the screen by Zak Olkewicz.
The plot is said to revolve around five assassins who find themselves on a Japanese bullet train, only to realize their seemingly individual assignments are actually interconnected. Other actors rounding out the exciting ensemble roster of actors include Andrew Koji, Zazie Beetz, Hiroyuki Sanada and Logan Lerman. Spanish language rap star, Bad Bunny even makes an appearance in the film and has been confirmed as having a fight scene with Pitt’s character. The movie was recently delayed, and is now headed for a July 15, 2022 opening in theaters. Director Leitch has previously worked with Pitt on several action films in the past as the actor’s stunt double on big-budget action spectacles like Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Troy.
According to Variety, the highly anticipated film is budgeted at a $90 million production cost. Although, it appears Sony has yet to officially confirm that number. The reported budget does not include marketing costs, which can often increase the overall cost of most films. The film will undoubtedly feature an assortment of complex and expensive action scenes if the director’s track record is any indication.The reported salaries of lead actors Pitt and Bullock on other recent films has been in the double-digit millions. So, it is surprising that Sony has managed to keep the budget of Bullet Train beneath $100 million, especially considering it will likely be an action-heavy production with special effects. Such a feat is likely made possible due to the experience of its director, having directed action films with star leads on relatively modest budgets like Atomic Blonde, starring Charlize Theron, and John Wick, starring Keanu Reeves.
When compared to other similarly scaled action films, Bullet Train is well suited for a profitable outcome with its lower-than-average budget. The theatrical market has been such an unreliable and unpredictable financial environment in recent times due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on traditional movie going and sales. For Bullet Train, the scaled down budget may enable it to avoid certain risks that come with investing in big-budget films during this era. For comparison, this film currently costs half or less than the most recent Fast and Furious, James Bond, and MCU films.