So How Much Did ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Make Opening Weekend?

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Everyone knows that when it comes to making an impact at the box office, the movie itself is only half the equation. The other half is marketing and big budget films like The Devil Wears Prada 2, usually spend between 50 and 100 percent of their overall film making budget on marketing. In this day and age, that’s just what it takes.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 cost 20th Century Studios, which is owned by Disney, an estimated $100 million to make. And The New York Times estimates their marketing costs at around $80. At least. Although given the years of lead-up to its opening and the absolute blitzkrieg of press and partnerships the films producers have been pushing out for the last few months, I wouldn’t be surprised if the actual number was higher.

So the question is, after their first weekend in theaters, has The Devil Wears Prada 2 managed to recoup? Well, Friday to Sunday, the film earned $77 million in the US and another $157 million worldwide, bringing total grosses to just shy of a quarter of a billion dollars — $234 million, to be exact.

The original film was also a hit – earning $327 million worldwide during it’s 2006 theatrical run, which, adjusted for inflation, is about $545 million in today’s dollars. Of course, back then, movies tickets were a lot cheaper ($6.88 compared to $16.08 today) so in terms of eyeballs on screens, the sequel still has a way to go, though they are off to a great start.

As for whether or not the studio has recouped their investment yet, it’s possible, but no likely, because even though audiences spent $234 million dollars on tickets to see the film, only a portion of that money goes back to the studio that made and promoted the film. Usually, theaters keep around 50% of the ticket price. Of course it is possible (and perhaps even likely) that Disney has more favorable terms than that, but unless they are taking 90% of gross ticket sales for themselves, they probably still have a ways to go before they full recoup and if history is any indication, the film will make less money with each passing weekend.

Still, it’s hard to believe they won’t come out on top in the end. Not with the start they’ve had. Also, it’s a pretty fun movie. Especially Emily Blunt’s performance. In fact, it may just be the funniest performance of her career. So don’t be surprised if you see her name popping up at some of the more comedically-inclined awards shows (Golden Globes, SAG Actor Awards) next year.