Overlay: The Full Monty (1997) financial performance

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Errors	Missing	Unverified	Supported
2	2	1	12

How were these counts calculated?

Errors (2)

The specific '100,000 copies on day one' figure is difficult to verify in open sfalse-specificity Oscar Win vs Titanic: The film won the Academy Award for Best Original Musical oassessment-error

Missing (2)

Original Straight-to-Video Plan: Fox Searchlight executives originally considereomitted-detail Hot Stuff Scene Cut: The iconic 'Hot Stuff' queue scene was originally going to omitted-detail

Unverified (1)

While Channel 4 aired the premiere, a specific 'bidding war' with the BBC is notunverifiable-claim

#Q ORIGINAL QUESTION

Regarding the film The Full Monty (1997), how much did the film make at both the box office and after (detail breakdown), and how did that compare to its budget?

#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE

The film The Full Monty (1997) is often cited as one of the most profitable movies in cinema history relative to its cost. Produced for a modest $3.5 million, it went on to generate hundreds of millions of dollars across theatrical and home entertainment markets.

1. Production Budget

Total Budget: $3.5 million (approx. £2.1 million at 1997 exchange rates).
Context: The film was a low-budget British independent production financed primarily by Fox Searchlight Pictures. Its budget was so small that it reportedly cost less than the catering budget for many major Hollywood blockbusters released that same year.

2. Box Office Performance

The film was a massive "sleeper hit," starting in limited release and expanding due to word-of-mouth.

Domestic (North America): $45.95 million
International: $211.99 million
Worldwide Total: $257.94 million

Specific Breakdown:

United Kingdom: It grossed approximately £52.2 million ($85 million), making it the highest-grossing film in UK history at the time, surpassing Jurassic Park (it held this record until Titanic was released later that year).
France: ~$20.8 million
Germany: ~$12.8 million
Australia: ~$14 million (spent five weeks at #1)

3. Post-Theatrical Earnings ("After" Breakdown)

The film’s revenue continued to climb significantly after its theatrical run through home video sales, rentals, and television licensing.

Home Video (VHS & DVD):
- In the late 1990s, home video was a dominant revenue stream. Industry analysts at the time of its video release (March 1998) estimated that The Full Monty would generate well over $100 million in video sales and rentals alone.
- In the UK, the film was a record-breaker; on its first day of video release in March 1998, retailers reported selling over 100,000 copies at a retail price of approximately £13.99 each.
Television Rights:
- The film fetched high prices for broadcast rights. In the UK, Channel 4 (which had originally funded the script development but passed on the production equity) and the BBC engaged in competitive bidding for the terrestrial premiere.
- In the US, premium networks like HBO and later basic cable networks paid millions for multi-year licensing windows typical of a Top 10 worldwide hit.
Ancillary/Long-term:
- The "Monty" brand has remained lucrative for decades, spawning a Broadway musical (2000) that grossed millions and a 2023 Disney+/Hulu sequel series, further extending the film's earning potential through streaming residuals and brand licensing.

4. Summary Comparison: Budget vs. Revenue

Metric	Amount	Multiple of Budget
Production Budget	$3.5 Million	1x
Worldwide Box Office	$257.9 Million	~73.7x
Estimated Post-Theatrical	$100 Million+	~28.5x
Total Estimated Revenue	$350–$370 Million	~100x+

Comparison: The Full Monty returned roughly 74 times its production cost from the box office alone. When including home video and TV rights, the film's total revenue exceeded its original budget by a factor of over 100:1, making it significantly more "profitable" on a percentage basis than even Titanic, which cost $200 million and made $2.2 billion (an 11:1 return).

#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)

[1] The budget of $3.5 million is widely cited in industry reports and by the BFI.

[2] Confirmed budget figure.

[3] This is a common anecdote about the film's low budget compared to blockbusters like Titanic, though a specific primary source for the quote is elusive.

[4] Matches Box Office Mojo domestic gross.

[5] Matches Box Office Mojo international gross.

[6] Matches Box Office Mojo worldwide gross.

[7] The film held the UK box office record until Titanic overtook it.

[8] Consistent with French admissions data (~3.5 million tickets).

[9] Consistent with German admissions data (~2 million tickets).

[10] Australian gross was A$19.1 million, which is approx US$14 million.

[11] Given the $250m+ box office, $100m in video sales is a standard industry multiple for a hit of this era.

[12] The specific '100,000 copies on day one' figure is difficult to verify in open sources, though the film was a massive seller.

[13] Channel 4 Films paid for the script but declined to invest in production equity.

[14] While Channel 4 aired the premiere, a specific 'bidding war' with the BBC is not definitively documented.

#O MISSED POINTS & OVERSIGHTS

Medium

Original Straight-to-Video Plan

Fox Searchlight executives originally considered releasing the film straight to video because they didn't think the accents would travel.

Low

Oscar Win vs Titanic

The film won the Academy Award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score, notably beating Titanic (which won Dramatic Score) in a year where Titanic swept almost everything else.

Low

Hot Stuff Scene Cut

The iconic 'Hot Stuff' queue scene was originally going to be cut from the film.

#C RELATED QUERIES

#01 Did The Full Monty win any Oscars?

#02 What was the controversy with the 'Hot Stuff' scene in The Full Monty?

#03 Why did Channel 4 pass on producing The Full Monty?

#S SOURCES

denofgeek.com brunel.ac.uk mheducation.com wikipedia.org classicbands.com

#R ORIGINAL AI RESPONSE

▼

The film **The Full Monty (1997)** is often cited as one of the most profitable movies in cinema history relative to its cost. Produced for a modest **$3.5 million**, it went on to generate hundreds of millions of dollars across theatrical and home entertainment markets. ### **1. Production Budget** * **Total Budget:** **$3.5 million** (approx. £2.1 million at 1997 exchange rates). * **Context:** The film was a low-budget British independent production financed primarily by **Fox Searchlight Pictures**. Its budget was so small that it reportedly cost less than the catering budget for many major Hollywood blockbusters released that same year. ### **2. Box Office Performance** The film was a massive "sleeper hit," starting in limited release and expanding due to word-of-mouth. * **Domestic (North America):** **$45.95 million** * **International:** **$211.99 million** * **Worldwide Total:** **$257.94 million** **Specific Breakdown:** * **United Kingdom:** It grossed approximately **£52.2 million ($85 million)**, making it the highest-grossing film in UK history at the time, surpassing *Jurassic Park* (it held this record until *Titanic* was released later that year). * **France:** ~$20.8 million * **Germany:** ~$12.8 million * **Australia:** ~$14 million (spent five weeks at #1) ### **3. Post-Theatrical Earnings ("After" Breakdown)** The film’s revenue continued to climb significantly after its theatrical run through home video sales, rentals, and television licensing. * **Home Video (VHS & DVD):** * In the late 1990s, home video was a dominant revenue stream. Industry analysts at the time of its video release (March 1998) estimated that *The Full Monty* would generate **well over $100 million** in video sales and rentals alone. * In the UK, the film was a record-breaker; on its first day of video release in March 1998, retailers reported selling over **100,000 copies** at a retail price of approximately **£13.99 each**. * **Television Rights:** * The film fetched high prices for broadcast rights. In the UK, **Channel 4** (which had originally funded the script development but passed on the production equity) and the **BBC** engaged in competitive bidding for the terrestrial premiere. * In the US, premium networks like **HBO** and later basic cable networks paid millions for multi-year licensing windows typical of a Top 10 worldwide hit. * **Ancillary/Long-term:** * The "Monty" brand has remained lucrative for decades, spawning a **Broadway musical (2000)** that grossed millions and a **2023 Disney+/Hulu sequel series**, further extending the film's earning potential through streaming residuals and brand licensing. ### **4. Summary Comparison: Budget vs. Revenue** | Metric | Amount | Multiple of Budget | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Production Budget** | $3.5 Million | 1x | | **Worldwide Box Office** | $257.9 Million | ~73.7x | | **Estimated Post-Theatrical** | $100 Million+ | ~28.5x | | **Total Estimated Revenue** | **$350–$370 Million** | **~100x+** | **Comparison:** *The Full Monty* returned roughly **74 times its production cost** from the box office alone. When including home video and TV rights, the film's total revenue exceeded its original budget by a factor of over **100:1**, making it significantly more "profitable" on a percentage basis than even *Titanic*, which cost $200 million and made $2.2 billion (an 11:1 return).

#A DIRECT ANSWER (VERIFIED ANALYSIS)

▼

The Full Monty (1997) was produced for a budget of $3.5 million and grossed $257.9 million worldwide (approx. 74x its budget). In the UK, it set a record with £52.2 million ($85 million), surpassing Jurassic Park. Post-theatrical revenue from VHS/DVD sales and TV rights is estimated to have added over $100 million, bringing total revenue to roughly 100 times its production cost. It was far more profitable on a percentage basis than Titanic.

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