How Much Priscilla Cost To Make & What Box Office It Needs

Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla didn’t have as big a budget as Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, but its humbler production cost might make it meet its box office needs faster. Coppola adapted the screenplay from Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir Elvis and Me, with Jacob Elordi portraying Elvis Presley himself and Cailee Spaeny as the titular Priscilla. Compared to some of Coppola’s other films, Priscilla’s budget was considerably less, but that hasn’t prevented the director from using every dollar to bring the biopic to life.

Priscilla was filmed over the course of six weeks in Toronto. The film chronicles the relationship between Priscilla and Elvis, from the pair’s meeting when Priscilla was only 14 years old, to their divorce. Considering Priscilla is a period piece, costume-accurate pieces had to be created a la Coppola’s Marie Antoinette and The Beguiled. But while the former had a $40 million budget, the latter had a $10 million production cost, showcasing the variety of costs when it comes to the projects the acclaimed writer-director has taken on. As for Priscilla, Coppola’s film cost far less than Marie Antoinette to make, but it’s on par with her other films.

Priscilla’s Budget Is Less Than $20 Million

Priscilla’s overall budget was less than $20 million. As of this writing, it’s unclear exactly how much the biopic cost to make, but it’s likely more than $10 million and closer to $20 million. Certainly, Priscilla’s budget is higher than many of her previous films, including The Bling Ring and Lost in Translation, which had an $8.2 million and $4 million budget, respectively. To be sure, Marie Antoinette is Coppola’s most expensive film to date, but Priscilla might be coming in second.

In addition to the less than $20 million production cost, Coppola couldn’t use any of Elvis Presley’s songs. The director described her budget as “strained” and even had a plan to raffle off a pickleball game with Jacob Elordi to get in an extra day of filming (via Wall Street Journal). That didn’t end up happening, and Coppola was able to work within the time and budget constraints to complete the film. And while Priscilla isn’t cheaply made, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis had a budget of $85 million and had permission to use the singer’s songs throughout the film.

Priscilla Needs To Make At Least $40 Million To Succeed At The Box Office

With Priscilla’s budget being in the vicinity of $20 million, the biopic needs to make at least double that amount — more or less $40 million — at the box office to break even. Coppola’s film will need to make at least $50 million to make a profit and be considered a box office success. Priscilla has made a strong box office debut in its limited theater release, grossing $132,139 from only four theaters. When it opens nationwide, Priscilla is expected to make between $3-$8 million at the domestic box office in its first weekend (via Box Office Pro).

It’s unclear how Priscilla will ultimately fare at the global box office, but it’s likely Elvis Presley’s name recognition and intrigue surrounding Priscilla’s side of the story will be enough to bring an audience. What’s more, Sofia Coppola is a well-known director who’s got a number of indie hits on her hands. Priscilla might be facing some competition with the release of Meg Ryan’s new rom-com What Happens Later, but with Coppola’s film primed to be an awards contender, it’ll probably attract indie audiences to see it despite the lack of a huge budget and missing Elvis songs.