Agatha All Along is starting a new trend of lower-budget Disney projects and that's great
Agatha All Along has been a big success for Disney+ and, even better, is a sign Marvel is learning to cut the budgets!
One of the biggest complaints about movies and TV shows these days has been the outrageous budgets. Once, the idea of $100 million for a movie would have been outrageous but these days, it feels low-key. Budgets have ballooned for various reasons, which hurts the bottom line for any projects.
Disney has felt that majorly as last year saw some huge box office flops like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Wish and The Marvels. All of them were made worse because of the outrageous budgets, with Dial reportedly costing over $300 million.
It’s the same with TV shows as Amazon Prime Video’s Citadel, a six-episode spy adventure, supposedly cost a shocking $300 million. For Disney+, the various MCU and Star Wars shows have likewise cost a bundle, with the now-canceled The Acolyte costing $180 million.
That’s why it’s a bit surprising to learn the budget for Agatha All Along seems to be far less. Thus far, the cheapest MCU production has been Echo, which cost $40 million. While not being clear on the budget, Brad Winderbaum, head of streaming, television, and animation for Marvel Studios, told Variety that this show is the start of a new direction of lower-budgeted series for the streamer.
"I can tell you it’s our least expensive show, and I think that was by design. We are looking to make these shows for a responsible cost. Frankly, it gives us a little bit more freedom creatively when we can bring them in at a reasonable budget. Like [“Agatha All Along”], for example, the show has minimal CG, way less than we’ve ever done before. It’s mostly practical effects, and I think you can feel it in the show."
This is a good move by Disney and Marvel, as cutting down on these costs can help a show’s bottom line.
Why Agatha All Along cost so little
The reasons for high budgets can vary on the project. For example, The Acolyte naturally had a huge budget as it’s a Star Wars show requiring huge special effects work. There are also the salaries of those involved from stars and writers to deal with.
Agatha All Along is different. The show follows Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) as the witch regains her memories and goes on a quest for more power. The show is more low-key than other MCU shows in the action, and its stars like Hahn, Aubrey Plaza, and Patti LuPone don’t summon the huge salaries of other actors. So far, the show has been a road trip with odd bits like a music number or such but otherwise, nothing requiring a "break the bank" budget
Winderbaum also hinted at how the show uses more practical effects than pure CGI which is something horror movie fans can appreciate. A key reason horror films are so profitable is being made for lower budgets and emphasizing the story and scares and Agatha All Along fits that.
"I think it’s about how you use the effects, as opposed to the scale of the effects. And we’re responding to to our own recent history here, and how effective effects really are in increasing the value of a story."
Winderbaum hinted this will be a regular thing for Disney and Marvel shows such as the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again. This new approach is a great thing for Disney and Marvel as the company's budgets have been far too high. Per Disney, the two-episode premiere of Agatha earned nearly 10 million viewers in its first week. Thanks to its lower budget, Disney can enjoy more profits than with other too high-budgeted shows.
So, Agatha is not only casting a spell on viewers but may also be setting a new trend of lower-budget projects for Disney, which is a boon for the company.
Agatha All Along streams new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.