Ratatouille Film Overview and Production Budget
Ratatouille is a 2007 American animated comedy-drama produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The film centers on Remy, a rat with refined taste, and Linguini, a young kitchen worker in Paris. The production budget was reported at $150 million by Pixar and Disney financial disclosures, with the movie grossing approximately $624 million worldwide, according to box office tracking sources Forbes.
The film was directed by Brad Bird, with Jan Pinkava as co-director, and written by Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava, and Bob Peterson. Voice actors include Patton Oswalt as Remy, Lou Romano as Linguini, and Janeane Garofalo as Colette, the blonde chef character in the kitchen brigade. The screenplay was developed over several years at Pixar’s Emeryville campus, with extensive research into French cuisine and restaurant operations Business Insider.
Box Office Revenue and Financial Returns
Ratatouille earned $206.4 million in the United States and Canada and $465.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $624 million, according to The Numbers and Box Office Mojo data. The film ranked among the top-grossing animated films of 2007 and contributed to Pixar’s annual revenue growth that year Box Office Mojo.
The production budget of $150 million did not include marketing costs, which were estimated at an additional $100 million by industry analysts. After deducting distribution fees and production expenses, the film generated a net profit estimated at over $300 million, making it one of the more profitable Pixar releases relative to its budget Forbes.
Disney Acquisition and Franchise Value
In 2006, The Walt Disney Company acquired Pixar for approximately $7.4 billion in an all-stock transaction, with Ratatouille released the following year as one of the first major post-merger titles. The acquisition gave Disney full ownership of the Ratatouille intellectual property, including sequels, merchandise, and theme park attractions SEC.
The Ratatouille franchise has expanded beyond the film into a themed dining experience at Disneyland Paris, titled Ratatouille: The Adventure, which opened in 2014. Disney also released a short film, Your Friend the Rat, and licensed the Ratatouille brand for toys, apparel, and home goods, generating ongoing retail and licensing revenue for the company Business Insider.