What was the budget of David Fincher's film Panic Room?

David Fincher’s film Panic Room had a production budget of $48 million.

Released in 2002, Panic Room stars Jodie Foster as Meg Altman, a recently divorced mother who and her daughter, played by Kristen Stewart, are trapped inside a fortified room during a burglary. The film’s single-house setting can make its budget seem surprisingly high, but the production was technically demanding.

The house and panic room were constructed on a soundstage, with three versions of the room built for different camera angles. Fincher also used extensive computer-generated imagery and a detailed 3D model to create long, seemingly impossible camera movements through walls, floors, and rooms. These visual effects were subtle but required substantial planning and post-production work.

The production also faced delays and added costs. Nicole Kidman originally played the mother but left after aggravating an injury, and Jodie Foster’s pregnancy led to a production suspension and later reshoots. Those complications help explain why a contained thriller still reached a $48 million budget. The figure refers to production costs, not advertising or distribution expenses.