Despite it being one of the most critically acclaimed movies of last year, The Brutalist director Brady Corbet revealed that he has made no money from the film. The story follows László Tóth, a renowned European architect and Holocaust survivor who immigrates to America and starts working on a project for a wealthy businessman. Reviews have been outstanding, with ScreenRant‘s own Alex Harrison rating The Brutalist a perfect 10 after its Venice Film Festival premiere. The cast of The Brutalist includes Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pierce, and Joe Alwyn.

Appearing on the WTF with Mark Maron podcast, Corbet claimed that he and his partner Mona Fastvold, who co-wrote The Brutalist, haven’t made any money from the movie. He admitted they are still living off a paycheck from three years ago, and said that several other directors who are nominated for Oscars and other awards this year are going through the same thing. He also pointed out that he can’t take any jobs right now because he’s too busy promoting The Brutalist, which he doesn’t get paid to do. Read Corbet’s full comments below:

Yes. Actually, zero. We had to just sort of live off of a paycheck from three years ago. I’ve spoken to many filmmakers that have films that are nominated this year that can’t pay their rent. I mean, that’s a real thing.

If you look at certain films that premiered in Cannes [Film Festival], that was almost a year ago… I mean, our film premiered in September. So I’ve been doing this for six months and had zero income because I don’t have any time to go to work. I can’t even take a writing job at the moment.

What Brady Corbet Making No Money From The Brutalist Means For His Career

Corbet Has Always Made Independent Movies

Corbet’s recent comments reveal the shocking truth that a lot of directors who make independent movies struggle to make ends meet. These films are harder to find financing for from the start, and once they do, the directors often do not make a lot of money from them. Therefore, it is clear that Corbet has struggled to make the films he wants, and also make enough money for his personal life. Prior to The Brutalist, he directed the feature films The Childhood of a Leader and Vox Lux, but his 2024 release is by far his most successful movie yet.

The Brutalist has made over $31 million worldwide on a budget of just $10 million. This impressive box office haul is due in part to its positive reviews, which have also led to it being one of the frontrunners to win Best Picture at the 2025 Academy Awards. Additionally, Corbet is also a frontrunner to win the Best Director Oscar, which makes his lack of financial gain especially jarring. Looking ahead, however, he and Fastvold should have more leverage to negotiate better compensation for their next project – especially if The Brutalist wins big at the Oscars.

Our Take On Brady Corbet Making No Money For The Brutalist

It’s A Shame That Corbet Hasn’t Made Money For An Excellent Film

Based on all the acclaim that The Brutalist is receiving, it is shocking that Corbet has not been properly compensated for the work he put into the film. There is a reason why reviews have been so positive; it is a mesmerizing film which examines the immigrant experience. The Brutalist‘s characters, especially László, his wife Erzsébet, and his niece Zsófia, are all fascinating.

It’s expertly directed by Corbet, and it would be well-deserved if he won Best Director at the Academy Awards. It is disappointing to learn that The Brutalist has not led to immediate returns for him, but hopefully its success means more financial freedom for Corbet in the future.

Source: WTF with Mark Maron