The Brutalist Director Has Made “Zero Dollars” Despite The Movie’s Oscar Nominations And Critical Acclaim

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.

Corbet is also a frontrunner to win the Best Director Oscar.

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


Adrien Brody in The Brutalist holding flowers at the train station

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

Related Posts

The Western Movie Gunslinger Who May Be Even Faster Than Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name

The Western Movie Gunslinger Who May Be Even Faster Than Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name

The Trinity movies feature a character who could rival Clint Eastwood’s The Man With No Name for the тιтle of the fastest gun in the West. Sergio…

Sovereign Review: I Was Speechless After Nick Offerman & Jacob Tremblay’s Disquieting True Story Crime Thriller

Sovereign Review: I Was Speechless After Nick Offerman & Jacob Tremblay’s Disquieting True Story Crime Thriller

When a movie dramatizes a real tragedy, there needs to be care and tact put into how it presents itself. From dramas to thrillers based on true…

Disney’s Remake Of A 3 Million Phenomenon Comes Out 1 Year From Now

Disney’s Remake Of A $643 Million Phenomenon Comes Out 1 Year From Now

Disney live-action remakes tend to be made years, if not decades, after the original’s release. From Snow White‘s live-action remake, which was released 88 years after the…

How Dean Cain Became The Least Popular Superman

How Dean Cain Became The Least Popular Superman

Dean Cain has returned to the spotlight again after the release of James Gunn’s Superman, and the online reaction makes it clear just how unpopular he’s become….

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Has Already Fixed These 9 Mistakes From 2015’s Fantastic Four Before It’s Even Released

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Has Already Fixed These 9 Mistakes From 2015’s Fantastic Four Before It’s Even Released

The Fantastic Four: First Steps has not even been released yet, but it’s already fixed these nine big issues with 2015’s Fantastic Four. The latter counts as…

Kurt Russell’s Sci-Fi Bomb Was Actually A Stealth Remake Of An Era-Defining Western

Kurt Russell’s Sci-Fi Bomb Was Actually A Stealth Remake Of An Era-Defining Western

Kurt Russell’s cult favorite Soldier was a bomb back in 1998, and also acted as a remake of a beloved Western. There aren’t that many Kurt Russell…