Well, filming in NYC isn't cheap to go along with Michael Douglas' salary which reportedly was around $20M (then add in the salaries for Mortensen, Paltrow and all of the other actors). After that, you've got the high production values and such, it adds up.
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That really surprised me too, as this isn't an action film with big set pieces, by any means. I agree that it probably did go on Douglas's salary though he was coming to the end of his salad days. Gwyneth was also in her hay day and Viggo was definitely on the way up.
But you'd also probably be forgiven for thinking they arguably could have made the same film, with less high profile actors, for about a quarter of the costs. Would they have got the same world - wide gross though? That is the question.🐭
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