Beau Is Afraid was a creative investment on A24’s behalf. They are a three pronged business: distribution, merchandise and production. Production was the last game they got into. They are sitting on heaps of cash and audience goodwill.

Hereditary and Midsommar both made 5-10x their budget. They helped establish A24s brand. They understand how capable Ari is at lower budgets and how popular he is in that market space. 35m for Beau Is Afraid to lock Ari Aster down to make movies at ~10m for a 5-10x performance every time for the rest of time is a no brainer.

35m is basically 1/3 what the Northman got made for. It’s not a blockbuster budget. Big for A24s standard fare, sure, but it’s a number they probably were really comfortable taking a big loss on. In the long run, this movie will probably be one of the biggest streamers of the year and will be a movie discussed and remembered long after it leaves theaters. It will further cement A24s legacy as a unique, creative-first voice in the industry.