 Flags of Our Fathers was originally budgeted at $80 million. In a  2006 interview Paul Haggis stated that Eastwood had shot the movie  in just over 50 days or almost half the original planned shooting  schedule. Variety subsequently downgraded the $80 million budget to  $55 million. The budget for the companion piece Letters from Iwo  Jima is officially credited at $20 million but again according to  Variety the actual cost of both movies together was under $70  million. As of April 2007 both movies have a combined worldwide  theatrical gross of $135 million with Flags of Our Fathers having  performed very strongly in its home video bow according to  Variety.