The stakes are big when it comes to expensive movies. There are movies that are made on big-budget often in millions of dollars and it isn’t a terrible thing as they do end up into big-time profits.
Most likely the major expenses incurred in a film’s production budget are the cost to make and operate film sets, designing special effects, props, and costumes. There are other expenses like the salary of film cast, technical crew, producers, and general expenses spent on food, lodging, and travel.
20 Most Expensive Movies Ever Made
It is observed that the highest-grossing movies are directly proportional to the money spent on those movies. Most of these expensive films are from Disney.
We have compiled a list of the 20 Most Expensive Movies ever made (amount adjusted to Inflation). Check them out below!
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ which is the fourth movie in the series, tops the list of the most expensive movies ever made. The estimated cost for making this film goes to about $378.5 million. Adjusted for inflation this amount comes near about $430 million.
One of the interesting facts about this film is that both Will and Elizabeth (Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley) did not appear in this movie. Actor Johnny Depp made $55 million for this sequel film as per Forbes and Penelope Cruz was his costar. Keith Richards was also part of this film who played the role of Captain Edward Teague. Seems like this is where most of the budget was spent.
Anyways the gross collections worldwide did not cross the milestone amount of more than $1 billion. There is the fifth movie of this season in the year 2017 as well but it did not make it to our list as it is ranked at 37th place.
2. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Avengers is the second most expensive movie ever made that took almost $365 million to make. This is the most expensive movie from the house of Marvel Studios. Avengers: Age of Ultron is the sequel of the Avengers series that was released in the year 2015. The plot of the movie is based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers.
The film received thumbs up from the critics as well as the viewers. The gross collection of the film is more than $1.4 billion worldwide that makes it the fifth-highest-grossing film of all time.
3. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End movie is the third movie in the series that cost a whopping $300 million and also the third most expensive movie. There is a huge fan following for this sequel movie from Disney.
The film was liked by many for its performance, direction as well as special effects. However, there was criticism for its plot and long duration of about 168 min. The worldwide collection fell just short of billion dollars at $963 million.
4. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Avengers: Endgame, from the house of Marvel Studios, is the world’s fourth most expensive movie whose making cost went up to $356 million. It is the sequel to Infinity War and movie enthusiastic people were eager to see how the story of the Avengers versus Thanos ended.
The film made collections of a whopping $2.8 billion across the world in just 11 days that makes this movie the highest-grossing movie ever.
5. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Avengers: Infinity War ranks fifth in our list of the world’s most expensive movies wherein the producer has spent $316 million for this Avenger third series movie. This movie is full of stars and features ace actors like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, and many others.
Marvel Studios have got many actors together for this epic movie. All the fight scenes look realistic with the help of computer graphics that cost a lot of money. The worldwide gross collection of Infinity War touched over $2 billion.
6. Titanic (1997)
Titanic movie is the world’s sixth most expensive movie which had really made all its critics speechless. There were many jokes floating around when the movie was released and many critics have written it off saying a huge amount of more than $200 million spent on this movie will go down the drain as the sinking of Titanic.
Directed, written, and co-produced by James Cameron has shut everybody up and laughing all the way to the bank as for more than 10 years “Titanic” was the highest-grossing movie ever. The movie received many awards viz. 11 Oscars and fourteen Academy Award nominations out of which it won 11 awards under many categories like Best Director, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Film Editing, including Best Picture and Best Director.
“My Heart Will Go On” song was a huge success and an instant hit that was recorded by Canadian singer Celine Dion. James Cameron and the team have spent a huge amount of money and it did pay off handsomely.
7. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
The third series of Spiderman series and the final one by Tobey Maguire is the seventh most expensive movie that cost $258 million. Directed by Sam Raimi this superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man grossed 894.9 million dollars worldwide.
The first two films of the Spiderman series were a huge success however for Spider-Man 3 movie there was a little dip in the quality and reception as per few critics.
8. Justice League (2017)
Justice League movie made with a budget of 300 million dollars takes the eighth spot in our list of the world’s most expensive movies. This movie is based on the DC Comics superhero team “The Justice League”.
Many film lovers are well aware of the plight of this movie that features an unshaveable mustache and also the fact that Joss Whedon replaced Snyder, who had to quit the film because of the personal tragedy of the suicide of his daughter.
9. Tangled (2010)
Tangled, which is a 3D computer-animated adventure film is a strange entrant in our list at ninth place. This kind of movie typically does not cost much however “Tangled,” budget was around a whopping $260 million. A huge amount of money was spent in procuring the animation right as filmmakers were looking forward to something that looked richer.
Finally, the efforts have paid off as the movie grossed 592.4 million dollars worldwide. The tangled movie is yet another movie in our list produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Walt Disney Pictures had released the film.
10. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Well, most of you might be aware that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is based on J. K. Rowling’s 2005 novel “Harry Potter”. This film is the sixth installment in the series and is the only movie to feature in the top 20 films in tenth place.
The film has been made with a budget of $250 million. Harry Potter series was a huge success and made tons of money as all the 8 films have grossed mind-boggling $7.7 billion dollars and The Half-Blood Prince was just shy of billion dollars in gross collections worldwide at $934.5 million.
This movie has won many awards like the 2009 Teen Choice Awards, SFX awards, MTV movie awards and made it to a number of nominations under different categories.
11. John Carter (2012)
Even though Taylor Kitsch was not exactly an A-lister from Hollywood “John Carter” was made with a budget of $263.7 million. John Carter is the eleventh most expensive movie that grossed just $284.1 million at the box office.
The movie is a science fiction action film directed by Andrew Stanton. The team had to forego their plans for a sequel as the movie was not a financial success.
12. Waterworld (1995)
Waterworld which was released in the year 1995 takes the 12th spot in our list of the world’s most expensive movies. The movie made with a budget of $172 million has just managed to garner $264 million in gross collections.
It was just a break-even deal for the producers even though the general perception about the movie was that it was a complete fiasco. It just won one award by Golden Rasberry Awards that too negative category of Worst Supporting Actor.
Waterworld was an action film directed by famous director Kevin Reynolds. The movie was distributed by universal pictures and it was based on Rader’s original 1986 screenplay.
13. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
Yet another installment from the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Dead Man’s Chest is the thirteenth most expensive movie. This “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise has spent huge cash of almost $225 million for making this movie that can’t be all towards Johnny Depp’s salary.
This movie has grossed $1.06 billion worldwide. It is the sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl that was released in the year 2003. Dead Man’s Chest which hit the theatres in the year 2006 was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Gore Verbinski. The film received appreciation for special effects and direction.
14. Avatar (2009)
Avatar movie was perceived to be a weird one at the time of its release in 2009 by skeptics that was made with a budget of $237 Million.
However, Avatar was a great success that grossed 2.84 billion making it the highest-grossing movie ever.
15. Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice is the fifteenth most expensive movie in the world with a budget of $263 million. The plot of the movie revolves around the DC Comics characters Batman and Superman.
Batman role was played by famous Hollywood actor Ben Affleck. The film has been helmed by ace director Zack Snyder. The movie made a great collection of over $870 million across the world and fell just short of billion dollars as there were a lot of sequels planned.
16. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Even though Solo might be the biggest flop movie from the house of Star Wars Franchise from a commercial point of view, it made it to the sixteenth place in our list of the world’s most expensive movies. Solo: A Star Wars Story made with a budget of $275 million was released in the year 2018 and grossed just $393 million in collections worldwide.
Solo was distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In this movie that had multiple directors, there was an attempt to give the Star Wars character Han Solo more center stage.
17. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ was the first movie in the Star Wars trilogy and it is the world’s 17th most expensive movie with a budget of $259 million.
The cast of this movie has not many big A-rated stars and the gamble paid off as it is the third-highest-grossing movie ever that collected 2.06 billion dollars.
18. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the sequel of The Last Jedi movie that ranks 18th on our list made with a budget of $275 million. It is the final film of the star wars series.
The Rise of Skywalker is perceived to be a disappointment at the box office even though it grossed more than a billion-dollar worldwide like its other two predecessors.
Collections were a little less compared to the earlier two films in the trilogy that might be one of the reasons for a slight disappointment.
19. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the 19th most expensive movie made with a budget of $262 million. Irrespective of what the naysayers think, the fact of the matter is this movie is the ninth-highest-grossing movie ever and it collected more than 1.33 billion worldwide.
It is the most divisive movie of the Star Wars series. It was nominated for 37 different awards and also won 8 awards under the best film and best director category by Empire awards in 2018.
20. King Kong (2005)
If you are wondering “Lord of the Rings” or a “Hobbit” is Peter Jackson’s most expensive movie then you will be surprised to know that it is a remake of the King Kong movie.
The film was made with a budget of $207 million and grossed $562.3 million worldwide even though this “King Kong” was not that iconic movie as the original one.
Here ends our list of the 20 most expensive movies ever made. So, which one from this list of movies is your favorite? Head on to our comments section to share your thoughts!
