These Are the Most Expensive Modern Day Movies Ever Made
Posted by Doug Murray on March 7, 2018
The budgets of modern day movies are mind-boggling. While you can still make a film on a shoestring, today's blockbusters cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The huge budgets are due to complex computer-generated effects, massive crews and the cost of securing top-shelf stars. Here are 22 of the most expensive films ever made.
*Because there is no one single source of film budget information, the list pulls in numbers from a variety of sources compiled on a continually updated page. All figures in US dollars.
18. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (TIE)
We start with a five-way tie. According to Los Angeles Times, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, released in 2013, cost $225 million to make. It is the second of three films based on the J.R.R. Tolkien book The Hobbit.
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18. Man of Steel (TIE)
The Superman reboot, starring Henry Cavill and Amy Adams, was released in 2013. According to the LA Times, the film had a budget of around $225 million. The film made nearly $700 million globally and was followed by Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (8th place). Here's what it looks like to see the world from Superman's point-of-view.
18. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (TIE)
The first of many Pirates of the Caribbean movies on the list, Dead Man's Chest is tied for 18th spot. The 2006 film is the second in the Pirates series and, according to the LA Times, cost $225 million to produce. It stars Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley.
18. The Lone Ranger (TIE)
Also tied for 18th spot is The Lone Ranger, another film on the list starring Johnny Depp. The LA Times reported that the 2013 Disney flick cost $225 million and was largely seen as a flop. The critics weren't kind, either. The San Jose Mercury News called it a hot mess. On another note, did you know that the 'Lone Ranger' is a fitness personality type? What's yours?
18. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (TIE)
The final movie of the five tied for 18th spot is The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. This 2008 fantasy film, which is the second of three films based on The Chronicles of Narnia novels by C. S. Lewis, did fairly well at the box office. The LA Times reported that the budget for Prince Caspian was $230 million.
16. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (TIE)
Tied for 16th place is Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the fifth Pirates film. Released in 2017, it stars Johnny Depp and Javier Bardem. The LA Times reported that the movie had a budget of $230 million. It's not surprising that Depp is often found on lists of overpaid actors.
16. The Dark Knight Rises (TIE)
The final chapter in Christopher Nolan's Dark Night Trilogy features Christian Bale as Batman. The film was released in 2012, and according to MarketWatch, it had a budget of $230 million.
15. Avatar
Avatar, the groundbreaking sci-fi movie written and directed by Canadian filmmaker James Cameron was released in 2009. According to The Wrap, it cost $237 million to produce. It had a big impact on pop culture and also did very well at the box office, making more than $2 billion.
13. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (TIE)
In 13th place is Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The 2015 film is the seventh Star Wars movie in the franchise. It was directed by J. J. Abrams and, according to Box Office Mojo, had a budget of $245 million. Critics loved the film, and it broke box office records. It also provided fans with more Star Wars locations to visit (on Earth).
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13. Spectre (TIE)
Tied for 13th spot is Spectre, starring a heavily insured Daniel Craig as James Bond. Bloomberg reported that the 2015 spy film — the 24th in the Bond franchise — had a budget of $245 million, making it the most expensive Bond movie ever made. Reviews were decent, and Spectre went on to make nearly $900 million.
8. The Fate of the Furious (TIE)
Are you ready for more ties? Good — because there are five movies tied for 8th spot. Up first, The Fate of the Furious, the latest film in The Fast and the Furious franchise. Variety reported that F8, released in 2017, cost $250 million to make. Fans love these action films and the box office raked in more than $1.2 billion. Count on there being more installments in the future.
8. Captain America: Civil War (TIE)
According to the New York Times, Captain America: Civil War had a budget of $250 million. Set in the Marvel Universe, the 2016 film received positive reviews and made over $1.1 billion — the highest grossing film that year.
8. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (TIE)
Over to the DC Universe now. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was released in 2016 and stars Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Amy Adams. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the superhero movie had a budget of $250 million. Reviews of the film weren't great and it while it made money, it certainly didn't break any box office records.
8. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (TIE)
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is the second Hobbit movie to make the list. It's the third and final film based on the book. According to Time, the 2014 film cost $250 million to produce. You probably didn't know you could visit Hobbiton, did you?
8. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (TIE)
And the final movie tied for 8th spot is 2009's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It's the sixth film in the Harry Potter franchise and, according to the LA Times had a budget of $250 million. It was a huge success making nearly $400 million in five days. In total, the Half-Blood Prince pulled in nearly $1 billion. Love Harry Potter? Check out these Harry Potter engagement rings!
7. Spider-Man 3
Released in 2007, Spider-Man 3 is the final installment of the original Spider-man film trilogy. Variety reported that the Toby Maguire/Kirsten Dunst film had a budget of $258 million, which puts it in 7th spot on our list. A reboot — The Amazing Spider-Man — followed in 2012.
6. Tangled
The LA Times reported that the 2010 animated Disney film Tangled had a budget of $260 million, enough to put it in 6th spot. The story is based on Rapunzel (the original title), by the Brothers Grimm and took six years to make. A television series followed in 2017. Need some love and life advice? Look no further than your favourite Disney princess.
5. John Carter
According to Forbes, the 2012 Disney film John Carter had a budget of $264 million. The film, starring Taylor Kitsch, is based on A Princess of Mars, an Edgar Rice Burroughs novel. Due to poor performance at the box office, production of a sequel was cancelled. Other Disney properties have done much better and some of the character-themed toys have become quite valuable.
4. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Avengers: Age of Ultron, released in 2015, featured characters from the Marvel Comics Universe. With a budget of nearly $280 million, according to Forbes, the movie grossed almost $1.5 billion — a pretty decent return.
2. Justice League (TIE)
Tied for second place is Justice League, the 2017 superhero movie set in the DC Universe. The cast includes big stars like Ben Affleck, Amy Adams and Gal Gadot. The film cost $300 million according to the LA Times.
2. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (TIE)
The 2007 third chapter in the Pirates of the Caribbean series is in second spot. It stars Johnny Depp (a celeb who is known as a good tipper), Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. The LA Times reported that cost overruns pushed the budget to $300 million.
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
And the most expensive movie ever made? It's yet another Pirates of the Caribbean film. On Stranger Tides was the fourth installment in the series. Released in 2011, it stars Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz and, according to Forbes, cost a staggering $378.5 million to make. But it made over $1 billion.
Did you know that Johnny Depp is one of the ten well-known celebrities who never finished high school?
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