Editor’s note: This article was first published in June 2014; the ranking and its inflation adjustments, expressed in 2014 dollars, reflect that time. Several films released since then have reported larger budgets.
The highest-grossing films tend to be the most expensive ones. That is what the following ranking shows, using data taken from IMDb. Bearing in mind that not all of the most expensive and highest-grossing films are recent, the people at Business Insider were kind enough to adjust the costs for inflation using the consumer price index, and to do the same with the box-office takings. These would be the most expensive films ever made:
10. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012): $257.2 million
- Original estimated budget: $250 million.
- Worldwide gross: $1,020 million.
- Adjusted gross: $1,050 million.
9. Avatar (2009): $261 million
- Original estimated budget: $237 million.
- Worldwide gross: $2,800 million.
- Adjusted gross: $3,100 million.
8. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006): $263.7 million
- Original estimated budget: $225 million.
- Worldwide gross: $1,000 million.
- Adjusted gross: $1,200 million.
7. Waterworld (1995): $271.3 million
- Original estimated budget: $175 million.
- Worldwide gross: $264 million.
- Adjusted gross: $409 million.
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009): $275.3 million
- Original estimated budget: $250 million.
- Worldwide gross: $934 million.
- Adjusted gross: $1,000 million.
5. Tangled (2010): $281.7 million
- Original estimated budget: $260 million.
- Worldwide gross: $590 million.
- Adjusted gross: $641 million.
The high cost of this film was due, among other factors, to its complex blend of technology and traditional hand-drawn animation. In the end, the investment in the film paid off.
4. Spider-Man 3 (2007): $293.9 million
- Original estimated budget: $258 million.
- Worldwide gross: $890 million.
- Adjusted gross: $1,000 million.
3. Titanic (1997): $294.3 million
- Original estimated budget: $200 million.
- Worldwide gross: $2,200 million.
- Adjusted gross: $3,200 million.
The takings include ticket sales for the 2012 Titanic 3D re-release.
2. Cleopatra (1963): $339.5 million
- Original estimated budget: $44 million.
- Gross in 1963: $57.8 million.
- Adjusted gross: $445 million.
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007): $341.8 million
- Original estimated budget: $300 million.
- Worldwide gross: $963 million.
- Adjusted gross: $1,100 million.
There are many other films that have cost more than $200 million and have been huge box-office hits, such as Troy (2004), at $218 million, or 2012 (2009), which cost $220 million and took almost $800 million at the box office. Likewise, Superman, the Avengers and Spider-Man have found the formula for recouping their high production costs.
Featured image: Rob Young from United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
.jpg){kind=link}