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The movie business runs on a ridiculous amount of money these days. Pounds and dollars are thrown around willy-nilly and a film’s called low budget if it costs less than what you could buy South America with.
With more and more films needing bigger and better special effects, budgets are now spiralling out of control for all but the biggest studios. They seem to be able to handle it, as every film on this list has managed to turn a tidy profit. It seems that nowadays you have to speculate to accumulate.
In order to celebrate the release of Avatar, rumoured to now be the most expensive movie of all time, Female First tries to cut through the estimates and bring you a list of the most expensive individual films to have hit the cinema.
Number 1 – Avatar
Although all rumours and speculation, with the film not even having come out yet, numbers are being swung about all over the place. Even conservative estimates say that this will be the most expensive movie of all time though, although Fox remains adamant the picture cost around $237m.
But with guesses of between $300m to a faintly ridiculous $500m going around the internet, the only thing that can be known is that hopefully all the cost will be worth it in the end.
Number 2 – Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.
The third in Disney’s rum swigging set of films, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, saw the first film to go past the previously unknown of $300m mark. The film easily recouped this enormous investment though, earning nearly $1 billion world wide simply in the cinema.
Showing a struggle between Will Turner and Davie Jones over control of the high seas and the rescue attempt for the supposedly deceased Jack Sparrow, At World’s End took the
With Johnny Depp confirmed to have been paid a record $32m for the fourth in the series, look out for Pirates to yet again hit the top of charts when it comes to the numbers.
Number 3 – Superman Returns
After huge success with the first two X-Men films, director Bryan Singer jumped ship at the offer to work on a new film about the Man of Steel.
Although there is still some dispute about just how much was blown on the disappointing comic book adaptation, movie money site Box Office Mojo claims that up to $270 million was spent in the making of Superman Returns.
Although given a mixed reception by the critics and disliked by some fans, it still made nearly double its budget.
Number 4 – Spiderman 3
In a world where studio executives usually run away from any questions of budget, back in 2007 Sony were remarkably candid when they admitted to the budget for the third of Sam Raimi’s web-swinging movies.
Seeing Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst return as Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson only added to the cost of the picture, with the two pocketing a rumoured $16m a piece, didn’t help keep costs down.
Number 5 – Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince
The latest in the ultra successful Harry Potter series, Half Blood Prince saw a huge increase in cost over the others in the franchise, with the scale of the projects skyrocketing.
The film sees another chapter in Harry’s battle against the forces of magical evil, with him finally discovering a way to beat the evil Lord Voldemort.
And with the films building up there great crescendo and the final book in the series to be divided up in to two films, the headaches for the accountants are only just beginning.
Number 6 – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
The second in the before mentioned pirate tales, Dead Man’s Chest saw the reward for the ludicrously successful Curse of The Black Pearl three years before.
With a hugely expanded budget and free reign to indulge their creative juices, with Captain Jack taking on a bigger adventure
Even though it didn’t have anywhere near the wit or sheer ingenuity of the first adventure, Dead Man’s Chest was a success on a colossal scale, making over a billion dollars during it’s time in the box office.
Number 7 – The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
A surprisingly high placement for a surprisingly under sold film, Prince Caspian was the bigger budget ($225m to be precise) follow-up to The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, a film that itself cost nearly the magical two-ton mark.
In Prince Caspian the children, having returned to their real lives for a year, are hailed back to the magical land of Narnia, only to discover that the world of adventure has moved on more than a millennia.
They are then called to the aid of Prince Caspian, who must fight to keep his right to the thrown of Narnia.
Despite making a profit of over $140m, the film was called somewhat of a flop as far as blockbusters go.
Number 8 – X-Men The Final Stand
Yet another sequel to grace the list, the climax to the highly successful superhero trilogy hit cinemas back in 2006 with a bang, promising a suitably epic conclusion to the battle between Professor Xavier’s cohort of heroic X-Men and nemesis Magneto and his band of rogue mutants over the future of the human race.
Another time where special effects have cost majority of the budget, as this final instalment to the trilogy cost more to make than the previous two films combined, totalling $210m.
It easily made a profit though in its box office period, and was so successful that a spin off film about Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine was made.
Number 9 – King Kong
Peter Jackson could do no wrong after the Lord of the Rings trilogy made more cash than could fill an entire JCB showroom, and was without any question giving him the £207m he wanted to fulfil his dream of remaking the 1933 classic.
Starring Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody and Andy Serkis (the man who played Gollum in the Lord of the Rings) as the giant ape, King Kong was very much a Peter Jackson film, filled with epic environments and sweeping adventure.
He didn’t let the suits down though as he rewarded them in spades, making twice of the considerable amount they’d scooped in.
Number 10 –Titanic
Even after twelve years, Titanic still stays with the big boys when it comes to flashing the cash.
James Cameron’s doomed love story on the cursed cruise liner between Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet famously has to double its $100m
The classic Romeo and Juliet story became a land mark movie, crushing anything that stood in its way both at the box office and at the Oscars.
Winning a record eleven Oscar wins and being the first film to break the boundary of earning $1billion from the punters.
FemaleFirst Cameron Smith
The movie business runs on a ridiculous amount of money these days. Pounds and dollars are thrown around willy-nilly and a film’s called low budget if it costs less than what you could buy South America with.
With more and more films needing bigger and better special effects, budgets are now spiralling out of control for all but the biggest studios. They seem to be able to handle it, as every film on this list has managed to turn a tidy profit. It seems that nowadays you have to speculate to accumulate.
In order to celebrate the release of Avatar, rumoured to now be the most expensive movie of all time, Female First tries to cut through the estimates and bring you a list of the most expensive individual films to have hit the cinema.
Number 1 – Avatar
Although all rumours and speculation, with the film not even having come out yet, numbers are being swung about all over the place. Even conservative estimates say that this will be the most expensive movie of all time though, although Fox remains adamant the picture cost around $237m.
But with guesses of between $300m to a faintly ridiculous $500m going around the internet, the only thing that can be known is that hopefully all the cost will be worth it in the end.
Number 2 – Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.
The third in Disney’s rum swigging set of films, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, saw the first film to go past the previously unknown of $300m mark. The film easily recouped this enormous investment though, earning nearly $1 billion world wide simply in the cinema.
Showing a struggle between Will Turner and Davie Jones over control of the high seas and the rescue attempt for the supposedly deceased Jack Sparrow, At World’s End took the
With Johnny Depp confirmed to have been paid a record $32m for the fourth in the series, look out for Pirates to yet again hit the top of charts when it comes to the numbers.
Number 3 – Superman Returns
After huge success with the first two X-Men films, director Bryan Singer jumped ship at the offer to work on a new film about the Man of Steel.
Although there is still some dispute about just how much was blown on the disappointing comic book adaptation, movie money site Box Office Mojo claims that up to $270 million was spent in the making of Superman Returns.
Although given a mixed reception by the critics and disliked by some fans, it still made nearly double its budget.
Number 4 – Spiderman 3
In a world where studio executives usually run away from any questions of budget, back in 2007 Sony were remarkably candid when they admitted to the budget for the third of Sam Raimi’s web-swinging movies.
Seeing Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst return as Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson only added to the cost of the picture, with the two pocketing a rumoured $16m a piece, didn’t help keep costs down.
Number 5 – Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince
The latest in the ultra successful Harry Potter series, Half Blood Prince saw a huge increase in cost over the others in the franchise, with the scale of the projects skyrocketing.
The film sees another chapter in Harry’s battle against the forces of magical evil, with him finally discovering a way to beat the evil Lord Voldemort.
And with the films building up there great crescendo and the final book in the series to be divided up in to two films, the headaches for the accountants are only just beginning.
Number 6 – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
The second in the before mentioned pirate tales, Dead Man’s Chest saw the reward for the ludicrously successful Curse of The Black Pearl three years before.
With a hugely expanded budget and free reign to indulge their creative juices, with Captain Jack taking on a bigger adventure
Even though it didn’t have anywhere near the wit or sheer ingenuity of the first adventure, Dead Man’s Chest was a success on a colossal scale, making over a billion dollars during it’s time in the box office.
Number 7 – The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
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