From Star Wars to Fast and Furious, from Pirates of the Caribbean to Avengers. Here are the 12 highest budget movies in the world.
The film industry is one of the most expensive industries globally, with production costs constantly increasing due to technological advances and audience demands. We are very used to big-budget movies from big-budget Hollywood studios such as Disney, Amazon and Universal.
So How Big Is The Budget?
Before proceeding with the list, let us point out: The cost figures given here refer only to expenses related to film shooting, excluding promotion and advertising costs. These estimates are approximate since production companies generally do not disclose actual production costs.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
Budget: 300 million dollars
Despite its impressive budget, the film grossed just $309 million in the United States, falling short of Disney’s expected return.
Justice League: Justice League (2017)
Budget: 300 million dollars
DC’s answer to the Marvel cinematic universe met with mixed reviews and disappointed at the box office, bringing in a lifetime US gross of $229 million.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
Budget: 300 million dollars
This Star Wars episode grossed an impressive $620 million in the United States, making it a satisfying addition to the series.
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Budget: 325 million dollars
The film became one of the best and most action-packed superhero movies of all time with its ensemble cast of Marvel characters.
Fast and Furious 10 (2023)
Budget: 340 million dollars
Even though the tenth film in the Fast & Furious franchise barely made it over its massive budget globally with $146 million in US earnings, it remains part of a superb film franchise with a dedicated fan base.
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Budget: 350 million dollars
Featuring groundbreaking special effects and CGI, this highly anticipated sequel will continue to break budget and box office records for years to come.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Budget: 356 million dollars
The epic finale to the Avengers series, the film grossed $858 million at the US box office alone, displaying an impressive cost-to-revenue ratio. Globally, it exceeded 2 billion dollars.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Budget: 365 million dollars
This Avengers installment had the highest budget of the films in the entire series and featured heavy use of CGI and visual effects.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Budget: $379 million
Although the film continued the series, it fell short of its financial goals, grossing $241 million in the United States.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Budget: 416 million dollars
The third and final installment of the new Star Wars trilogy performed well but barely made a net profit.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Budget: 432 million dollars
Known for its intense use of CGI and visual effects, the film offered two hours of dinosaur action, but its subject received a lot of criticism.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Budget: 447 million dollars
With the highest budget and US box office earnings on this list, this film further deepened Lucasfilm’s (Disney) already considerable profits as the first of the newest Star Wars trilogy. The audience’s expectation was extremely high, which contributed to its success.
