Most expensive film of all time: This is the Top 10

by Pramith

What makes the most expensive film of all time so special can be explained by various factors. Often, higher production costs also lead to higher box-office takings. The most expensive films are therefore often blockbusters that everyone knows about.

Most expensive films of all time: Ranked 1 to 5

The production costs of a film do not only result from the actors’ pay, although high-profile Hollywood stars already rake in salaries in the millions. Everyone else involved in a film shoot also wants to be paid, such as the camera crew, sound, post-production, catering, make-up and costume. The increasing importance of CGI also demands its price. Finally, the costly marketing campaigns should not be forgotten in this calculation. According to estimates, this is how much the 5 most expensive films ever cost:

  • Pirates of the Caribbean – Stranger Tides: At number 1 of the most expensive films of all time is the fourth part of the popular Pirates of the Caribbean series. It cost about $378 million, the equivalent of about €358 million, to produce this film. In 2011, this film was released in cinemas and continued the adventures around Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron: Of course, Marvel’s Avengers films can’t be left off this list. Avengers – Age of Ultron takes second place in the list of the most expensive films of all time with a total cost of about 365 million US dollars. This is easily explained by the star cast of Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and co, the special effects and the lavish marketing.
  • Avengers: Endgame: 3rd place also goes undisputedly to an Avengers film. Costing around $356 million to make, this 2019 film’s whopping sum is no surprise given its three-hour running time, which is filled with expensive cameos, special effects, and visually stunning scenes.
  • Avatar: The Way of Water: No one will be surprised that the second part of the Avatar series also made it into this ranking. James Cameron spared no expense in creating this film. A total of about 350 million dollars was spent on the production. This topped the cost of the previous Avatar film from 2009, which was $237 million.
  • Avengers: Infinity War: For the third and final time, an Avengers movie pops up again to take 5th place.This 2018 blockbuster had a budget of around $325 million. Despite this, this film managed to remain profitable due to the high audience numbers. Nevertheless, the fees of the veteran Marvel actors should not be underestimated in this film either.

Most expensive films of all time: Ranked 6 to 10

What else production costs are made up of remains an almost inexhaustible list. Expensive equipment, expert advice, insurance, composing film music and permission to shoot in different locations all play into this equation. So it’s no wonder that the sums run into the millions. However, it is not uncommon for blockbusters of this calibre to bring in revenues in the billions.

  • Pirates of the Caribbean – At World’s End: The predecessor to the top film on our list may proudly take 6th place. The third part of the Pirates of the Caribbean series cost around 300 million dollars. The budget for Justice League was just as high. It is not only Marvel that knows how to spend money on films. DC has also earned a place as one of the most expensive films in history with its superhero movie.
  • Solo: A Star Wars Story: It is clear that one of the most famous film series in the world cannot be missed. A whole 275 million $ were spent to make this film. This film thus shares 8th place with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. In 2019, this third part of the Star Wards sequel also managed to spend $275 million on production.
  • John Carter: This 2012 film is perhaps the least known on this list. But with its production costs of a whopping 264 million US dollars, this legendary film has clearly gone down in film history. The science fiction film is set between Earth and Mars and therefore required quite a budget. But unfortunately, despite high advertising costs, it lacked the corresponding box office results.
  • Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: Zack Snyder’s film, which premiered in 2016, had an estimated budget of 263 million dollars. Advertising costs should not be underestimated either. This film shined with its star cast of Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Kevin Costner, Ben Affleck and many more.
  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi: This 2017 blockbuster was probably around $262 million. In addition to old movie greats like Carrie Fisher, newer stars like Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley were also featured in this film. The overall eighth part of the Star Wars series thus earns the 10th and last place in this ranking.

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