Buzz
John Cameron’s 2009 Avatar ranks near the top of the list of the priciest films ever produced, but it claims an even higher position among the highest-grossing films of all time. While its cultural impact remains a topic of debate, there's no denying that the movie was a massive financial gamble that paid off significantly. However, this doesn’t always guarantee success—big-budget films don’t always lead to big returns, and the history of cinema is filled with expensive failures. Although many consider Star Wars to have started the modern blockbuster era, it actually began with the grand epics of the 1960s, when studios sought to create films that could compete with the free entertainment available on television. Some of these films saved their studios (Ben-Hur), while others drove them into bankruptcy (The Fall of the Roman Empire). In today's industry, studios are generally better at handling risk (which is why Disney prefers the predictable success of Marvel movies over other ventures).
With the release of the trailer for the highly anticipated, extremely expensive Avatar sequel, let's take a look back at other notoriously costly blockbusters and evaluate whether they were worth the hefty price tags.
A quick note on methodology: When there’s a wide discrepancy in budget estimates, the lower figure is often considered more reliable, which I’ve mostly followed. When I’ve deviated from this, I’ve explained why—such as with the 1963 film Cleopatra, where the studio likely exaggerated the costs. My numbers come from Wikipedia, cross-referenced with other sources to ensure accuracy. I’ve also used the Consumer Price Index to adjust for inflation. Keep in mind that film budgets are always rough estimates: studios don’t always disclose these numbers, and additional costs like advertising are typically excluded. Evaluating a film’s profitability can be tricky, which is to say that even the most detailed cost analysis involves some degree of guesswork.
Honorable mention: Foolish Wives (1922)
Adjusted budget: $19 million
While it doesn’t make the cut among today’s blockbuster hits, Universal placed a significant amount of trust in Austrian-American director Erich von Stroheim by giving him the largest budget at the time. The film Foolish Wives was eventually marketed as the first “million-dollar movie.” Known for his tendency to overspend, von Stroheim’s film actually went slightly over budget.
Was it worth it? Yes. Though it didn’t achieve extraordinary box office success, it did perform well and remains an impressively directed and unique epic.
Where to stream: Not officially available, but you can find it on YouTube.
Honorable mention: Ben-Hur (1925)
Adjusted budget: $65.5 million
While the 1925 original doesn't make the cut among modern films with the largest budgets, it still holds an unmatched title as the most expensive film of the silent film era.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. It reigned as the box office leader until Gone With the Wind came along. While some may deem it sacrilege, I find the 1959 remake to be a drawn-out experience, only occasionally interrupted by an extraordinary chariot race. Personally, I prefer this version.
Where to stream: Available for digital rental.
Honorable mention: Duel in the Sun (1946)
Adjusted budget: $78 million
Though it doesn’t crack the list of high-budget films today, the star-studded cast (including Gregory Peck, Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, and Lillian Gish) represents a significant step on the path to the rising costs of filmmaking. Despite some debate over the figures, this was the first film in the sound era to clearly surpass Ben-Hur in production costs (though Gone With the Wind was a close contender).
Was it worth it? The film earned more than three times its production cost at the box office, which makes it a clear success. Its troubled production is visible in the final product, but it remains a compelling mix of social commentary and some truly unsettling plot twists.
Where to stream: Not officially available, but you can watch it on YouTube.
Honorable mention: Ben-Hur (1959)
Adjusted budget: $151 million
Charlton Heston steers a chariot through subtle gay undertones.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. It dominated the U.S. box office for six months, rescued MGM from the brink of collapse, and stands as one of the highest-grossing films ever. It’s also one of only three films to win 11 Academy Awards. However, it led studios to believe that big-budget epics were the answer to television’s growing influence—a strategy that often ended in failure (just look at Cleopatra much later on this list).
Where to stream: HBO Max
Honorable mention: Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)
Adjusted budget: $182 million
With an all-star cast led by Marlon Brando, a classic novel, and the promise of nautical adventure, how could things go wrong?
Was it worth it? This film serves as an early cautionary tale about the perils of throwing money at the screen to compete with television (and about Brando's increasingly erratic behavior on set). Despite starting with all the right elements, Mutiny ended up as a costly venture. Though it made a reasonable profit at the box office, it still lost millions due to cost overruns.
Where to stream: HBO Max
20. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
Adjusted budget: $290 million
The Star Wars installment that sparked countless flame wars comes in on the lower end of post-Lucas budgets, with only Rogue One costing less.
Was it worth it? Though it’s the second least expensive modern Star Wars film, it is also the second highest-grossing, earning between $1.3 and $1.4 billion worldwide. So, it was certainly a smart investment.
Where to stream: Disney+, TNT, TBS
19. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Adjusted budget: $291 million
The team returns, searching for the key to a map that leads to something important.
Was it worth it? Not quite. There were far better ways to conclude this trilogy (and the later dubbed Skywalker Saga), and its 52% rating on Rotten Tomatoes places it at the bottom of the live-action Star Wars films. However, it still earned over a billion dollars, which is still very impressive—but the film’s mixed reception disrupted Disney’s plans for upcoming Star Wars movies, resulting in several projects being delayed or even cancelled. After five consecutive years of Star Wars releases, the next film is currently... TBD.
Where to stream: Disney+, TNT, TBS
18. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Adjusted budget: $296 million
The return of the I.P.
Was it worth it? Revived Star Wars with live-action? Check. Earned over $2 billion for Disney? Check. Everything checked out.
Where to stream: Disney+, TNT, TBS
17. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Adjusted budget: $297 million
A significant portion of the budget was consumed by behind-the-scenes chaos (up to 75% of the film was made twice with different directors), leading to this being the priciest Star Wars film ever.
Was it worth it? Unfortunately, no. Despite my personal fondness for it, less than $400 million in earnings on a $300 million budget is a return that likely had Mickey very unhappy.
Where to stream: Disney+, TNT, TBS
16. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Adjusted budget: $297 million
The film where Jesse Eisenberg gives Holly Hunter a jar of pee.
Was it worth it? No, it wasn't. While the movie had a strong start and decent global earnings, it quickly lost steam due to poor word-of-mouth. The estimated profit of a couple hundred million dollars is fine, but not great for a production at this scale. Furthermore, the lukewarm reception and mixed box office performance severely hindered Warner's plans for a Marvel-like shared universe.
Where to stream: HBO Max
15. Avatar (2009)
Adjusted budget: $299 million
James Cameron’s most successful film wasn’t even his most expensive.
Was it worth it? When adjusted for inflation, Avatar is the second-highest-grossing film ever, earning around $3.3 billion. So, yes, it was. It's also the inspiration for one of Disney World's major attractions, making it an undisputed success, despite some occasional dismissals.
Where to stream: Disney+
14. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
Adjusted budget: $302 million
Expect more Pirates of the Caribbean as we move forward.
Was it worth it? Without a doubt. As one of the highest-grossing film franchises, Pirates has been a gold mine for Disney. The second installment, Dead Man's Chest, was the biggest money-maker, despite having one of the smaller budgets in the series.
Where to stream: Disney+
13. Waterworld (1995)
Adjusted budget: $306 million
When Waterworld was released, its massive budget was the talk of the town.
Was it worth it? Not entirely. While it eventually earned back its investment and represented an ambitious effort in big-budget science fiction at a time when such films were rare, it wasn’t quite successful enough to be considered a triumph, and it doesn’t quite have the cult following one might expect.
Where to stream: Starz
12. John Carter (2012)
Adjusted budget: $311 million
The Edgar Rice Burroughs cinematic dream, unfortunately, never came to life.
Was it worth it? Not even close (though I actually enjoyed the movie). Disney reportedly suffered a loss of $200 million on this film, marking it as one of the greatest financial flops in movie history (pre-COVID, that is).
Where to stream: Disney+
11. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Adjusted budget: $316 million
Snape steps into the spotlight.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. It had a much larger budget (about $100 million more) compared to previous Harry Potter films, yet its earnings were on par with the others. Nevertheless, a billion-dollar box office haul is still impressive, even if the returns weren’t quite as high as the previous films in the series.
Where to stream: HBO Max
10. Tangled (2010)
Adjusted budget: $323 million
Disney’s stunning animated reimagining of Rapunzel.
Was it worth it? Just about. The film performed decently at the box office (and Disney knows how to profit from merchandise and other revenue streams), but considering the soaring costs due to production delays and restarts, it needed to earn a lot more to be deemed a resounding success. Frozen, for example, had a significantly smaller budget and ended up making far more.
Where to stream: Disney+
9. Justice League (2017)
Adjusted budget: $332 million
The tangled financial history of Justice League is a complicated one, as it was made three times: initially under Zack Snyder, then controversially by Joss Whedon, and finally, Zack Snyder returned to complete his original vision for an additional $70 million or so. Even leaving out the later streaming version, the film still had a significant budget, and the cost of reworking it into something audiences didn't particularly enjoy only added to the overall expense.
Was it worth it? No, unfortunately. The movie lost money, the production process was a nightmare for everyone involved, and audiences were unimpressed. While the Snyder cut did provide some resolution, it came at an enormous additional cost.
Where to stream: HBO Max
8. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Adjusted budget: $337 million
Spider-Man embraces his emo side in the final chapter of Sam Raimi's Spider-trilogy.
Was it worth it? It was, in terms of box office. While the film cost more to make and received a less favorable reception compared to its predecessors, it still performed well at the global box office, on par with the earlier Raimi-directed films. However, it wasn't enough to prevent Sony from deciding to reboot the franchise entirely, opting for Andrew Garfield as the new Spidey instead of giving Tobey Maguire a chance at a fourth installment.
Where to stream: Digital rental
7. Titanic (1997)
Adjusted budget: $338 million
*audible sobs*
Was it worth it? Oh, absolutely. The sixth most expensive movie of all time also remains one of the top five highest-grossing films, with a staggering $ billion earned, despite the fact it’s had three rereleases. However, the bulk of that revenue came right after its initial release, when it dominated the box office.
Where to stream: Paramount+, Prime Video
5–6. Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame (2018/19)
Adjusted budget: $351 million (Infinity War) $377 million (Endgame)
Things are getting intense in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Was it worth it? With nearly $5 billion in total box office earnings between the two, and Endgame securing a spot among the top five highest-grossing films of all time, it’s safe to say, yes, Marvel’s doing more than just fine.
Where to stream: Disney+
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
Adjusted budget: $392 million
The epic conclusion to the Pirates saga (until they decided to make more, of course).
Was it worth it? Shot back-to-back with Dead Man’s Chest, this third installment cost a bit more but earned slightly less. Nonetheless, it was successful enough to keep the Pirates franchise afloat, paving the way for at least two more films to follow.
Where to stream: Disney+
3. Cleopatra (1963)
Adjusted budget: $416 million
Estimates of the cost of Cleopatra vary widely, with the studio initially quoting $35 million. However, given the publicity surrounding the film’s budget overruns and the studio’s attempts at damage control, it’s likely that the true cost leaned toward the higher estimates.
Was it worth it? Yes, but just barely—and only due to the movie’s lasting impact. Much of the money was lost to avoidable production issues, but a significant portion still made it onto the screen. Despite costing so much, it took a couple of years and a TV deal to finally turn a profit. Nonetheless, it was the highest-grossing film of 1963 and earned nine Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture. Despite the headaches it caused, the results were still impressive.
Where to stream: Fubo
2. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Adjusted budget: $417 million
James Spader makes his mark as the voice of Ultron.
Was it worth it? Despite being the most expensive Avengers movie and the lowest-grossing of the series, it still raked in huge profits. So yes, it was worth it.
Where to stream: Disney+
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Adjusted budget: $456 million
Initially conceived as a more modest return to the franchise after the conclusion of what was meant to be a trilogy, the fourth Pirates film quickly soared beyond its original budget, ultimately securing its spot among the priciest films ever made.
Was it worth it? Yes, but only just. Despite crossing the billion-dollar threshold at the box office, the movie’s high production costs likely left only a slim profit margin.
Where to stream: Disney+
