Buzz
James Cameron’s 2009 masterpiece Avatar ranks among the priciest films ever produced, while also securing a top position on the list of the highest-grossing movies of all time. While its cultural impact is often debated, there’s no denying that it was a massive investment that yielded significant returns. However, this isn’t always the case: high risk can lead to high rewards, but cinema history is filled with costly failures. Although many associate the modern blockbuster era with Star Wars, it truly began with the grand historical epics of the 1960s, when studios aimed to create films that could rival the appeal of free television content. Some of these films saved their studios (Ben-Hur), while others led to their downfall (The Fall of the Roman Empire). Today, studios are more adept at managing risks, which is why Disney prioritizes reliable franchises like Marvel over riskier projects.
In celebration of the trailer release for the highly anticipated and costly Avatar sequel, let’s revisit other famously expensive blockbusters and assess whether their hefty budgets were justified.
A few methodological notes: When budget estimates vary widely, it’s generally safe to assume the lower figure is more accurate, which I’ve mostly adhered to. Exceptions, like 1963's Cleopatra, are noted due to the studio’s misleading cost claims. My data is sourced from Wikipedia, cross-referenced for accuracy, and adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index. Keep in mind that budgets are always estimates, as studios rarely disclose exact figures. Marketing and other expenses can further inflate costs but are typically excluded from a film’s official budget. Determining a film’s profitability remains a challenging and speculative endeavor, as even the most thorough analysis involves significant guesswork.
Honorable mention: Foolish Wives (1922)
Adjusted budget: $19 million
While it doesn’t compare to modern blockbusters, Universal placed immense trust in Austrian-American director Erich von Stroheim by granting him the largest budget of its time, eventually promoting Foolish Wives as the first “million-dollar movie.” Known for his extravagant spending, Von Stroheim exceeded the budget, making the film even more costly.
Was it worth it? Yes. The film performed well at the box office, though not spectacularly, and remains a uniquely directed and ambitious epic.
Where to stream: Not available on formal platforms, but it can be found on YouTube.
Honorable mention: Ben-Hur (1925)
Adjusted budget: $65.5 million
Similar to Foolish Wives, the 1925 original doesn’t make modern lists of high-budget films, but it remains unmatched as the costliest film of the silent era.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. It dominated the box office until Gone With the Wind was released. While some may disagree, I often find the 1959 remake overly lengthy, saved only by its iconic chariot scene. This version, however, is my preferred choice.
Where to stream: Digital rental
Honorable mention: Duel in the Sun (1946)
Adjusted budget: $78 million
Though it doesn’t come close to modern high-budget films, this star-studded production (featuring Gregory Peck, Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, and Lillian Gish) marks a significant milestone in the escalating costs of filmmaking. Despite some debate over the exact figures, it was the first sound-era film to definitively surpass Ben-Hur in spending (with Gone With the Wind trailing closely).
Was it worth it? The film earned over three times its budget at the box office, making it a clear success. Its tumultuous production history is evident in the final product, yet it remains an intriguing mix of earnest social commentary and disturbing narrative twists.
Where to stream: Not available on formal platforms, but it can be found on YouTube.
Honorable mention: Ben-Hur (1959)
Adjusted budget: $151 million
Charlton Heston steers through subtle gay undertones in a chariot-driven epic.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. It dominated the U.S. box office for half a year, rescued MGM from financial ruin, and stands as one of the most profitable films in history. It’s also one of only three movies to secure 11 Academy Awards. However, it fueled the belief that lavish epics could combat the threat of television, a strategy that often led to failures (see Cleopatra, further down this list).
Where to stream: HBO Max
Honorable mention: Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)
Adjusted budget: $182 million
Featuring Marlon Brando and a stellar cast, this adaptation of a beloved novel promised thrilling nautical adventure. But not everything went as planned.
Was it worth it? A cautionary tale about overspending to compete with television (and Brando’s erratic on-set behavior), Mutiny seemed destined for success until it faltered. While it performed decently at the box office, it still incurred significant losses due to budget overruns.
Where to stream: HBO Max
20. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)
Adjusted budget: $290 million
This installment of the Star Wars saga, which sparked countless debates, ranks among the least expensive in the post-Lucas era, with only Rogue One costing less.
Was it worth it? As the second most affordable modern Star Wars film, it also became the second highest-grossing, earning between $1.3 and $1.4 billion globally. A true bargain by any measure.
Where to stream: Disney+, TNT, TBS
19. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
Adjusted budget: $291 million
The team reunites to chase a map leading to an elusive goal.
Was it worth it? Not entirely. This conclusion to the trilogy (and the Skywalker Saga) fell short of expectations, earning a 52% Rotten Tomatoes score—the lowest among live-action Star Wars films. Despite grossing over a billion dollars, its lukewarm reception disrupted Disney’s plans for future Star Wars projects, causing delays and cancellations. After five years of annual releases, the next film remains uncertain.
Where to stream: Disney+, TNT, TBS
18. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Adjusted budget: $296 million
The franchise makes a triumphant return.
Was it worth it? It successfully rebooted Star Wars in live action and earned Disney over $2 billion. Every word of it is true.
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 (nearly 75% of the film was reshot under different directors), making it the costliest Star Wars movie ever.
Was it worth it? Unfortunately, no. While I personally enjoy this film, earning less than $400 million on a $300 million budget likely left Disney executives far from pleased.
Where to stream: Disney+, TNT, TBS
16. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Adjusted budget: $297 million
This is the film where Jesse Eisenberg presents Holly Hunter with a jar of urine.
Was it worth it? Not really. It opened strongly and performed moderately worldwide, but its momentum faltered due to negative reviews. While it reportedly generated a couple hundred million in profit, that’s underwhelming for a film of this scale. Moreover, its lukewarm reception derailed Warner’s ambitions for a Marvel-style cinematic universe.
Where to stream: HBO Max
15. Avatar (2009)
Adjusted budget: $299 million
James Cameron’s highest-grossing film wasn’t even his most expensive endeavor.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. Adjusted for inflation, Avatar ranks as the second-highest-grossing film of all time, earning approximately $3.3 billion. It also inspired one of Disney World’s most popular attractions, cementing its status as an undeniable success despite occasional criticism.
Where to stream: Disney+
14. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
Adjusted budget: $302 million
From this point onward, the Pirates of the Caribbean series dominates the list.
Was it worth it? As one of the highest-grossing franchises, Pirates has generated immense profits for Disney. Dead Man’s Chest, the second installment, earned the highest revenue, despite having one of the smaller budgets in the series.
Where to stream: Disney+
13. Waterworld (1995)
Adjusted budget: $306 million
Upon its release, Waterworld became infamous for its staggering budget.
Was it worth it? Partially. While it eventually recouped its costs and showcased bold, high-concept sci-fi during a time when such films were rare, it fell short of being a definitive success. It also lacks the unique charm needed to achieve cult classic status.
Where to stream: Starz
12. John Carter (2012)
Adjusted budget: $311 million
The cinematic universe based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ works, unfortunately, never came to fruition.
Was it worth it? Not at all (and this comes from someone who enjoyed the film). Disney reportedly suffered a $200 million loss, ranking it among the biggest financial failures in film history (at least before COVID).
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? Yes. Despite having a budget roughly $100 million higher than other Harry Potter films, it didn’t earn significantly more. However, its billion-dollar box office performance is still impressive, even if its profitability was slightly lower compared to other entries in the series.
Where to stream: HBO Max
10. Tangled (2010)
Adjusted budget: $323 million
Disney’s beautifully animated reimagining of Rapunzel.
Was it worth it? Yes, but only marginally. While it performed reasonably well at the box office (and Disney excels at post-theatrical revenue), its soaring budget—driven by repeated production delays and restarts—required much stronger returns to be deemed an unmitigated success. In contrast, Frozen was produced for far less and achieved far greater financial success.
Where to stream: Disney+
9. Justice League (2017)
Adjusted budget: $332 million
The financial details of Justice League remain murky, as the film was essentially made three times: initially by Zack Snyder, then reshaped by Joss Whedon, and finally completed by Snyder with an additional $70 million. Even excluding the streaming version, the movie’s budget was enormous, and the costly reworkings failed to win over audiences.
Was it worth it? No. The film resulted in losses, left everyone involved dissatisfied, and disappointed fans. The Snyder Cut improved the reception but came at a significant extra expense.
Where to stream: HBO Max
8. Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Adjusted budget: $337 million
Spider-Man embraces his emo side in the finale of Sam Raimi’s trilogy.
Was it worth it? Yes. Despite its higher cost and mixed reception, its box office performance matched the earlier Raimi films. However, it didn’t prevent Sony from rebooting the franchise with Andrew Garfield instead of continuing with Tobey Maguire.
Where to stream: Digital rental
7. Titanic (1997)
Adjusted budget: $338 million
*audible sobs*
Was it worth it? Absolutely. As the sixth most expensive film ever made, it also ranks among the top five highest-grossing films, earning nearly $ billion. While it has seen three rereleases, the majority of its revenue came from its initial release.
Where to stream: Paramount+, Prime Video
5–6. Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame (2018/19)
Adjusted budget: $351 million (Infinity War) $377 million (Endgame)
Major events unfold in the Marvel universe.
Was it worth it? Together, they grossed nearly $5 billion, with Endgame ranking among the top five highest-grossing films of all time. Clearly, Marvel is thriving.
Where to stream: Disney+
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
Adjusted budget: $392 million
The supposed finale of the Pirates series, until more films followed.
Was it worth it? Shot back-to-back with Dead Man’s Chest, this third installment had a higher budget and slightly lower earnings but performed well enough to extend the franchise for at least two more films.
Where to stream: Disney+
3. Cleopatra (1963)
Adjusted budget: $416 million
Estimates for Cleopatra’s budget vary widely, with the studio claiming around $35 million. However, due to the negative publicity surrounding budget overruns and 20th Century Fox’s damage control efforts, it’s reasonable to assume the higher end of the estimates is accurate.
Was it worth it? Barely, and largely due to its lasting impact. While much of the budget was squandered on preventable production issues, a significant portion still made it onscreen. Despite its enormous cost, it became the highest-grossing film of 1963 and earned nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. Though it caused headaches for studio executives, its achievements remain noteworthy.
Where to stream: Fubo
2. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Adjusted budget: $417 million
James Spader takes the spotlight.
Was it worth it? Despite being the costliest and the lowest-earning of the Avengers films, it still generated massive profits. So, yes.
Where to stream: Disney+
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Adjusted budget: $456 million
Initially planned as a cost-effective continuation after the trilogy’s conclusion, the fourth Pirates installment far exceeded its modest beginnings, securing its place as one of the most costly films in history.
Was it worth it? Yes, but only marginally. Despite earning over a billion dollars at the box office, the film’s enormous budget likely resulted in a narrow profit margin.
Where to stream: Disney+
