From the epic chariot races of "Ben-Hur" to the intergalactic battles of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," the quest to create the most visually stunning and immersive cinematic experiences has led to some of the most expensive movie productions in history. The 1959 classic "Ben-Hur," initially budgeted at $7 million, eventually cost $15 million—a sum that, adjusted for inflation, amounts to a staggering $151 million today. Ben Hur set the precedent for high-budget filmmaking, a tradition carried forward by the film industry decades later. But what are the most expensive movies of all time?
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The 10 Most Expensive Movies Ever Made:
- "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015) – $447 million
- "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" (2018) – $432 million
- "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" (2019) – $416 million
- "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (2011) – $379 million
- "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (2015) – $365 million
- "Avengers: Endgame" (2019) – $356 million
- "Avatar: The Way of Water" (2022) – $350 million
- "Fast X" (2023) – $340 million
- "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018) – $325 million
- "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (2007) – $300 million
What are the biggest movie bombs of all time?
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10. Catwoman – July 23rd, 2004 – lost $59M adjusted
One of Batman's greatest foes failed to lay a claw on The Bat's amazing box office tallies. Halle Berry's Catwoman cost $132M to produce and grossed only $82M. She accepted her Worst Actress Razzie award in person.
9. Stealth – July 29th, 2005 – lost $66M adjusted
This movie was blown out of the sky by critics and audiences. Roger Ebert called Stealth a "dumbed-down Top Gun" and it only managed to fly past $76M of its $138M budget.
8. Hudson Hawk – May 24th, 1991 – lost $74M adjusted
Written and starring Bruce Willis, the goofy caper film died hard at the box office. Its take was $17M, a far cry from the film's $65M budget. Hudson did manage to drink that cappuccino, though.
7. Ishtar – May 15th, 1987 – lost $76M adjusted
This classic comedy flop became well-known for its big budget, which was $55M. We wonder if 1987 peoples' heads would explode if they knew blockbuster hit Avatar cost $237M. Regardless, the Warren Beatty film sweated its way to just $14M at the box office.
6. Around The World In 80 Days – June 16th, 2004 – lost $76.7M adjusted
With only a vague resemblance to the Jules Verne novel its based on, Jackie Chan's Around The World didn't exactly soar over the box office. The film cleared only a little more than half its $140M production and marketing costs.
5. Gigli – August 1st, 2003 – lost $77M adjusted
Remember those magical two years when Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez dated? The "Bennifer" romance was captured on screen in what's considered to be one of the worst movies of all-time. Gigli took in just $7M and cost roughly $74M to make.
4. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within – July 11th, 2001 – lost $99M adjusted
No fanfare music played for this party. Final Fantasy was visually ambitious, but like many video game movies, it was considered a big failure, grossing only $85M of its $167M budget.
3. Speed Racer – May 9th, 2008 – lost $106M
The anime adaptation crashed and burned at the box office, with $93M grossed and a whopping $200M price tag. Curse you, Royalton Industries!
2. The 13th Warrior – August 29th, 1999 – lost $125M adjusted
Based on the Michael Crichton novel Eaters of the Dead, The 13th Warrior was no Jurassic Park. The action film lost its box office battle, clearing just $61M, way below its $160M budget.
1. The Adventures of Pluto Nash – August 16th, 2002 – lost $134M adjusted
Eddie Murphy has starred in a number of big budget, high profile bombs, but this one is an atom bomb by comparison. Rotten Tomatoes named the film one of the worst in the past decade. The $100M budgeted space comedy grossed a paltry $7M at the box office.
