The highest budget movies ever made are Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) at about 536 million dollars, Jurassic World Dominion (2022) at 531 million, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) at 490 million, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) at 465 million and Deadpool and Wolverine (2024) at 429 million, based on net production costs.
When this article was first written in 2020, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides sat at the top of most lists. Since then, newer filings and tax records from the UK have pushed several Star Wars and Jurassic World films above it.
A film’s budget covers far more than star fees. It includes sets, construction, props, visual effects, travel, food, lodging, costumes and make-up. Marketing usually costs extra and is not counted in the figures below.
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Highest budget movies: the top 5 at a glance
| Rank | Film | Year | Net budget | Adjusted for inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Star Wars: The Force Awakens | 2015 | $536 million | $727 million |
| 2 | Jurassic World Dominion | 2022 | $531 million | $584 million |
| 3 | Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | 2019 | $490 million | $617 million |
| 4 | Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom | 2018 | $465 million | $596 million |
| 5 | Deadpool and Wolverine | 2024 | $429 million | $440 million |
Figures are net of tax rebates, as listed on Wikipedia’s list of most expensive films, which draws on audited accounts and trade reports.
The 5 highest budget movies ever made
1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
The film that restarted Star Wars under Disney is the most expensive film on record, at an officially acknowledged 536 million dollars net. Adjusted for inflation, that is around 727 million dollars today.
It paid off. The Force Awakens grossed about 2.07 billion dollars worldwide and is still one of the five highest-grossing films ever.
2. Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
The final film of the Jurassic World trilogy cost about 531 million dollars net, according to figures filed after UK tax credits. Adjusted for inflation, that is around 584 million dollars, second only to The Force Awakens.
3. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
The last film of the Skywalker saga cost about 490 million dollars net. It earned around 1.07 billion dollars worldwide, against an inflation-adjusted cost of around 617 million dollars.
4. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
The second Jurassic World film cost about 465 million dollars net and grossed about 1.31 billion dollars worldwide. Like Dominion, its figure comes from UK filings, which are more transparent than studio press releases.
5. Deadpool and Wolverine (2024)
The only 2024 film in the top 5, Marvel’s team-up of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman cost about 429 million dollars net. It grossed about 1.34 billion dollars worldwide, more than three times its cost.
What happened to the films on the original list?
The five films on our original 2020 list are still among the most expensive ever made, but newer data has moved them down.
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011): now 7th, at about 379 million dollars net. Johnny Depp reportedly earned 55 million dollars for it.
- Avengers: Endgame (2019): now 9th, at about 356 million dollars. It grossed about 2.80 billion dollars, the second-highest gross of all time.
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018): now 16th, at about 325 million dollars. It grossed about 2.05 billion dollars.
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007): now 19th, at about 300 million dollars. The Wall Street Journal called it the first film to cost more than 300 million dollars.
- Tangled (2010): now 28th, at about 260 million dollars, still one of Disney’s most expensive animated films.
The two Avengers films are a special case. They were shot back to back, and while trade estimates put them at 325 million and 356 million dollars, UK tax filings point to at least 1.2 billion dollars combined. Director Joe Russo has said each film cost more than 500 million dollars. If that is right, both would sit near the very top.
How film budgets are measured
There are two common numbers. The gross budget is what a studio spends before any government rebates. The net budget is what is left after tax credits, which in the UK can run into tens of millions of dollars on a big production. The table above uses net figures, and where sources disagree, the lower estimate is used.
Recent big spenders
Several recent films also cost 300 million dollars or more. Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) are both listed at around 350 million dollars, with some reports putting them higher. Fast X (2023) cost about 379 million dollars, and Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning (2025) about 300 million.
Avatar: Fire and Ash has grossed about 1.49 billion dollars worldwide, so James Cameron’s bet once again paid off. Avatar (2009) remains the highest-grossing film ever, at about 2.92 billion dollars.
For more box office stories, read our Hollywood and movies sections.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the highest budget movie ever made?
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), with an officially acknowledged net budget of about 536 million dollars.
What was the budget of Avengers: Endgame?
Trade estimates put it at about 356 million dollars, but director Joe Russo has said it cost more than 500 million dollars.
Is Avatar: The Way of Water the most expensive film?
No. It is listed at about 350 million dollars, though some reports put it higher. Five films cost more on current data.
Why are movie budget figures different on every site?
Studios rarely publish real production costs, so most figures are estimates. UK tax filings, which show net costs after rebates, are the most reliable source.
Sources: Wikipedia: List of most expensive films, Wikipedia: List of highest-grossing films.
