1. “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011) – $379 million

This fourth entry in the Pirates franchise holds the record for the highest production cost ever. Disney spared no expense, filming in multiple exotic locations and using extensive visual effects. Johnny Depp’s salary and 3D filming also drove up costs. Despite mixed reviews, the film performed well at the box office, grossing over $1 billion globally. Its massive budget reflected Disney’s confidence in the series and its global appeal.

Image at Pirates of the Caribbean: I främmande farvatten (2011) – Affischer — The Movie Database (TMDB)

2. “Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015) – $365 million

Marvel’s second Avengers film significantly raised the bar in terms of scale and spending. Filmed across multiple countries, with extensive special effects and a massive ensemble cast, the budget quickly ballooned. Furthermore, reshoots and global marketing costs added to the final figure. While critics were divided, audiences still flocked to theaters, helping the film earn over $1.4 billion. It paved the way for even larger Marvel productions.

Image at Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) – Affischer — The Movie Database (TMDB)

3. “Avengers: Endgame” (2019) – $356 million

As the conclusion to over a decade of Marvel storytelling, Endgame demanded a huge budget. Bringing back nearly every major Marvel character required significant spending on cast salaries. In addition, the film featured groundbreaking visual effects and extensive reshoots. Marketing was also global and massive. Nevertheless, the investment paid off, as Endgame went on to become the second-highest-grossing film of all time, earning over $2.8 billion worldwide.

Image at Avengers: Endgame (2019) – Affischer — The Movie Database (TMDB)

4. “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022) – $350 million

James Cameron returned to Pandora with a staggering budget to match his vision. Much of the spending went into underwater motion capture, which had never been done at this scale. Moreover, years of development and high-end visual effects added to the cost. The long production timeline also contributed. Yet, the result was a visually stunning film that became one of the top three highest-grossing movies ever, proving its worth.

Image at Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) – Affischer — The Movie Database (TMDB)

5. “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018) – $325 million

With its vast ensemble cast and galaxy-spanning story, Infinity War required a massive budget. Marvel coordinated complex action scenes, cutting-edge effects, and global filming schedules. Actor salaries, including big stars like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth, added heavily to costs. Despite the price tag, the film brought in over $2 billion, making it one of the most successful superhero movies in history. It also set up the epic finale, Endgame.

Image at Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – Affischer — The Movie Database (TMDB)

6. “Justice League” (2017) – $300 million

DC and Warner Bros. poured huge resources into Justice League, hoping to replicate Marvel’s success. Initially directed by Zack Snyder, the film later underwent significant reshoots by Joss Whedon. These changes increased the budget considerably. Costly CGI, especially for characters like Steppenwolf and Cyborg, also added up. Unfortunately, box office results were underwhelming. Still, the later release of the Snyder Cut helped regain some fan appreciation.

Image at Justice League (2017) – IMDb

7. “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (2007) – $300 million

The third Pirates film pushed production costs to new heights at the time. Filmed back-to-back with its predecessor, it involved large-scale ocean shoots and extravagant sets. Johnny Depp’s salary and complex effects also inflated the budget. Despite this, it grossed nearly $1 billion and became one of the biggest hits of 2007. Its commercial success reinforced the franchise’s dominance during the 2000s.

Image at Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007) – Affischer — The Movie Database (TMDB)

8. “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019) – $275 million

As the final chapter in the Skywalker Saga, The Rise of Skywalker carried high expectations and a hefty budget. The film had to wrap up multiple storylines and include numerous special effects, all while managing reshoots and tight deadlines. Moreover, Carrie Fisher’s posthumous inclusion through archived footage added complexity. While fan reactions were mixed, the film still earned over $1 billion globally, proving the power of the Star Wars name.

Image at Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) – lino11 | The Poster Database (TPDb)

9. “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018) – $275 million

Solo saw its budget balloon after major directorial changes mid-production. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were replaced by Ron Howard, who reshot a large portion of the film. These delays and changes nearly doubled the cost. Visual effects, costumes, and practical sets also contributed. Unfortunately, Solo underperformed at the box office, making it one of the few Star Wars films to fall short financially.

Image at Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) | The Poster Database (TPDb)

10. “John Carter” (2012) – $263 million

John Carter was a bold attempt by Disney to launch a new sci-fi franchise. Its large budget funded elaborate CGI, alien landscapes, and complex action sequences. However, poor marketing and limited audience interest hurt its performance. Despite the high production value, the film flopped, earning just over $280 million worldwide. It became one of Disney’s biggest box office disappointments, and plans for sequels were quickly canceled.

Image at John Carter (2012) – IMDb

This top list shows the top 10 most expensive movie productions of all time.