The 10 most expensive films of all time, from John Carter to Avengers: Endgame

Avatar: The Way of Water reportedly cost $350 million to make — but where does it rank against big-budget blockbusters?

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Quicksilver, left, and Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Disney / Marvel

In 2009, director James Cameron’s ground-breaking Avatar made headlines around the world thanks to the eye-watering $237 million it cost to make.

Thirteen years later, as Cameron returns with Avatar: The Way of Water, that figure seems not exactly quaint, but almost a bargain as it doesn't even make the list of the 10 costliest films of all time. The long-awaited sequel came in about $13 million to make.

It’s also a little-known fact to audiences that while Marvel Studios' $325 million budget for Avengers: Infinity War in 2018 may seem huge, Hollywood production companies often spend the same amount again on marketing. It’s no wonder then that modern mega-movies need to hit the billion-dollar mark to break even.

Here are the 10 most expensive films of all time…

10. John Carter, 2012, $264 million

The sci-fi movie was supposed to kick off an entire franchise for Disney, but it flopped dramatically at the box office, panned by audiences and critics alike.

Grossing only $73 million after a $264 million budget, it had been attempted to make the film — which was based on the comic book created by Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs — since the 1930s.

With Friday Night Lights actor Taylor Kitsch starring in the title role, the film's marketing campaign was blamed for its failure as audiences were left confused about the story.

Joint 8. Solo: A Star Wars Story, 2018, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, 2019, $275 million

Both Star Wars films clocked in with the same budget.

Solo: A Star Wars Story was the origin story of one of the franchise’s most beloved characters, with actor Alden Ehrenreich in the title role of Han Solo.

However, its worldwide gross of $393.2 million was considered a box office failure after the billion dollar-plus grossing Star Wars: The Last Jedi. However, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker grossed more than $1 billion just before the pandemic wreaked havoc on movie-making and cinemas around the world.

Joint 6. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, 2007, and Justice League, 2017, $300 million

The third film in the popular Pirates of the Caribbean franchise starring Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp more than made back its budget, scoring more than $960 million at the global box office and becoming the highest-grossing film of 2007.

On the other hand, Justice League, which would become the subject of negative press after Joss Whedon took over from director Zack Snyder, ended up losing Warner Bros Pictures an estimated $60 million when it failed to recoup its massive budget.

5. Avengers: Infinity War, 2018, $325 million

Audiences can argue until they’re blue in the face about whether or not Chris Pratt’s Star Lord was ultimately to blame for Thanos’ finger snap, but one thing that isn’t up for debate is how successful the film was.

Infinity War earned more than $2 billion worldwide, making the estimated $150 million advertising spent mere pocket change.

4. Avatar: The Way of Water, 2022, $350 million

Director Cameron has revealed that the movie will need to make $2 billion to break even, following in the footsteps of 2009’s Avatar which made $2.9 billion and remains the highest-grossing film in history.

With the trailer racking up 148 million views in 24 hours when it was released back in May, the film catches up with Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana’s Jake Sully and Neytiri 10 years later, as they and their five children try to evade the humans who have returned for Jake.

3. Avengers: Endgame, 2019, $356 million

The film was shot back-to-back with its predecessor Infinity War and made $2.7 billion at the box office.

Holding the title of the highest-grossing film of all time from July 2019 until March last year, audiences were wowed by the famous battle scene in which all those who Thanos had reduced to ash returned to battle the villain, and for film fans to say a poignant farewell to one of the superheroes.

2. Avengers: Age of Ultron, 2015, $365 million

Thanks to its special effects in which an entire city was lifted off the ground, Age of Ultron cost millions to make, but also grossed more than $1.4 billion worldwide.

The Robert Downey Jr and Scarlett Johansson-starrer became the fourth-highest-grossing movie of 2015, with filming taking place in locations including South Africa, England, Italy, South Korea, Bangladesh and New York.

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, 2011, $379 million

Depp returned as Captain Jack Sparrow for the fourth instalment of the franchise, which was also the most expensive despite the fact Disney had stipulated a lower budget for the film than its predecessors.

Despite spending on 10 visual effects companies and commissioning 50 different fountains of youth to choose from, On Stranger Tides became the third highest-grossing film of 2011, bringing in $1.04 billion.