top of page
INTRODUCTION
The most expensive movies show what major film producers invest their money in.
1. Total Inflation Adjusted Cost for 3 Most Expensive Movies by Year 1989 - 2018
2. Cinemascore Rating of 3 Most Expensive Movies by Year 1989 - 2018
3. Number of Oscars for 3 Most Expensive Movies by Year 1989 - 2018
4. Race and Gender of Lead Actors in 3 Most Expensive Movies by Year 1989 - 2018
5. Number of Non-White Actors in Top 5 Cast Members for 3 Most Expensive Movies by Year 1989 - 2018
Data Table
6. 3 Most Expensive Movies by Year by Cost, CinemaScore, Oscars Performance, Genre and Cast Diversity
DATA TABLE
6. 3 Most Expensive Movies by Year by Cost, CinemaScore, Oscars Performance, Genre and Cast Diversity
Year | Movie | Cost | Inflation Adjusted Cost (2018 $) | CinemaScore | Best Picture Nomination | Number of Oscars won | Genre | Race and gender of lead | Non-whites in 5 top billed cast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1989 | The Abyss | 70,000,000 | 142,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 1 out of 4 | Sci-Fi Action | White/European male | 0 |
Tango & Cash | 55,000,000 | 112,000,000 | B + | Not nominated | 0 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 0 | |
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade | 48000000 | 97,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 1 out of 3 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
1990 | Die Hard 2 | 70,000,000 | 134,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 1 |
Total Recall | 65,000,000 | 125,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 1 out of 3 | Sci-Fi Action | White/European male | 1 | |
Days of Thunder | 60,000,000 | 115,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 out of 1 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 0 | |
1991 | Terminator 2: Judgment Day | 100,000,000 | 184,000,000 | A + | Not nominated | 4 out of 6 | Sci-Fi Action | White/European male | 0 |
Hook | 70,000,000 | 129,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 out of 5 | Kids Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
Hudson Hawk | 65,000,000 | 120,000,000 | C + | Not nominated | 0 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 0 | |
1992 | Batman Returns | 80,000,000 | 143,000,000 | B | Not nominated | 0 out of 2 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 0 |
Death Becomes Her | 55,000,000 | 98,000,000 | B | Not nominated | 1 out of 1 | Fantasy Comedy | White/European female | 0 | |
Alien 3 | 55000000 | 98,000,000 | C | Not nominated | 0 out of 1 | Sci-Fi Action | White/European female | 1 | |
1993 | Last Action Hero | 85,000,000 | 148,000,000 | C + | Not nominated | 0 | Fantasy Action | White/European male | 1 |
Cliffhanger | 65,000,000 | 113,000,000 | B | Not nominated | 0 out of 3 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 0 | |
Jurassic Park | 63,000,000 | 110,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 3 out of 3 | Sci-Fi Action | White/European male | 0 | |
1994 | True Lies | 100,000,000 | 169,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 out of 1 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 1 |
The Lion King | 79,300,000 | 134,000,000 | A + | Not nominated | 2 out of 4* | Animated Kids Adventure | White/European male | 2 | |
Wolf | 70,000,000 | 118,000,000 | B | Not nominated | 0 | Fantasy Thriller | White/European male | 0 | |
1995 | Waterworld | 175,000,000 | 289,000,000 | B | Not nominated | 0 out of 1 | Sci-Fi Action | White/European male | 1 |
Batman Forever | 100,000,000 | 165,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 out of 3 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 0 | |
Cutthroat Island | 92,000,000 | 152,000,000 | B - | Not nominated | 0 | Historical Adventure | White/European female | 0 | |
1996 | Eraser | 100,000,000 | 160,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 out of 1 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 1 |
The Hunchback of Notre Dame | 100,000,000 | 160,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 out of 1 | Animated Historical Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
Twister | 88,000,000 | 141,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 out of 2 | Contemporary Action | White/European female | 0 | |
1997 | Titanic | 200,000,000 | 312,000,000 | A + | WINNER | 11 out of 14 | Historical Thriller | White/European male | 0 |
Batman & Robin | 125,000,000 | 195,000,000 | C + | Not nominated | 0 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 0 | |
Dante's Peak | 115,000,000 | 179,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 | Contemporary Drama | White/European male | 0 | |
1998 | Armageddon | 140,000,000 | 216,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 out of 4 | Sci-Fi Adventure | White/European male | 0 |
Lethal Weapon 4 | 140,000,000 | 216,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 2 | |
Godzilla | 125,000,000 | 193,000,000 | B - | Not nominated | 0 | Sci-Fi Action | White/European male | 0 | |
1999 | Wild Wild West | 175,000,000 | 264,000,000 | C + | Not nominated | 0 | Historical Adventure | Black/African male | 2 |
Tarzan | 145,000,000 | 219,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 1 out of 1 | Animated Historical Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
The World is Not Enough | 135,000,000 | 204,000,000 | B + | Not nominated | 0 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 0 | |
2000 | Dinosaur | 127,500,000 | 186,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 | Animated Kids Adventure | Black/African female | 2 |
How the Grinch Stole Christmas | 123,000,000 | 180,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 1 out of 3 | Kids Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
Mission: Impossible 2 | 120,000,000 | 175,000,000 | B | Not nominated | 0 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 2 | |
2001 | Pearl Harbor | 151,500,000 | 215,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 1 out of 4 | True-life Action | White/European male | 0 |
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within | 137,000,000 | 195,000,000 | C + | Not nominated | 0 | Sci-Fi Adventure | East Asian female | 2 | |
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | 125,000,000 | 178,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 out of 3 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
2002 | Die Another Day | 142,000,000 | 199,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 2 |
Men in Black 2 | 140,000,000 | 196,000,000 | B + | Not nominated | 0 | Sci-Fi Action | White/European male | 0 | |
Spider-Man | 139,000,000 | 195,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 out of 2 | Super Hero Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
2003 | Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines | 170,000,000 | 231,000,000 | B + | Not nominated | 0 | Sci-Fi Action | White/European male | 0 |
The Matrix Reloaded | 150,000,000 | 204,000,000 | B + | Not nominated | 0 | Sci-Fi Action | White/Eurasian male | 2 | |
The Matrix Revolutions | 150,000,000 | 204,000,000 | B | Not nominated | 0 | Sci-Fi Action | White/Eurasian male | 2 | |
2004 | Spider Man 2 | 200,000,000 | 266,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 1 out of 3 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 0 |
The Polar Express | 170,000,000 | 226,000,000 | A + | Not nominated | 0 out of 3 | Animated Kids Adventure | White/European male | 1 | |
Van Helsing | 170,000,000 | 226,000,000 | B | Not nominated | 0 | Historical Action | White/European male | 0 | |
2005 | King Kong | 207,000,000 | 267,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 3 out of 4 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European female | 0 |
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | 180,000,000 | 232,000,000 | A + | Not nominated | 1 out of 3 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European female | 0 | |
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | 150,000,000 | 194,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 out of 1 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
2006 | Superman Returns | 232,000,000 | 290,000,000 | B + | Not nominated | 0 out of 1 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 0 |
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man�s Chest | 225,000,000 | 281,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 1 out of 4 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
X-Men: The Last Stand | 210,000,000 | 263,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 1 | |
2007 | Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End | 300,000,000 | 363,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 out of 2 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European male | 0 |
Spider-Man 3 | 258,000,000 | 312,000,000 | B + | Not nominated | 0 | Super Hero Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
The Golden Compass | 205,000,000 | 248,000,000 | B | Not nominated | 1 out of 2 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European female | 0 | |
2008 | Quantum of Solace | 230,000,000 | 269,000,000 | B - | Not nominated | 0 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 0 |
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian | 225,000,000 | 263,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
Iron Man | 186,000,000 | 218,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 out of 2 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 1 | |
2009 | Avatar | 425,000,000 | 497,000,000 | A | Nominated | 3 out of 9 | Sci-Fi Action | White/European male | 2 |
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | 250,000,000 | 293,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 out of 1 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European male | 1 | |
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen | 210,000,000 | 246,000,000 | B + | Not nominated | 0 out of 1 | null | White/European male | 1 | |
2010 | Tangled | 260,000,000 | 299,000,000 | A + | Not nominated | 0 out of 1 | Animated Kids Musical | White/European female | 0 |
Robin Hood | 210,000,000 | 242,000,000 | B - | Not nominated | null | Historical Action | White/European male | 0 | |
Toy Story 3 | 200,000,000 | 230,000,000 | A | Nominated | 2 out of 5 | Animated Kids Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
2011 | Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides | 410,600,000 | 460,000,000 | B + | Not nominated | 0 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European male | 0 |
Cars 2 | 200,000,000 | 224,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 | Animated Kids Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
Green Lantern | 200,000,000 | 224,000,000 | B | Not nominated | 0 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 0 | |
2012 | The Dark Knight Rises | 275,000,000 | 300,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 0 |
John Carter | 275,000,000 | 300,000,000 | B + | Not nominated | 0 | Sci-Fi Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | 250,000,000 | 273,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 1 out of 4 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
2013 | The Lone Ranger | 275,000,000 | 297,000,000 | B + | Not nominated | 0 out of 2 | Historical Western | White/European male | 0 |
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | 250,000,000 | 270,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 out of 3 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European male | 0 | |
Man of Steel | 225,000,000 | 243,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 0 | |
2014 | The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | 250,000,000 | 265,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 out of 1 | Fantasy Adventure | White/European male | 0 |
Transformers: Age of Extinction | 210,000,000 | 223,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 0 | Sci-Fi Action | White/European male | 0 | |
X-Men: Days of Future Past | 200,000,000 | 212,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 1 | |
2015 | Avengers: Age of Ultron | 330,600,000 | 350,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 0 |
Star Wars Ep. VII: The Force Awakens | 306,000,000 | 324,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 out of 5 | null | White/European male | 0 | |
Spectre | 300,000,000 | 318,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | 1 out of 1 | Contemporary Action | White/European male | 0 | |
2016 | Captain America: Civil War | 250,000,000 | 263,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 1 |
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | 250,000,000 | 263,000,000 | B | Not nominated | 0 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 0 | |
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | 200,000,000 | 210,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 out of 2 | Sci-Fi Adventure | White/European female | 2 | |
2017 | Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi | 317,000,000 | 323,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 out of 4 | Sci-Fi Adventure | White/European male | 1 |
Justice League | 300,000,000 | 306,000,000 | B + | Not nominated | 0 | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 0 | |
The Fate of the Furious | 250,000,000 | 255,000,000 | A | Not nominated | 0 | Contemporary Action | Multiracial male | 4 | |
2018 | Avengers: Infinity War | 300,000,000 | 300,000,000 | A | Not nominated | null | Super Hero Action | White/European male | 0 |
Solo: A Star Wars Story | 250,000,000 | 250,000,000 | A - | Not nominated | null | Sci-Fi Adventure | White/European male | 1 | |
Black Panther | 200,000,000 | 200,000,000 | A + | Nominated | null | Super Hero Action | Black/African male | 4 |
bottom of page