What is the most expensive movie ever made? Box office giants Avatar, Harry Potter and two of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies are in the top ten list. The most expensive movie list includes three of director James Cameron's movies, two of the Spiderman series as well as two of the Pirates of the Caribbean series. When it comes to Hollywood accounting, actual costs for films are not available, instead estimates by movie industry writers and professional researchers list their information with charts and estimates online. If Avatar's pricetag of $280 million is correct, Avatar currently holds the highest cost single-film production. The most expensive movie ever made is thought to be one of the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
A number of films rank in the $200 million range for top most expensive movies in the list:
Terminator Salvation
2009
$200 million
A sequel to James Cameron's original Terminator, with Christian Bale starring as John Connor.
Quantum of Solace
2008
$200 million
This Bond film continues to rake in the bucks and raise the status of the series, headed by the newest James Bond, Daniel Craig.
Spider-Man 2
2004
$200 million
Toby Maguire stars in the Spider-Man sequel as Peter Parker, taking on evil scientist Doctor Otto Octavius.
Titanic
1997
$200 million
James Cameron's monster box office hit of the ill-fated boat Titanic, starring a young Leonardo DeCaprio and Kate Winslet.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
2009
$200 million
This live-action film is based on the Transformers toy line, and brought impressively to life on screen.
2012
2009
$200 million
John Cusack stars in this special effects heavy movie of world apocalypse and survival.
King Kong
2005
$207 million
Peter Jackson's remake of the classic King Kong film, starring Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, and a rare dramatic turn for Jack Black.
Superman Returns
2006
$209 million
This screen version of the Superman series stars Brandon Routh as Clark Kent, returning from his home world of Krypton to find things changed on earth.
X-Men: The Last Stand
2006
$210 million
This third sequel to X-Men, stars Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart, focuses on a cure created that can turn any mutant into a normal human being, causing outrage amongst the mutant community.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
2006
$225 million
This sequel to the original Pirates of the Caribbean stars Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow, who seeks to recover the heart of Davy Jones in order to free his soul from Jones' service.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
2008
$225 million
This film adaptation of the C.S. Lewis series follows the Pevensie siblings return to Narnia, where they are enlisted to restore rightful heir Prince Caspian to the throne,
Avatar
2009
$237 million
James Cameron's epic CGI 3D action film follows a paraplegic marine on a unique mission is torn between following orders and protecting this new world he feels is his home.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2009
$250 million
In this sixth adaptation of the Harry Potter series, Harry discovers an old book and begins to learn more about Lord Voldemort's past.
Spider-Man 3
2007
$258 million
Toby Maguire stars in the third sequel of the Spider-Man series with old friend Harry Obsourne has set for revenge against him as Peter battles against his own dark demons.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
2007
$300 million
The third of the Pirates of the Caribbean series stars Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow. Elizabeth Swann, Captain Barbossa, and Will Turner sail off the edge of the map, deal with betrayal and treachery while making alliances in the face of one last decisive battle. The Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, according to its final price tag makes this the most expensive movie ever made at $300 million.
