By Jake Fillery
These movies with sky-high budgets went above and beyond to make it to the big screen, by dramatically going over budget.
Blockbuster movies are extremely expensive, and one can often see an unforeseen cost rise through the roof. Budgets are vital in making a movie, but sometimes it can be commonplace for a movie to go over budget, with the numbers of cash spiraling out of control due to unforeseen reasons. This could be the result of a film needing reshoots, expensive CGI, or the need for more lavish sets.
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It’s not uncommon for a film to go over budget by a few dollars, but in the case of some films, they can go so far over budget that they can range in the millions of dollars. There are a few films that have spent almost hundreds of millions well over the original budget during development.
9 Cleopatra
Cleopatra had a notorious production that some claim almost broke 20th Century Fox due to its wild production costs. Cleopatra went through two directors, and two different casts, and took over two-and-a-half years to complete. Cleopatra was ripe with controversy, with the adulterous affair between the stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
What was supposed to be a four-hour epic about the queen of Egypt becoming the mistress of Julius Ceasar of Rome to save her kingdom, soon became a film known for its oversized budget. The original budget was supposed to be $2.9 million, but the final cost was around $44 million. Counting for inflation in 1963, the final budget would be $426 million.
8 King Kong
With the behemoth creature of King Kong being one of the earliest works of special effects, it’s only right that one of Hollywood’s most iconic pictures gets one of the most expensive remakes. King Kong was Peter Jackson’s newest film in 2005 and was to be a CGI spectacle of giant apes and dinosaurs.
The film had a total cost of $207 million, and despite the Studio executives claiming happiness over the final product, they were not happy with the film going over budget by around $32 million. Peter Jackson and his production company even offered to pay for the extra shots needed.
7 John Carter
Disney’s attempt at a sci-fi epic franchise was less than successful when they released what was supposed to be the start of a series of films with John Carter. The film chronicled the interplanetary adventures of a Civil War captain, John Carter, as he ventures through unknown lands against unknown creatures.
Even with Britain’s tax authority paying Disney $42.9 million toward the film’s cost, the film still ran over budget to a whopping $306.6 million. The expensive cost for a 2012 picture did not reap the rewards of its own cost.
6 Titanic
For a long time, no movie could dethrone Titanic as the box office king. The romance between the characters, and the tragedy of the real-life Titanic was an emotional spectacle that audiences just had to witness for themselves. However, the film’s production was not as dream-like as the film itself.
Titanic is reported for being six months late to the big screen, as well as over $100 million over budget. The film doubled its budget over production, taking it to $200 million total. However, the success of Titanic made sure that the film going well over budget was of little concern.
5 Avengers: Infinity War
As one of the more recent and iconic blockbusters, Marvel Studios unveiled Avengers: Infinity War, the beginning of a two-part Avengers film that would test the boundaries of what was possible to put to screen. The film features almost every hero from all previous ten years of Marvel Studios pictures, and an impressive display of CGI, so it’s no surprise the film went over budget.
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Directors Anthony and Joe Russo confirmed that the film went over budget, and spent upwards of $450,000 every single day it was in production. The directors attributed this cost to the expensive visual effects, mass production, and the incredible salary of expensive actors like Robert Downey Jr.
4 Apocalypse Now
When Warner Bros. bought the script for Apocalypse Now, they envisioned the picture as being filmable for no more than $2 million. This was way back in 1969, and the project remained dead in the water until famed director Francis Ford Coppola revived it, with an agreed budget of $12 million. However, to see his true vision come to life, he spent some of his millions on The Godfather fame, and the film was released 3 years later after endless shooting in the Philippines with a budget above $30 million.
Apocalypse Now is often regarded as one of the best films of all time and has an adoration amongst critics and audiences alike. The film follows Captain Willard, who is sent to Cambodia to assassinate a renegade colonel during the Vietnam War.
3 World War Z
The marketing alone of Brad Pitt versus zombies is enough to get people to the theatres. World War Z followed a former United Nations employee, who suddenly finds himself amid a growing outbreak. Gerry investigates the threatening virus that brings humanity to its knees, whilst avoiding the growing zombie hordes.
Despite its simplified premise, World War Z went over budget from an original $150 million, to a stellar estimation of $250 million. This increase in the budget can be attributed to the need for thousands of extras, sketchy producers, and rumors of Brad Pitt and director Marc Forster not being on speaking terms during production.
2 Waterworld
In a dystopian future inspired by Mad Max, Waterworld follows a future in which the polar ice caps have melted, and the majority of Earth is underwater. Following the story of a mutated mariner, audiences watch the character fight starvation, battle villainous individuals, and reluctantly help a woman and a young girl find dry land.
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Waterworld was plagued with chaotic production and an inflated budget. What was supposed to be a $100 million epic, spiraled into an abundance of natural disasters of sets being destroyed by hurricanes, production setbacks like rewrites, and more ghastly events that increased the budget to $175 million.
1 Justice League (2017)
Fans of the DCEU and especially Zack Snyder know of the notorious production of 2017’s Justice League. Despite filming being well underway, Zack Snyder would constantly be defending his film’s vision from Warner Bros. higher-ups. Tragically, the death of Zack Snyder’s daughter had the director stepping away from the film to support his family, bringing in Joss Whedon of Avengers acclaim to alter production.
Joss Whedon ended up reshooting the majority of what Snyder shot. Reported that this cost $25 million, but with a budget well over $300 million, costs would get even higher with the contractual obligation to digitally remove Henry Cavill’s Mission Impossible mustache. Zack Snyder returned to his fans with 2021’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League, in which further costs of $70 million were added to bring the director’s original grandiose superhero vision to life for HBO Max.
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I'm an avid film enthusiast with a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in movie production, budgets, and the challenges faced by filmmakers. Over the years, I've delved into the history of cinema, studying both classic and contemporary films, and I've closely followed the industry's evolution. My insights are grounded in a comprehensive knowledge of filmmaking, from the creative aspects to the business side.
Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the provided article about movies with sky-high budgets that went above and beyond to make it to the big screen:
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Budget Overruns in Film Production: The article explores the common phenomenon of movies going over budget during production. Despite meticulous planning, unforeseen circ*mstances such as reshoots, expensive CGI, or the need for more elaborate sets can lead to significant cost overruns.
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Cleopatra (1963): The film Cleopatra is highlighted as a notorious example of a production that almost broke 20th Century Fox. The article details the film's tumultuous development, including two directors, two different casts, and a production period of over two-and-a-half years. The original budget of $2.9 million skyrocketed to around $44 million, equivalent to $426 million when adjusted for inflation in 1963.
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King Kong (2005): Peter Jackson's King Kong remake is discussed as a CGI spectacle of giant apes and dinosaurs. The film had a total cost of $207 million, exceeding the initial budget by around $32 million. The article notes that despite studio executives' satisfaction with the final product, they were displeased with the budget overrun.
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John Carter (2012): Disney's attempt at a sci-fi epic franchise, John Carter, is mentioned as a less-than-successful venture. Despite receiving financial support from Britain's tax authority, the film still ran over budget, reaching a staggering $306.6 million.
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Titanic (1997): Titanic, despite its massive success at the box office, is revealed to have faced production challenges. The film was six months late to the big screen and went over budget by over $100 million, totaling $200 million. However, its tremendous success ultimately overshadowed budgetary concerns.
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Avengers: Infinity War (2018): Marvel Studios' Avengers: Infinity War is acknowledged as a recent blockbuster that pushed the boundaries of what was possible on screen. The film went over budget, with directors Anthony and Joe Russo confirming daily expenses of over $450,000 during production. The high costs were attributed to expensive visual effects, mass production, and the substantial salaries of key actors.
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Apocalypse Now (1979): Apocalypse Now is highlighted as a classic film with a troubled production history. Originally envisioned for $2 million, director Francis Ford Coppola spent over $30 million to bring his true vision to life, making it one of the best-regarded films of all time.
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World War Z (2013): The marketing of Brad Pitt versus zombies is noted as a significant draw for World War Z. Despite a simplified premise, the film's budget increased from an original $150 million to an estimated $250 million due to factors such as the need for thousands of extras and production challenges.
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Waterworld (1995): Waterworld, set in a dystopian future with Earth mostly underwater, faced chaotic production and an inflated budget. Originally planned as a $100 million epic, various setbacks, including natural disasters and rewrites, increased the budget to $175 million.
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Justice League (2017): The notorious production of Justice League (2017) is discussed, with Zack Snyder's departure leading to Joss Whedon reshooting a significant portion of the film. The reported budget, already well over $300 million, saw additional costs, including the removal of Henry Cavill's mustache, bringing the total to a staggering amount.
These examples illustrate the complexities and challenges filmmakers face in managing budgets and navigating unforeseen circ*mstances during the production of blockbuster films.
