Movie Budget Records
Note: Budget numbers for movies can be both difficult to find and unreliable.
Studios often try to keep the information secret and will use accounting tricks to inflate or reduce announced budgets.
The data we have is, to the best of our knowledge, accurate but there are gaps and disputed figures.
If you have additional information or corrections, please let us know at corrections@the-numbers.com .
A complete list of all movies for which we have budget information can be found here .
Note: The profit and loss figures are very rough estimates based on the assumption that 50% of box office receipts were returned to the studio.
They don't include ancillary (video, TV etc.) earnings, and serve only as a guide.
Biggest Budgets
Release Date Movie Distributor Budget US Gross Worldwide Gross
1
5/4/2007
Spider-Man 3
Sony
$258,000,000
$336,530,303
$891,930,303
2
11/7/2008
Quantum of Solace
Sony Pictures
$230,000,000
Unknown
Unknown
3
12/14/2005
King Kong
Universal
$207,000,000
$218,080,025
$550,517,357
4
12/7/2007
His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass
New Line
$205,000,000
$70,083,519
$365,677,285
5
6/28/2006
Superman Returns
Warner Bros.
$204,000,000
$200,120,000
$391,120,000
6
12/19/1997
Titanic
20th Century Fox
$200,000,000
$600,788,188
$1,835,400,000
7
6/30/2004
Spider-Man 2
Columbia
$200,000,000
$373,524,485
$784,024,485
8
5/2/2008
Iron Man
$186,000,000
$126,634,395
$235,213,402
9
5/22/2009
Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins
Warner Bros.
$185,000,000
Unknown
Unknown
10
12/9/2005
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Buena Vista
$180,000,000
$291,710,957
$748,806,957
11
8/10/2007
Rush Hour 3
New Line
$180,000,000
$140,080,850
$252,980,850
12
6/30/1999
Wild Wild West
Warner Bros.
$175,000,000
$113,805,681
$217,700,000
13
6/22/2007
Evan Almighty
Universal
$175,000,000
$100,289,690
$173,219,280
14
7/30/2008
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Universal
$175,000,000
Unknown
Unknown
15
7/28/1995
Waterworld
Universal
$175,000,000
$88,246,220
$264,246,220
16
5/7/2004
Van Helsing
Universal
$170,000,000
$120,150,546
$300,150,546
17
11/10/2004
The Polar Express
Warner Bros.
$170,000,000
$172,796,043
$296,596,043
18
8/7/2009
G.I. Joe
Paramount Pictures
$170,000,000
Unknown
Unknown
19
7/1/2003
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Warner Bros.
$170,000,000
$150,358,296
$433,058,296
20
5/18/2007
Shrek the Third
DreamWorks SKG
$160,000,000
$322,719,944
$798,957,081
See the complete list
Movies With Lowest Budgets to Earn $1 Million at US Box Office
Release Date Movie Distributor Budget US Gross Worldwide Gross
1
2/26/1993
El Mariachi
Columbia
$7,000
$2,040,920
Unknown
2
8/1/1991
Slacker
Orion Classics
$23,000
$1,227,508
Unknown
3
8/1/1997
In the Company of Men
Sony Classics
$25,000
$2,883,661
Unknown
4
8/9/1995
The Brothers McMullen
Fox Searchlight
$25,000
$10,426,506
Unknown
5
6/30/1972
Deep Throat
Damiano
$25,000
$45,000,000
Unknown
6
10/19/1994
Clerks
Miramax
$27,000
$3,073,428
Unknown
7
7/14/1999
The Blair Witch Project
Artisan
$35,000
$140,539,099
$248,300,000
8
1/30/2004
Osama
United Artists
$46,000
$1,127,331
$1,971,479
9
3/16/2001
Gabriela
Power Point
$50,000
$2,335,352
Unknown
10
5/7/2004
Super Size Me
IDP/Sam Goldwyn
$65,000
$11,529,368
$29,529,368
11
7/10/1998
Pi
Artisan
$68,000
$3,221,152
$4,678,513
12
8/30/1972
The Last House on the Left
$87,000
$3,100,000
Unknown
13
3/1/1987
Hollywood Shuffle
Samuel Goldwyn
$100,000
$5,228,617
Unknown
14
1/1/1977
Eraserhead
$100,000
$7,000,000
Unknown
15
9/17/1920
Over the Hill to the Poorhouse
$100,000
$3,000,000
Unknown
16
2/8/1915
The Birth of a Nation
$110,000
$10,000,000
$11,000,000
17
10/1/1968
Night of the Living Dead
$114,000
$12,000,000
$30,000,000
18
11/16/1942
Cat People
$134,000
$4,000,000
$8,000,000
19
12/20/1989
Roger & Me
Warner Bros.
$140,000
$6,706,368
Unknown
20
5/16/2007
Once
Fox Searchlight
$150,000
$9,445,857
$16,307,893
Most Profitable Movies, Based on Absolute Profit on Worldwide Gross
Release Date Movie Distributor Budget Worldwide Gross Profit
1
12/19/1997
Titanic
20th Century Fox
$200,000,000
$1,835,400,000
$717,700,000
2
12/17/2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
New Line
$94,000,000
$1,133,027,325
$472,513,663
3
6/11/1993
Jurassic Park
Universal
$63,000,000
$920,100,000
$397,050,000
4
5/25/1977
Star Wars Ep. IV: A New Hope
20th Century Fox
$11,000,000
$797,900,000
$387,950,000
5
5/19/2004
Shrek 2
DreamWorks SKG
$70,000,000
$915,278,586
$387,639,293
6
6/11/1982
ET: The Extra-Terrestrial
Universal
$10,500,000
$792,910,554
$385,955,277
7
7/7/2006
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Buena Vista
$150,000,000
$1,065,659,812
$382,829,906
8
12/18/2002
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
New Line
$94,000,000
$926,284,377
$369,142,189
9
11/16/2001
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Warner Bros.
$125,000,000
$976,457,891
$363,228,946
10
5/19/1999
Star Wars Ep. I: The Phantom Menace
20th Century Fox
$115,000,000
$924,288,297
$347,144,149
11
11/15/2002
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Warner Bros.
$100,000,000
$878,987,880
$339,493,940
12
5/30/2003
Finding Nemo
Buena Vista
$94,000,000
$864,614,978
$338,307,489
13
7/3/1996
Independence Day
20th Century Fox
$75,000,000
$816,969,255
$333,484,628
14
5/25/2007
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Buena Vista
$150,000,000
$952,404,152
$326,202,076
15
12/19/2001
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
New Line
$109,000,000
$868,621,686
$325,310,843
16
7/11/2007
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Warner Bros.
$150,000,000
$938,468,864
$319,234,432
17
5/23/1997
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Universal
$75,000,000
$786,686,679
$318,343,340
18
6/15/1994
The Lion King
Buena Vista
$79,300,000
$783,839,505
$312,619,753
19
5/19/2005
Star Wars Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith
20th Century Fox
$115,000,000
$848,470,577
$309,235,289
20
11/18/2005
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Warner Bros.
$150,000,000
$896,013,036
$298,006,518
Note: The profit and loss figures are very rough estimates based on the assumption that 50% of box office receipts were returned to the studio.
They don't include ancillary (video, TV etc.) earnings, and serve only as a guide.
Most Profitable Movies, Based on Return on Investment
Release Date Movie Distributor Budget Worldwide Gross Percentage Return
1
7/14/1999
The Blair Witch Project
Artisan
$35,000
$248,300,000
354,614.29%
2
10/6/2004
Tarnation
WellSpring
$218
$1,162,014
266,416.97%
3
3/21/1980
Mad Max
Filmways
$200,000
$99,750,000
24,837.50%
4
5/7/2004
Super Size Me
IDP/Sam Goldwyn
$65,000
$29,529,368
22,614.90%
5
10/1/1968
Night of the Living Dead
$114,000
$30,000,000
13,057.89%
6
11/21/1976
Rocky
$1,000,000
$225,000,000
11,150.00%
7
8/11/1973
American Graffiti
$777,000
$140,000,000
8,909.01%
8
7/25/1969
The Stewardesses
$200,000
$25,000,000
6,150.00%
9
6/11/2004
Napoleon Dynamite
Fox Searchlight
$400,000
$46,140,956
5,667.62%
10
5/16/2007
Once
Fox Searchlight
$150,000
$16,307,893
5,335.96%
11
5/9/1980
Friday the 13th
Paramount Pictures
$550,000
$59,754,601
5,332.24%
12
8/6/2004
Open Water
Lion's Gate
$500,000
$52,100,882
5,110.09%
13
12/15/1939
Gone with the Wind
MGM/UA
$3,900,000
$390,525,192
4,906.73%
14
2/8/1915
The Birth of a Nation
$110,000
$11,000,000
4,900.00%
15
1/1/1925
The Big Parade
$245,000
$22,000,000
4,389.80%
16
10/29/2004
Saw
Lion's Gate
$1,200,000
$103,096,345
4,195.68%
17
10/8/2004
Primer
ThinkFilm
$7,000
$565,846
3,941.76%
18
6/11/1982
ET: The Extra-Terrestrial
Universal
$10,500,000
$792,910,554
3,675.76%
19
8/13/1997
The Full Monty
Fox Searchlight
$3,500,000
$256,900,000
3,570.00%
20
5/25/1977
Star Wars Ep. IV: A New Hope
20th Century Fox
$11,000,000
$797,900,000
3,526.82%
Note: The profit and loss figures are very rough estimates based on the assumption that 50% of box office receipts were returned to the studio.
They don't include ancillary (video, TV etc.) earnings, and serve only as a guide.
Biggest Money Losers, Based on Absolute Loss on Worldwide Gross
Release Date Movie Distributor Budget Worldwide Gross Loss
1
4/27/2001
Town & Country
New Line
$105,000,000
$10,364,769
-$99,817,616
2
7/29/2005
Stealth
Sony
$138,000,000
$76,416,746
-$99,791,627
3
8/16/2002
The Adventures of Pluto Nash
Warner Bros.
$100,000,000
$7,094,995
-$96,452,503
4
7/11/2001
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
Sony
$137,000,000
$85,131,830
-$94,434,085
5
8/27/1999
The 13th Warrior
Buena Vista
$125,000,000
$61,698,899
-$94,150,551
6
6/22/2007
Evan Almighty
Universal
$175,000,000
$173,219,280
-$88,390,360
7
4/8/2005
Sahara
Paramount Pictures
$145,000,000
$121,671,925
-$84,164,038
8
4/9/2004
The Alamo
Buena Vista
$92,000,000
$23,911,362
-$80,044,319
9
9/2/2005
A Sound of Thunder
Warner Bros.
$80,000,000
$6,300,451
-$76,849,775
10
6/14/2002
Windtalkers
MGM/UA
$115,000,000
$77,628,265
-$76,185,868
11
6/16/2004
Around the World in 80 Days
Buena Vista
$110,000,000
$72,004,159
-$73,997,921
12
4/2/2004
Home on the Range
Buena Vista
$110,000,000
$76,482,461
-$71,758,770
13
11/24/2004
Alexander
Warner Bros.
$155,000,000
$167,297,191
-$71,351,405
14
2/18/2005
Son of the Mask
New Line
$100,000,000
$59,918,422
-$70,040,789
15
5/12/2006
Poseidon
$160,000,000
$181,674,817
-$69,162,592
16
5/2/2008
Iron Man
$186,000,000
$235,213,402
-$68,393,299
17
5/9/1997
Father's Day
Warner Bros.
$85,000,000
$35,681,080
-$67,159,460
18
7/19/2002
K-19: The Widowmaker
Paramount Pictures
$100,000,000
$65,716,126
-$67,141,937
19
8/8/2007
Daddy Day Camp
Sony
$76,000,000
$18,197,398
-$66,901,301
20
11/26/2003
Timeline
Paramount Pictures
$80,000,000
$26,703,184
-$66,648,408
Note: The profit and loss figures are very rough estimates based on the assumption that 50% of box office receipts were returned to the studio.
They don't include ancillary (video, TV etc.) earnings, and serve only as a guide.
Biggest Money Losers, Based on Return on Investment
Release Date Movie Distributor Budget Worldwide Gross Percentage Return
1
10/25/2002
All the Queen's Men
Strand
$15,000,000
$22,723
-99.92%
2
9/17/1999
Taxman
Phaedra
$3,500,000
$9,871
-99.86%
3
5/17/2002
Harvard Man
Cowboy
$5,500,000
$56,653
-99.48%
4
1/28/2005
Fascination
United Artists
$5,000,000
$83,356
-99.17%
5
7/18/2003
This Thing of Ours
Small Planet
$2,000,000
$37,227
-99.07%
6
12/17/2004
Imaginary Heroes
Sony Classics
$10,000,000
$290,875
-98.55%
7
2/17/2006
Winter Passing
Focus Features
$3,500,000
$113,783
-98.37%
8
9/20/2002
Eye See You
DEJ Productions
$55,000,000
$1,807,990
-98.36%
9
8/4/1999
The Gambler
Legacy
$3,000,000
$101,773
-98.30%
10
1/21/2000
The Boondock Saints
Indican
$7,000,000
$250,000
-98.21%
11
1/27/2006
Manderlay
IFC Films
$14,200,000
$543,306
-98.09%
12
5/4/2001
Eureka
Shooting Gallery
$2,000,000
$76,654
-98.08%
13
12/10/2004
Freeze Frame
First Look
$2,000,000
$91,062
-97.72%
14
6/15/2007
Fido
Lion's Gate
$8,000,000
$419,801
-97.38%
15
9/23/2005
Dear Wendy
$8,000,000
$446,438
-97.21%
16
10/14/2005
Where the Truth Lies
ThinkFilm
$25,000,000
$1,415,656
-97.17%
17
12/12/2003
The Statement
Sony
$27,000,000
$1,545,064
-97.14%
18
10/8/2005
Dungeons & Dragons 2: The Elemental Might
Warner Bros.
$15,000,000
$909,822
-96.97%
19
8/27/2004
The Brown Bunny
WellSpring
$10,000,000
$630,427
-96.85%
20
5/12/2006
Wah-Wah
$7,000,000
$463,039
-96.69%
Note: The profit and loss figures are very rough estimates based on the assumption that 50% of box office receipts were returned to the studio.
They don't include ancillary (video, TV etc.) earnings, and serve only as a guide.