Budgets · 2012

Biggest Budget Movies of 2012: Cost vs Box Office

122 of the 5,061 films released in 2012 have a reported production budget. The Dark Knight Rises cost the most at $250M, and earned $1.1B worldwide. John Carter is next at $250M. The 20 most expensive cost $3.4B together.

films with a budget: 122
most expensive: $250M
top 20 combined: $3.4B
median budget: $37M

Cost vs earnings

The 20 Most Expensive Movies of 2012: Budget vs Box Office

The Dark Knight Rises cost $250M and earned $1.1B worldwide (4.5× its budget). 12 of the 20 earned at least 2.5 times their budget, a common rule of thumb for breaking even once marketing and cinema shares are paid.

The Dark Knight Rises 4.5×
Budget $250M Worldwide $1.1B
John Carter 1.1×
Budget $250M Worldwide $284.1M
The Amazing Spider-Man 3.3×
Budget $230M Worldwide $758.7M
Men in Black III 2.9×
Budget $225M Worldwide $654.2M
The Avengers 6.9×
Budget $220M Worldwide $1.5B
Battleship 1.4×
Budget $209M Worldwide $303M
Skyfall 5.5×
Budget $200M Worldwide $1.1B
Brave 2.9×
Budget $185M Worldwide $539M
Snow White and the Huntsman 2.3×
Budget $170M Worldwide $396.6M
Wreck-It Ralph 2.9×
Budget $165M Worldwide $471.2M
Dark Shadows 1.6×
Budget $150M Worldwide $245.5M
Wrath of the Titans 2.0×
Budget $150M Worldwide $302M
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted 5.2×
Budget $145M Worldwide $746.9M
Rise of the Guardians 2.1×
Budget $145M Worldwide $306.9M
Prometheus 3.1×
Budget $130M Worldwide $403.4M
The Bourne Legacy 2.2×
Budget $125M Worldwide $276.1M
Total Recall (2012) 1.6×
Budget $125M Worldwide $198.5M
Life of Pi 5.1×
Budget $120M Worldwide $609M
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 7.1×
Budget $120M Worldwide $848.6M
Django Unchained 4.3×
Budget $100M Worldwide $426.1M

Return on budget

Which 2012 Movies Made the Most, and Least, for Their Budget?

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel earned 15× its $10M budget, the best return of any 2012 film that cost $10M or more. At the other end, A Thousand Words took $22M on a $40M budget (0.6×). Worldwide cinema gross only; home video, streaming and marketing are not included.

Biggest hits for their cost

Film	Budget	Worldwide	Return
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel $10M budget	$10M	$150.5M	15×
Silver Linings Playbook $21M budget	$21M	$236.4M	11×
Ted $50M budget	$50M	$549.4M	11×
Chronicle $12M budget	$12M	$126.6M	11×
Ice Age: Continental Drift $95M budget	$95M	$877.2M	9.2×
The Hunger Games $78M budget	$78M	$695.2M	8.9×
Taken 2 $45M budget	$45M	$376.2M	8.4×
Think Like a Man $12M budget	$12M	$96.1M	8.0×

Biggest flops for their cost

Film	Budget	Worldwide	Return
A Thousand Words $40M budget	$40M	$22M	0.6×
Big Miracle $40M budget	$40M	$24.7M	0.6×
Red Dawn $65M budget	$65M	$51M	0.8×
Rock of Ages $75M budget	$75M	$59.4M	0.8×
Dredd $50M budget	$50M	$41M	0.8×
That's My Boy $70M budget	$70M	$57.7M	0.8×
Red Tails $58M budget	$58M	$50.4M	0.9×
Premium Rush $35M budget	$35M	$31.1M	0.9×

Budget spread

How Much Did 2012 Movies Cost to Make?

122 films released in 2012 have a reported budget, 2% of all 5,061. The biggest group cost between $10M and $50M (47%); the median is $37M, and 21 films cost $100M or more.

Under $10M 16 films · 13%
$10M–$50M 57 films · 47%
$50M–$100M 28 films · 23%
$100M–$200M 14 films · 11%
$200M and up 7 films · 6%

Since 2000

Are Movie Budgets Growing? Top-10 Average by Year

The ten most expensive films of 2012 cost $210.4M on average, rank 7 of 27 years since 2000; 2022 is the peak at $259.5M. Each year links to its own list.

2000 #1: The Perfect Storm
$112.4M
2001 #1: Pearl Harbor
$118.9M
2002 #1: Die Another Day
$121.3M
2003 #1: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
$142.7M
2004 #1: Spider-Man 2
$147.5M
2005 #1: King Kong
$151M
2006 #1: Superman Returns
$169.4M
2007 #1: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
$182.3M
2008 #1: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
$172.5M
2009 #1: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
$196.2M
2010 #1: Tangled
$186M
2011 #1: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
$176.3M
2012 #1: The Dark Knight Rises
$210.4M
2013 #1: Man of Steel
$196.5M
2014 #1: Transformers: Age Of Extinction
$178.1M
2015 #1: Avengers: Age of Ultron
$186.6M
2016 #1: Captain America: Civil War
$194.8M
2017 #1: Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi
$223.1M
2018 #1: Avengers: Infinity War
$203.1M
2019 #1: Avengers: Endgame
$234.4M
2020 #1: Tenet
$155.5M
2021 #1: Zack Snyder's Justice League
$215M
2022 #1: Avatar: The Way of Water
$259.5M
2023 #1: Fast X
$251.8M
2024 #1: Red One
$200.8M
2025 #1: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
$255.5M
2026 #1: Spider-Man: Brand New Day
$207M

By genre

Which Genres Got the Biggest Budgets in 2012?

Action films account for the most spending in 2012: $3.9B across 42 films, $92.1M on average. Adventure follows with $3.8B. A film with several genres counts in each.

Action $3.9B
42 films · $92.1M average
Adventure $3.8B
29 films · $129.3M average
Thriller $3B
44 films · $67.1M average
Drama $2.4B
49 films · $48.6M average
Comedy $2.2B
41 films · $53.3M average
Fantasy $1.9B
15 films · $124.7M average
Sci-Fi $1.6B
16 films · $100.6M average
Family $1.2B
13 films · $89.6M average
Animation $1.1B
11 films · $96.9M average
Crime $1.1B
17 films · $62.6M average

FAQ

Biggest Budget Movies of 2012: Questions & Answers

Quick answers about what 2012's films cost and earned, from the lists above.

What was the most expensive movie of 2012?

The Dark Knight Rises (2012), with a reported production budget of $250M. John Carter is second at $250M.

About The Dark Knight Rises

Which 2012 movie made the most money for its budget?

Among 2012 films that cost $10M or more, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) earned $150.5M worldwide on a $10M budget, 15× what it cost.

What was the biggest box office flop of 2012?

Measured by worldwide gross against budget, A Thousand Words (2012) took $22M on a $40M budget (0.6×), the weakest return of any 2012 film that cost $30M or more.

How much did a 2012 movie cost to make?

The median reported budget of the 122 films released in 2012 with one is $37M. The 20 most expensive cost $3.4B together, and 21 films cost $100M or more.

Which budgets are counted?

Reported production budgets up to $500M. A budget of $30M or more also needs a box office record, a Metascore or an award nomination, and a budget of $100M or more that earned back less than 15% of it only counts for a widely seen English-language film. These checks filter out budgets stored in another currency. Marketing costs are not included.