Biggest Budget Movies of 2018: Cost vs Box Office
1,141 of the 8,084 films released in 2018 have a reported production budget. Avengers: Infinity War cost the most at $321M, and earned $2.1B worldwide. Solo: A Star Wars Story is next at $275M. The 20 most expensive cost $3.4B together.
- films with a budget
- 1,141
- most expensive
- $321M
- top 20 combined
- $3.4B
- median budget
- $1.2M
The 20 Most Expensive Movies of 2018: Budget vs Box Office
Avengers: Infinity War cost $321M and earned $2.1B worldwide (6.4× 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. 3 films have no box office record here.
Which 2018 Movies Made the Most, and Least, for Their Budget?
Halloween earned 26× its $10M budget, the best return of any 2018 film that cost $10M or more. At the other end, The Shadow Play took $9.6M on a $50M budget (0.2×). Worldwide cinema gross only; home video, streaming and marketing are not included.
Biggest hits for their cost
| Film | Budget | Worldwide | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halloween $10M budget | $10M | $259.9M | 26× |
| A Quiet Place $17M budget | $17M | $341M | 20× |
| Bohemian Rhapsody $52M budget | $52M | $910.8M | 18× |
| Insidious: The Last Key $10M budget | $10M | $167.9M | 17× |
| The Nun $22M budget | $22M | $366.1M | 17× |
| Green Book $23M budget | $23M | $321.8M | 14× |
| A Star Is Born $36M budget | $36M | $436.4M | 12× |
| The First Purge $13M budget | $13M | $137.1M | 11× |
Biggest flops for their cost
| Film | Budget | Worldwide | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Shadow Play $50M budget | $50M | $9.6M | 0.2× |
| Welcome To Marwen $39M budget | $39M | $13.1M | 0.3× |
| Kin $30M budget | $30M | $10.3M | 0.3× |
| The Sisters Brothers $38M budget | $38M | $13.1M | 0.3× |
| 2.0 $77M budget | $77M | $36.9M | 0.5× |
| Chappaquiddick $34M budget | $34M | $18.3M | 0.5× |
| Manhunt $30M budget | $30M | $18.3M | 0.6× |
| The Happytime Murders $40M budget | $40M | $27.5M | 0.7× |
How Much Did 2018 Movies Cost to Make?
1,141 films released in 2018 have a reported budget, 14% of all 8,084. Most cost under $10M (77%); the median is $1.2M, and 25 films cost $100M or more.
- Under $10M 884 films · 77%
- $10M–$50M 200 films · 18%
- $50M–$100M 32 films · 3%
- $100M–$200M 21 films · 2%
- $200M and up 4 films · <1%
Are Movie Budgets Growing? Top-10 Average by Year
The ten most expensive films of 2018 cost $203.1M on average, rank 9 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
- 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
Which Genres Got the Biggest Budgets in 2018?
Action films account for the most spending in 2018: $5.2B across 165 films, $31.3M on average. Adventure follows with $5B. A film with several genres counts in each.
-
Action $5.2B165 films · $31.3M average -
Adventure $5B95 films · $53M average -
Drama $4.8B529 films · $9M average -
Sci-Fi $3.8B111 films · $34.5M average -
Thriller $3.6B237 films · $15.3M average -
Comedy $3.5B309 films · $11.4M average -
Fantasy $3B75 films · $40.2M average -
Family $2.1B67 films · $30.8M average -
Crime $1.6B99 films · $16.1M average -
Animation $1.5B51 films · $30.4M average
Biggest Budget Movies of 2018: Questions & Answers
Quick answers about what 2018's films cost and earned, from the lists above.
What was the most expensive movie of 2018?
Avengers: Infinity War (2018), with a reported production budget of $321M. Solo: A Star Wars Story is second at $275M.
About Avengers: Infinity War Which 2018 movie made the most money for its budget?
Among 2018 films that cost $10M or more, Halloween (2018) earned $259.9M worldwide on a $10M budget, 26× what it cost.
What was the biggest box office flop of 2018?
Measured by worldwide gross against budget, The Shadow Play (2018) took $9.6M on a $50M budget (0.2×), the weakest return of any 2018 film that cost $30M or more.
How much did a 2018 movie cost to make?
The median reported budget of the 1,141 films released in 2018 with one is $1.2M. The 20 most expensive cost $3.4B together, and 25 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.