Biggest Budget Movies of 2020: Cost vs Box Office
1,493 of the 8,388 films released in 2020 have a reported production budget. Tenet cost the most at $205M, and earned $365.3M worldwide. Wonder Woman 1984 is next at $200M. The 20 most expensive cost $2.4B together.
- films with a budget
- 1,493
- most expensive
- $205M
- top 20 combined
- $2.4B
- median budget
- $100K
The 20 Most Expensive Movies of 2020: Budget vs Box Office
Tenet cost $205M and earned $365.3M worldwide (1.8× its budget). 3 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; 9 films took less than their budget. 5 films have no box office record here.
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Budget $84.5M Worldwide $205.5M -
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Which 2020 Movies Made the Most, and Least, for Their Budget?
Weathering with You earned 17× its $11.1M budget, the best return of any 2020 film that cost $10M or more. At the other end, Love and Monsters took $1.1M on a $30M budget (0.0×). Worldwide cinema gross only; home video, streaming and marketing are not included.
Biggest hits for their cost
| Film | Budget | Worldwide | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weathering with You $11.1M budget | $11.1M | $192.4M | 17× |
| The Eight Hundred $80M budget | $80M | $461.4M | 5.8× |
| The Gentlemen $22M budget | $22M | $115.2M | 5.2× |
| Shock Wave 2 $40M budget | $40M | $198.9M | 5.0× |
| The Grudge $10M budget | $10M | $49.5M | 5.0× |
| Bad Boys for Life $90M budget | $90M | $426.5M | 4.7× |
| Sonic the Hedgehog $85M budget | $85M | $319.7M | 3.8× |
| After We Collided $14M budget | $14M | $48M | 3.4× |
Biggest flops for their cost
| Film | Budget | Worldwide | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Love and Monsters $30M budget | $30M | $1.1M | 0.0× |
| Mope $68M budget | $68M | $2.7M | 0.0× |
| The Informer $60M budget | $60M | $2.9M | 0.0× |
| The King of Staten Island $35M budget | $35M | $2.2M | 0.1× |
| The Rhythm Section $50M budget | $50M | $6M | 0.1× |
| Iron Mask $49M budget | $49M | $8.7M | 0.2× |
| News of the World $38M budget | $38M | $12.7M | 0.3× |
| Mulan $200M budget | $200M | $70M | 0.3× |
How Much Did 2020 Movies Cost to Make?
1,493 films released in 2020 have a reported budget, 18% of all 8,388. Most cost under $10M (91%); the median is $100K, and 8 films cost $100M or more.
- Under $10M 1,354 films · 91%
- $10M–$50M 111 films · 7%
- $50M–$100M 20 films · 1%
- $100M–$200M 5 films · <1%
- $200M and up 3 films · <1%
Are Movie Budgets Growing? Top-10 Average by Year
The ten most expensive films of 2020 cost $155.5M on average, rank 21 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 2020?
Drama films account for the most spending in 2020: $3.2B across 576 films, $5.6M on average. Action follows with $2.6B. A film with several genres counts in each.
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Drama $3.2B576 films · $5.6M average -
Action $2.6B99 films · $26.3M average -
Adventure $2.3B69 films · $33.1M average -
Comedy $2.1B330 films · $6.2M average -
Fantasy $1.8B89 films · $20.5M average -
Family $1.6B69 films · $23.8M average -
Thriller $1.5B210 films · $7.3M average -
Sci-Fi $1.1B111 films · $9.6M average -
Animation $976.2M72 films · $13.6M average -
Crime $884.2M65 films · $13.6M average
Biggest Budget Movies of 2020: Questions & Answers
Quick answers about what 2020's films cost and earned, from the lists above.
What was the most expensive movie of 2020?
Tenet (2020), with a reported production budget of $205M. Wonder Woman 1984 is second at $200M.
About Tenet Which 2020 movie made the most money for its budget?
Among 2020 films that cost $10M or more, Weathering with You (2020) earned $192.4M worldwide on a $11.1M budget, 17× what it cost.
What was the biggest box office flop of 2020?
Measured by worldwide gross against budget, Love and Monsters (2020) took $1.1M on a $30M budget (0.0×), the weakest return of any 2020 film that cost $30M or more.
How much did a 2020 movie cost to make?
The median reported budget of the 1,493 films released in 2020 with one is $100K. The 20 most expensive cost $2.4B together, and 8 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.