Biggest Budget Movies of 2021: Cost vs Box Office
1,482 of the 8,406 films released in 2021 have a reported production budget. Zack Snyder's Justice League cost the most at $300M. No Time to Die is next at $250M. The 20 most expensive cost $3.6B together.
- films with a budget
- 1,482
- most expensive
- $300M
- top 20 combined
- $3.6B
- median budget
- $130K
The 20 Most Expensive Movies of 2021: Budget vs Box Office
Zack Snyder's Justice League cost $300M. 6 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; 6 films took less than their budget. 1 film has no box office record here.
Which 2021 Movies Made the Most, and Least, for Their Budget?
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train earned 31× its $15.7M budget, the best return of any 2021 film that cost $10M or more. At the other end, Gunpowder Milkshake took $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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train $15.7M budget | $15.7M | $485.5M | 31× |
| Hi, Mom $59M budget | $59M | $822M | 14× |
| Spider-Man: No Way Home $200M budget | $200M | $1.9B | 9.6× |
| Halloween Kills $20M budget | $20M | $133.4M | 6.7× |
| Paw Patrol: The Movie $26M budget | $26M | $144.3M | 5.6× |
| A Quiet Place Part II $55M budget | $55M | $297.4M | 5.4× |
| The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It $39M budget | $39M | $206.4M | 5.3× |
| Encanto $50M budget | $50M | $261.3M | 5.2× |
Biggest flops for their cost
| Film | Budget | Worldwide | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gunpowder Milkshake $30M budget | $30M | $1M | 0.0× |
| Boss Level $45M budget | $45M | $1.8M | 0.0× |
| The Tomorrow War $200M budget | $200M | $14.4M | 0.1× |
| The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run $60M budget | $60M | $4.8M | 0.1× |
| Copshop $43M budget | $43M | $6.8M | 0.2× |
| The Ice Road $40M budget | $40M | $7.5M | 0.2× |
| Chaos Walking $125M budget | $125M | $26.5M | 0.2× |
| Reminiscence $68M budget | $68M | $16.4M | 0.2× |
How Much Did 2021 Movies Cost to Make?
1,482 films released in 2021 have a reported budget, 18% of all 8,406. Most cost under $10M (87%); the median is $130K, and 23 films cost $100M or more.
- Under $10M 1,284 films · 87%
- $10M–$50M 146 films · 10%
- $50M–$100M 29 films · 2%
- $100M–$200M 12 films · <1%
- $200M and up 11 films · <1%
Are Movie Budgets Growing? Top-10 Average by Year
The ten most expensive films of 2021 cost $215M on average, rank 6 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 2021?
Action films account for the most spending in 2021: $5.1B across 131 films, $38.8M on average. Drama follows with $4.6B. A film with several genres counts in each.
-
Action $5.1B131 films · $38.8M average -
Drama $4.6B646 films · $7.1M average -
Adventure $4.4B81 films · $54.7M average -
Sci-Fi $3.5B110 films · $31.7M average -
Comedy $3.3B337 films · $9.9M average -
Thriller $3.3B237 films · $13.9M average -
Fantasy $2.7B80 films · $34M average -
Family $1.7B52 films · $33.3M average -
Crime $1.5B98 films · $15.5M average -
Animation $1.3B62 films · $21.3M average
Biggest Budget Movies of 2021: Questions & Answers
Quick answers about what 2021's films cost and earned, from the lists above.
What was the most expensive movie of 2021?
Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021), with a reported production budget of $300M. No Time to Die is second at $250M.
About Zack Snyder's Justice League Which 2021 movie made the most money for its budget?
Among 2021 films that cost $10M or more, Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2021) earned $485.5M worldwide on a $15.7M budget, 31× what it cost.
What was the biggest box office flop of 2021?
Measured by worldwide gross against budget, Gunpowder Milkshake (2021) took $1M on a $30M budget (0.0×), the weakest return of any 2021 film that cost $30M or more.
How much did a 2021 movie cost to make?
The median reported budget of the 1,482 films released in 2021 with one is $130K. The 20 most expensive cost $3.6B together, and 23 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.