Biggest Budget Movies of 2024: Cost vs Box Office
1,725 of the 8,501 films released in 2024 have a reported production budget. Red One cost the most at $250M, and earned $186M worldwide. Gladiator II is next at $250M. The 20 most expensive cost $3.4B together.
- films with a budget
- 1,725
- most expensive
- $250M
- top 20 combined
- $3.4B
- median budget
- $100K
The 20 Most Expensive Movies of 2024: Budget vs Box Office
Red One cost $250M and earned $186M worldwide (0.7× its budget). 9 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; 4 films took less than their budget. 1 film has no box office record here.
Which 2024 Movies Made the Most, and Least, for Their Budget?
It Ends with Us earned 14× its $25M budget, the best return of any 2024 film that cost $10M or more. At the other end, Carry-On took $3.4M on a $47M budget (0.1×). Worldwide cinema gross only; home video, streaming and marketing are not included.
Biggest hits for their cost
| Film | Budget | Worldwide | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| It Ends with Us $25M budget | $25M | $351.4M | 14× |
| Longlegs $10M budget | $10M | $128M | 13× |
| Despicable Me 4 $100M budget | $100M | $972M | 9.7× |
| Inside Out 2 $200M budget | $200M | $1.7B | 8.5× |
| Moana 2 $150M budget | $150M | $1.1B | 7.1× |
| Deadpool & Wolverine $200M budget | $200M | $1.3B | 6.7× |
| Kung Fu Panda 4 $85M budget | $85M | $547.9M | 6.4× |
| Conclave $20M budget | $20M | $127.9M | 6.4× |
Biggest flops for their cost
| Film | Budget | Worldwide | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carry-On $47M budget | $47M | $3.4M | 0.1× |
| Weekend in Taipei $30M budget | $30M | $3M | 0.1× |
| Megalopolis $120M budget | $120M | $14.4M | 0.1× |
| Queer $53.4M budget | $53.4M | $7M | 0.1× |
| Absolution $30M budget | $30M | $4M | 0.1× |
| The Book of Clarence $40M budget | $40M | $6.2M | 0.2× |
| The Killer's Game $30M budget | $30M | $5.9M | 0.2× |
| Devara Part 1 $36.5M budget | $36.5M | $7.4M | 0.2× |
How Much Did 2024 Movies Cost to Make?
1,725 films released in 2024 have a reported budget, 20% of all 8,501. Most cost under $10M (88%); the median is $100K, and 30 films cost $100M or more.
- Under $10M 1,511 films · 88%
- $10M–$50M 162 films · 9%
- $50M–$100M 22 films · 1%
- $100M–$200M 24 films · 1%
- $200M and up 6 films · <1%
Are Movie Budgets Growing? Top-10 Average by Year
The ten most expensive films of 2024 cost $200.8M on average, rank 10 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 2024?
Action films account for the most spending in 2024: $4.8B across 161 films, $29.6M on average. Drama follows with $4.3B. A film with several genres counts in each.
-
Action $4.8B161 films · $29.6M average -
Drama $4.3B716 films · $6M average -
Adventure $4.1B90 films · $45.5M average -
Thriller $3.7B283 films · $13.1M average -
Comedy $3.4B449 films · $7.5M average -
Sci-Fi $2.4B119 films · $20.4M average -
Fantasy $2.4B103 films · $23.4M average -
Family $1.4B84 films · $17M average -
Animation $1.4B65 films · $20.9M average -
Crime $1.3B93 films · $13.5M average
Biggest Budget Movies of 2024: Questions & Answers
Quick answers about what 2024's films cost and earned, from the lists above.
What was the most expensive movie of 2024?
Red One (2024), with a reported production budget of $250M. Gladiator II is second at $250M.
About Red One Which 2024 movie made the most money for its budget?
Among 2024 films that cost $10M or more, It Ends with Us (2024) earned $351.4M worldwide on a $25M budget, 14× what it cost.
What was the biggest box office flop of 2024?
Measured by worldwide gross against budget, Carry-On (2024) took $3.4M on a $47M budget (0.1×), the weakest return of any 2024 film that cost $30M or more.
How much did a 2024 movie cost to make?
The median reported budget of the 1,725 films released in 2024 with one is $100K. The 20 most expensive cost $3.4B together, and 30 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.