World's Most Expensive Sci-Fi Movies Ever, Ranked
An indie filmmaker could have filmed at least a hundred movies if they had a budget of one of these expensive sci-fi movies.
A high budget for a science fiction movie is a guarantee of visually astonishing results that help viewers plunge into the world of the unknown and unexplored. Get ready, here are the most expensive sci-fi movies in the history of cinema.
Battleship — $209M
Battleship, loosely based on the popular board game of the same name and directed by Peter Berg, had a production cost estimated at around $209 million.
While Battleship had a high budget, it flopped at the box office. The film received mixed reviews from critics and had a modest reception among audiences.
Men in Black 3 — $215-225M
The third movie about two agents (played by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones) of a secret organization called the Men in Black that regulates extraterrestrial activity on Earth.
Its estimated budget is about $215-225 million, including the costs of production, visual effects, marketing, and other associated expenses.
It is 1.5 times bigger than the budget of the second movie ($140M) and almost 2.5 times larger than the original 1997 movie ($90M).
Waterworld — $235M
Waterworld is a 1995 post-apocalyptic science fiction film starring Kevin Costner. It is set in a future where the Earth's land masses are submerged due to melted polar ice caps.
The movie gained notoriety for its high budget of an estimated $235 million, which is an enormous amount nowadays, and even more so back in the 90s.
One of the reasons for such a high budget were the challenges during production, such as shooting on water and costly set constructions.
John Carter — $250M
A science fiction film based on the character from Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series, released in 2012, John Carter had a budget of approximately $250 million.
Despite its enormous budget, the film did not meet expectations, receiving mixed reviews and struggling at the box office. It grossed around $284 million worldwide, leading to it being considered a commercial flop.
Avatar: The Way of Water — $400M
Originally announced to have a production budget of $250 million, Avatar: The Way of Water later was reported to have an estimated budget of around $400 million which makes the highly-anticipated sequel the most expensive movie ever filmed.