5) HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
How could we include a film list without mentioning Harry Potter? More specifically, the Half-Blood Prince. Yes, the sixth instalment featuring our favourite witches and wizards blew its budget more dramatically than Avada Kedavra blew Dumbledore off the tower. Next time you watch it, sit back and relax and enjoy the picture that cost $256 million.
4) TANGLED
Tangled. The floating lanterns say it all really. There are good songs, talking horses (what Disney movie would be complete without a talking animal?) plus special effects, CGI and enough colours to cover a canvas on Big Ben. All in all, it came to a total cost of $274 million. Yeah, you did read that right.
3) SPIDERMAN 3
After researching the CGI needed for Spiderman 3, it is no surprise that this action-packed blockbuster directed by Sam Raimi made it into the top 5. It sees a struggle between Tony Maguire and his black spidey counterpart, who crashes like a meteor on the Earth. It also has the villain Sandman. Just for this villain, there were more visual effects shots than days in a year. Actually make that 2 ½ years. Was it worth it at $286 million? I’ll let you be the judge of that.
2) TITANIC
Titanic. Ah, Titanic. That tear-jerking, jaw-dropping, doomed romance played by Kate Winslet and Leonardo di Caprio. Basically, it’s a ship hitting an iceberg. Which is tragic. Just like the budget required to make it. $286 million. I’m sure they could have done it with half of the money. Still, it’s one of the most successful films of all time and the 2nd highest grossing film ever. You can’t mess with that.
1) PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END
By far the most expensive film ever made has to be Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Costing more than $300 million, this singly outswept the entire budget for Lord of the Rings. And that is no easy feat. I find this surprising when films such as Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Man of Steel require special effects beyond belief. But the pirate battle to end all battles on the high seas, and an underwater journey to the end of the world wasn’t likely to be cheap. Ticket sales? $1 billion.