Quick Facts About the Most Expensive Movie Ever Made
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens | Statistics |
---|---|
Estimated Budget | Between $259 and $306 million |
Cost to Produce | $447 million |
Main Actors | Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, and more |
Director, Co-writer, and Producer | J. J. Abrams |
Date Released | 2015 |
Box Office Gross | $2 billion worldwide |
Box Office Status | North America’s highest-grossing film, the highest-grossing film of the year, and the third-highest-grossing film when released. |
Any Awards | Nominated for 5 Oscars |
How Much Did the Most Expensive Movie Cost?
The Star Wars sequel trilogy began with J.J. Abrams’s The Force Awakens. It continued the story of the beloved original characters while introducing new ones, such as Rey, Poe, and Finn.
George Lucas is the Star Wars creator, and even though he had ideas for a sequel trilogy, he wasn’t prepared to make it. So, instead, he sold Lucasfilm to the Walt Disney Company in 2012. And they made good on producing the trilogy sagas.
- Subtitles available in English [CC]
- Option of either buying or renting the movie
- IMDb score: 7.8
With so much at stake for Disney, the movie was one of the most highly-anticipated releases ever. Recent reports indicate that The Force Awakens had a budget between $259 and $306 million.
In the end, the most expensive movie ever made ended up costing $447 million. However, the investment paid off handsomely, with the movie earning over $2 billion at the box office. It was the highest-grossing film of that year and still remains the highest-grossing film at the domestic box office.
First Film With a $100 Million Budget
The first movie to cross the hundred million dollar budget line starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis. True Lies was a 1994 film with a big budget. But it turned out to be much smaller than the cost of the most expensive movie ever made.
Other Star Wars Film Costs
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) — $416M: The last movie in the sequel trilogy is reportedly the second most expensive movie ever made. It grossed a billion dollars worldwide. The Rise of Skywalker also earned the odd honor of being one of the last blockbusters before the Corona Pandemic halted all movie-going.
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) — $300M: The second film in the sequel trilogy followed The Force Awakens with another colossal budget. Not all fans liked the direction the movie took, especially Luke Skywalker’s portrayal. But it was still a blockbuster hit, grossing $1 billion worldwide.
- Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) — $11M: The first movie in George Lucas’ film franchise cost a mere $11 million to make. Nevertheless, it topped the box office, earning more than $220 million that year.
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) — $18M and Return of the Jedi (1983) — $32.5M: The second and third films in the original trilogy synched the deal for a long-time love affair between movie-goers and Star Wars. With low production costs by today’s standards, both movies helped the budding franchise secure its spot in Hollywood history.
The Most Expensive Movie: Cast Costs
Cast and crew costs for the most expensive movie added up quickly. For example, director J.J. Abrams earned $5 million, plus 2% of the box office gross. Here are the main actors’ and actresses’ salaries and box office profits.
Cast Member | Salary and Box Office Profits |
---|---|
Harrison Ford (Han Solo) | $15 million / $25 million |
Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) | Low seven-figure range |
Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) | Low seven-figure range |
Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) | Mid-to-high six figures |
Daisy Ridley (Rey) | Between $100,000 and $300,000 |
John Boyega (Finn) | Between $100,000 and $300,000 |
Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) | Mid-to-high six figures |
The Most Expensive Movie: Star Wars Merchandise
Beyond the box office gross for the most expensive movie ever made, Star Wars merchandise continues raking in the cash. Before the film’s premiere, twenty of The Force Awakens books and comics were released. And then, Marvel Comics released a six-issue comic based on the movie in 2016.
Also, before the movie’s release, Disney and Lucasfilm held a merchandise open house on “Force Friday,” September 4, 2015. Live-streaming on YouTube ensured fans worldwide could buy books, toys, clothing, and other Star Wars merchandise.
Toy stores had trouble keeping enough Star Wars products in stock. And, today, merchandise like Lego sets continues selling like hotcakes at online retailers.
- Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber is hidden in a compartment in the head
- 2,315-piece collectible set
- Makes for a great centerpiece
The Most Expensive Movie: Star Wars Fan Events
Fans of the Star Wars franchise are some of the world’s most devoted. They gather for events and cosplay all over the world. For example, Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 was held in April in London with about 30,000 attendees.
Cosplayers made up a large selection of the SWCE partyers, with people dressed as every Star Wars character you can imagine. The full schedule at these fan events makes for an exciting weekend, whether or not fans are into cosplay.
In addition, fans interact with the film’s set decorator, production designer, costume designer, and concept designer for a behind-the-scenes design look at the most expensive movie ever made.
Current live-action filmmakers also discuss upcoming Star Wars movies to the delight of fans, in person and watching on the live stream. You can even attend a cosplay workshop at one of these fan events.
Costume designers, prop masters, and hair department professionals offer tips and tricks for dressing like your favorite characters. And that helps get cosplay fans ready for the event contest!
Check the official Star Wars events page for upcoming happenings near you. What a treat you’ll be in for! We know you’ll be glad you attended.
The Most Expensive Movie of All Time: Bottom Line
Star Wars: The Force Awakens holds the title of the most expensive movie of all time. Production costs came in at a whopping $447M in 2015. And that’s a load of cash, no matter how you look at it.
Thankfully, The Force Awakens earned its keep. Star Wars fans flocked to the theaters for the first installment in the much-anticipated sequel trilogy. As a result, the film earned over $2 billion at the box office. In addition, it was the number-one-grossing film in 2015 across North America.
Star Wars fanatics ensure that well-made movies in the franchise are appreciated and well-attended. We aren’t sure if another movie franchise could have re-couped the production cost of the most expensive movie.
- Run time: 2 hours and 16 minutes
- Subtitles available in French, Spanish, English
- Rated PG-13
The image featured at the top of this post is ©279photo Studio/Shutterstock.com.