Will The Avengers Be the Biggest, Most Expensive Movie Ever?

Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson all in the same super flick? It's not as expensive as you think

By Leslie Gornstein May 14, 2011 6:00 PMTags
The AvengersMarvel

Will The Avengers be the biggest movie of all time, talent-wise and budget-wise?
—Nora M., via Facebook

Yes, we will be treated to Robert "Iron Man" Downey Jr., Samuel L. "Nick Fury" Jackson, Chris "Captain America" Evans, Mark "The Hulk" Ruffalo, Chris "Thor" Hemsworth, Jeremy "Hawkeye" Renner, Scarlett "Black Widow" Johansson and Scarlett's mesmerizing assets, all in the same superhero movie.

Does that equate the biggest assembly of talent ever? What about the price tag? You'll be shocked to learn...

That this is not the most gargantuan budget of all time, though it does fall into the obnoxiously massive category. Reports generally place director Joss Whedon's budget around $170 million, right around the same as Iron Man 2, whose budget reportedly fell between $170 million and $200 million.

However, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is said to have cost around $300 million. According to reports, Tangled cost an inexplicable $260 mil; and Spider-Man 3 rang in around $258 million.

We also might want to offer a nod to the late Liz Taylor here.

Film historians often cite the 1963 colossus Cleopatra as the most expensive, if not one of the most expensive, American films ever made. It cost $44 million back then, or, if economists are to be believed, over $300 million, adjusting for inflation.

Speaking of great big amazing things, are you ready for a massive new bunch of Hollywood facts? They're here in our latest podcast!