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Is ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ the most expensive film ever made?

Well, is it?

Still shot of Jake Sully with green Na'vi clan leader and a pregnant green Na'vi
Image via 20th Century Studios

One of the most anticipated movie releases of 2022 is Avatar: The Way of Water. The sequel to the 2009 Avatar has been hyped as one of the most expensive movies ever made due to all of the technology that is needing to be used. The story of James Cameron having the idea for the movie series in the 1990s but having to wait until now to complete it is well-known.

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The fact that there has been a 13-year gap makes a lot of sense, as the technology back in 2008 when the movie was filmed was good, but not what it is today. All of the technology and hype surrounding the movie has fans wanting to know if Avatar: The Way of Water is the most expensive film ever made. Here is what we know about the movie.

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According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie has an estimated budget of between $350 million and $400 million. The exact number is still to be determined, which will then tell fans where it lands on the list of most expensive movies ever made. As of right now, the most expensive movie ever made was back in 2011, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, with a total budget of $379 million. Although the movie might not have done that well with critics, it sure did well at the box office, totaling $1.046 billion in sales. This might not have been the total that the studio had been aiming for, given how much was put into the movie, but a $600 million profit is not too bad.

There are also two other movies that have had a budget of at least $350 million, Avengers: Age of Ultron coming in at a blazing total of $365 million and Avengers: Endgame with a $356 million budget. One of the main reasons that these three movies are at the top of the list is the cast that took part in the movies. There were so many different household names in each of these movies that they had to be properly paid. Another reason why the budget was so high is all of the CGI that was needed for these movies.

While we do not know where Avatar: The Way of Water will land on this list yet, it sure has an all-star cast and will be using all of the latest CGI.