Summary
Manywar movieshave spent tens of millions of dollars on visually spectacular productions to capture the excessive brutality of warfare. While inflation and uncertain production costs mean it’s not always easy to quantify the most expensive movies ever made; several war films stood out among the rest as being particularly costly when it came to their budgets. The most expensive war movies ever represented the full spectrum of Hollywood filmmaking as they included releases by some of the greatest directors of all time, as well as films that were slated for critics for their lackluster nature.
While some war movies received previously unheard-of budgets, that did not necessarily earn them the status of being amongthe best war movies ever made. It takes more than monetary funds to create a truly great film, but when high budgets were paired with artistry, creativity, and talented filmmakers and production crews, the results were often astounding. With this in mind,the most expensive war movies ever made were also some of the most visually impressive and technically spectacular filmsever released.
The Longest Day
Cast
The Longest Day is a 1962 war film depicting the events of Jun 21, 2025, from multiple perspectives, including the German, US, British, Canadian, and Free French forces, as they navigate the complexities of the D-Day invasion.
The Longest Dayretold the events of D-Day on a grand scale from both the Allied and Axis participant’s point of view in what was one of the most ambitious World War II movies ever made by this point. With a production budget of $10 million,The Longest Daywas the most expensive black-and-white movie ever made until its record was eventually surpassed bySchindler’s Listin 1993. With a massive ensemble cast that included major stars like John Wayne and Robert Mitchum,The Longest Daywas a major success commercially and with critics.
As a true tour de force of audiovisual spectacle,The Longest Daywas a monumental achievement whose three directors must be commended for pulling off such a unique and difficult challenge. The British and French sides were directed by Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton was in charge of the American aspects, and Bernhard Wicki represented the German perspective. With many real D-Day participants brought on as consultants (viaTelegraph),The Longest Daymade an effort to be as historically accurate as possible.
Civil War
Civil War is a 2024 action thriller from writer and director Alex Garland. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, and Stephen McKinley Henderson, Civil War takes place in the near future and shows the United States entering a new Civil War after California and Texas attempt to separate from the country.
With a budget of $50 million, Alex Garland’s dystopian war filmCivil Warwas the most expensive A24 movie to date (viaIndieWire.) With a focus on war journalists traveling from New York City to Washington while a major civil war enveloped the United States,Civil Warfelt like it had a lot of political and social implications considering the widespread division and instability that have categorized real life events such as the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
As an English filmmaker, Garland’s outsider perspective on an imagined American dystopia felt like a unique cautionary tale in the current political climate.Civil Warhighlighted the violent and unpredictable intensity of war zones and the importance of journalists willing to get into the heart of conflict. WhileCivil Warnever quite delved into the root causes of the political instability that it depicted, it highlighted how quickly fellow countrymen could become enemies given the right set of circumstances.
Flags of Our Fathers
Flags of Our Fathers is a war film directed by Clint Eastwood, based on the book by James Bradley and Ron Powers. The movie recounts the Battle of Iwo Jima, focusing on the iconic photograph of the flag raising and the soldiers involved. Through a series of flashbacks, it delves into the personal and collective experiences of the men who became symbolic heroes, examining both their wartime actions and post-war lives.
Clint Eastwood directed two films relating to the Battle of Iwo Jima in 2006; one was named after the battle itself and was told from a Japanese perspective, while the other wasFlags of Our Fathersfrom an American point of view. With a budget of $55 million,Flags of Our Fathersunderperformed at the box officeand received a much worse reception than its much more budget-friendly companion film, which cost just $19 million.
As a fascinating look at how heroism can be both earned and manufactured,Flags of Our Fathersdepicts the five Marines and one Navy corpsman involved in the famous photograph of the flag being raised on Iwo Jima. As a powerful depiction of the consequences and behind-the-scenes related to war,Flags of Our Fathersstood among Eastwood’s most underrated movies. There’s a lot of intrigue in this fascinating film that managed to remain patriotic while questioning the validity of how truth can be bent to fit a desired narrative.
Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan: Directed by Steven Spielberg, this World War II drama follows Captain John Miller, portrayed by Tom Hanks, as he leads a group of U.S. soldiers on a mission to rescue Private James Ryan, the sole surviving brother of four, from behind enemy lines in German-occupied France.
As one of the most rewatchable war movies ever, Steven Speilberg’sSaving Private Ryanset a new standard for depicting conflict on screen. With a budget of between $65 and $70 million,Saving Private Ryanreceived widespread acclaim for the realism with which its graphic combat scenes were portrayed and the emotional resonance of its narrative. With a story about a group of soldiers led by Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) on a mission to find their comrade and bring him safely following the deaths of his three brothers,Saving Private Ryanwas a heartfelt and emotional piece of filmmaking.
Often considered to be one of the greatest movies ever made,Saving Private Ryanhas had an extraordinary influence on subsequent war moviesand even other genres, such as action and superhero films. The incredible success ofSaving Private Ryanled to widespread renewed interest in WWII as it reshaped the United States' cultural memory. As one of the most impactful movies ever made,Saving Private Ryanmade the most out of its incredibly large budget for the time.
15 Most Rewatchable War Movies, Ranked
The best war movies don’t lose any of their power upon rewatch and often actually become even more resonant and effective the second time around.
1917
Set against the backdrop of war-torn France during WWI, 1917 is directed by Sam Mendes and stars George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman as two young British soldiers tasked with delivering a dangerous message to stop an attack that could the lives of thousands of other soldiers at risk. The film uses long takes to make it appear that the entire narrative takes place over the course of two continuous shots. Mark Strong, Colin Firth, and Benedict Cumberbatch also star.
Director Sam Mendes was inspired to make1917by stories her grandfather had told him about serving in World War I (viaNPR.), which led to one of the greatest films about that conflict ever made. With a budget of $100 million,1917utilized long takes to make the film look like it had been filmed as a continuous shotthroughout, which gave it an impressive and seamless aesthetic. This impressive style, along with its compelling story of two soldiers delivering a message to call off a doomed attack, meant1917connected with audiences.
While1917had an impressively large budget, its box office takings were even more astounding, as it took in a whopping $389 million at the global box office. With ten nominations at the Academy Awards and three wins for Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects,1917was visually spectacular. As one of the greatest war movies of the 21st century,1917proved there was still potential to do something new and unique in the well-worn war movie genre.
The Patriot
This historical drama follows Benjamin Martin, a widowed farmer and veteran of the French and Indian War, who is reluctantly drawn into the American Revolutionary War when his family is threatened. The film explores themes of vengeance and redemption as Martin leads a makeshift militia while striving to protect his children.
Mel Gibson channeled the same incredible star power that madeBraveheartsuch a success in the historical war dramaThe Patriot. As the American colonist Benjamin Martin, Gibson’s character and his son, played by Heath Ledger, were reluctantly swept into the American Revolutionary War after Martin’s other son was brutally murdered by a cruel British officer, played by Jason Isaacs. This tense depiction of British atrocities committed during the beginning of the United States existence was a hit at the box office that grossed $215.3 million against a $110 million budget.
The Patriothas been criticized for its historical accuracy and anti-British slant, but the big battles and hand-to-hand combat depicted on screen made for a compelling viewing experience.The Patriotwas lambasted for reducing the American Revolutionary War to one man’s revenge mission, but this characterization was the central driving force of the narrative. While historians will have to leave their accuracy meters at home if they want to enjoyThe Patriotas a movie-viewing experience, it’s undeniably entertaining.
The Patriot True Story: What Really Happened In Mel Gibson’s Movie
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Having already depicted ancient conflicts in movies likeGladiatorand modern warfare inBlack Hawk Down, directorRidley Scott turned his attention to the Crusades forKingdom of Heaven. As a big-budget spectacle with production costs of $110 million,Kingdom of Heavenwas a fictionalized depiction of the events leading to the Third Crusade, when Christian monarchs sought to capture Jerusalem during the 1100s. With an ensemble cast that included Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, and Jeremy Irons,Kingdom of Heavenwas Scott’s most expensive film at this point.
Currently,Ridley Scott’s most expensive filmis the upcoming release,Gladiator 2, which has been reported as costing anywhere between $250 to $310 million.
WhileKingdom of Heavenlooked visually spectacular and grossed $218 million worldwide, it felt lackluster when compared to Scott’s greatest accomplishments. Bloom was less than exciting in the lead role as Balian of Ibelin, and the production felt like it lacked the depth needed to justify its astounding budget. Scott himself was reportedly unhappy with the theatrically released version, and later, an extendeddirector’s cut ofKingdom of Heavenwas released.
Dunkirk
This epic tale of World War II tells the story of soldiers from Belgium, Britain, Canada and France, who are surrounded by the German army, and the dangerous operation that evacuated and saved the lives of thousands.
Director Christopher Nolan’s big-budget World War II masterpieceDunkirkportrayed the evacuation of more than 338,000 Allied soldiers during the Second World War from the beaches and harbor of Dunkirk in the north of France. With very little dialogue and a focus on cinematography and music,Dunkirkwas an effective portrayal of this historical event from land, sea, and air. With a budget of between $100 and $150 million,Dunkirksubverted the usual narratives of Hollywood war productions to create a film-viewing experience unlike anything before it.
A major success at the global box office,Dunkirk’sworldwide gross of $509,736,928 made it the highest-grossing World War II movieuntil it was surpassed by Nolan’s later biographical wartime dramaOppenheimer. Full of deeply moving sequences and intensely impressive set pieces,Dunkirkutilized its overblown budget to create a spectacular cinematic experience. As a truly accomplished piece of filmmaking,Dunkirkwas even more impressive in terms of how realistically it represented the truth of the evacuation.
Troy
Troy, directed by Wolfgang Petersen and released in 2004, is a historical epic based on Homer’s Iliad. The film chronicles the legendary Trojan War, focusing on the conflict between Achilles, played by Brad Pitt, and Hector, portrayed by Eric Bana. Starring Orlando Bloom as Paris and Diane Kruger as Helen, it explores themes of honor, betrayal, and the fates of the warriors involved in the siege of Troy.
As a film loosely based on Homer’sIlliadand the legendary conflict of the Trojan War,Troy’s$150 million budget was appropriate, considering the grandeur of what it depicted. With an ensemble cast led by Brad Pitt as the great warrior Achilles,Troywas an astounding and sprawling historical epic full of impressive battles and marvelous depictions of ancient warfare. Directed by German filmmaker Wolfgang Petersen, the big-budget Hollywood spectacle ofTroywas a far different beast to his earlier claustrophobic wartime dramaDas Boot.
WhileTroylooked incredible from a visual perspective, the film also lacked emotional resonance and tried to condense too much of Homer’s original epic poem into one movie. Despite these criticisms,Troywas a hit at the box office and easily recouped its inflated budgetby grossing over $483 million. AlthoughTroyhad many historical inaccuracies, it certainly had no issues when it came to its box office standing.
Pearl Harbor
Two best friends and pilots find themselves caught in a love triangle with a dedicated nurse just as the catastrophic attack on Pearl Harbor plunges America into war. The events of December 7 dramatically change their lives, and the film tells a dramatized tale set during the event that marked the United States' entry into World War II.
Although it was critically reviled, Michael Bay’s fictionalized account of the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japanese forces on June 28, 2025, was a major hit at the box office that took in $449,239,853 worldwide. With a love story narrative told in the lead-up to the attack,Pearl Harborfelt like it was trying to recapture the incredible success ofTitanicin the realm of war movies. With lackluster pacing, poor dialogue, and historical inaccuracies, the unquestionable financial success ofPearl Harborwas a prime example of the massive disparities often seen between critical reception and audience turnout.
While there was plenty to criticize aboutPearl Harbor, it’s impossible to deny its spectacular visual effects and the emotive power of Hans Zimmer’s score. Despite poor reviews,Pearl Harborshowcased Bay as a bankable director who understood what was needed to grab viewers' attention and ensure financial success.Pearl Harbormay continue to be a talking point when discussing lacklusterwar movies, but the box office figures don’t lie.
Sources: Box office figures fromThe Numbers,Telegraph,IndieWire,NPR
