The most expensive movie in cinema history has been revealed, and it does not belong to the Avatar or Star Wars franchises.
According to an analysis of financial documents filed in the United Kingdom and reported by Fortune, the action-adventure film Jurassic World Dominion cost Universal Studios about $658.8 million to produce, more than any other movie ever made.
The enormous figure places it above the previous record-holder, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which similar documents showed cost Disney about $638.9 million after its release in late 2015.
The disclosure was made possible through financial reports filed in Britain by the local production company set up for the film. Unlike in the United States, where detailed production costs are generally kept out of public view, British law requires companies of this kind to submit detailed financial documents in order to receive government tax rebates.
The main reason for the extraordinary budget overrun was the coronavirus pandemic. Filming began in 2020, at the height of the global outbreak, and the production was required to comply with a long list of safety protocols, testing requirements and isolation rules. At the same time, repeated delays pushed the film’s release back by a full year, to June 2022.
During the months when production was shut down, the studio continued paying for soundstages, rented equipment, security and key production staff who had to remain available for filming to resume. The film’s leading cast, which included Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum and Laura Dern, also stayed in luxury hotels during extended isolation periods near filming locations in Britain, mainly at the upscale Langley hotel in Buckinghamshire, where rooms cost more than $600 a night.
Despite the astronomical budget, Universal benefited from generous tax incentives in Britain. According to the filings, the studio received a rebate of about $127.8 million under the UK’s film and television production incentive program. After that rebate was deducted, the studio’s net spending stood at about $531 million.
Jurassic World Dominion grossed slightly more than $1 billion at the global box office. But because ticket revenue is split between theaters and studios, Universal’s direct income from cinema screenings alone was not enough to cover the full cost. The film’s final profitability also depended on digital sales, home releases and merchandise.