Shrek Forever After (2010)
Estimated Budget: $165 million
Value For Money: Having traditionally been packed with on-trend cultural gags and charming characters, this was the point at which the Shrek series ran out of steam. Not that that put the punters off, with audiences filling Dreamworks' coffers to the tune of $752 million. Truly the stuff of fairytales…
If It Had Been Low-Budget: They would have had to have drafted in Amanda Holden and Richard Blackwood. Yikes…
Van Helsing (2004)
Estimated Budget: $170 million
Value For Money: Crowbarring a whole host of famous monsters into the one movie was always going to set Universal back a few bob, and so it was with Van Helsing . What they hadn't bargained for was the relatively modest return of $300 million. A profit, yes, but nothing to shout about in blockbuster terms. And as for the film itself? Well, let's just say we won't be revisiting it any time soon.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: We would have had a return to the classic men-in-suits routine that made the monsters famous in the first place. Hooray!
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Estimated Budget: $170 million
Value For Money: Perhaps inevitably, Iron Man 2 wasn't quite as refreshing as the original, with suspicions that production was rushed to hit a release date recently confirmed by Iron Man 3 helmer Shane Black. Still, after bringing home $623 million, it can't be considered a disaster by any means.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: That ensemble cast would likely have been trimmed. Several of them spend most of the time on the sidelines anyway…
Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003)
Estimated Budget: $170 million
Value For Money: Poor old Arnie was creaking through the motions in this second sequel that falls a fair way short of the first two instalments. Still, there's a degree of fun to be had thanks to new nemesis Kristanna Loken, and the film raked in a respectable $433 million at the box office. If only they'd included that awesome deleted scene explaining how the Terminator got his accent…
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Arnie probably wouldn't have put his body through it if the money wasn't right. And without Arnie (even at half-speed) this would have sucked.
The Polar Express (2004)
Estimated Budget: $170 million
Value For Money: The film that was supposed to sound the death knell for human actors served instead to show how far CGI has to go to accurately capture human expressions. The conductor for one, is utterly terrifying. A $306 million box office haul translated to a lot of traumatised children.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: We wouldn't still be haunted by the conductor's blankly staring eyes. Stay away from us!
The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor (2008)
Estimated Budget: $175 million
Value For Money: By the time this one arrived in cinemas, appetites for the franchise had waned somewhat, and the film was met with a raft of lukewarm reviews. It's your standard dud action sequel, complete with dodgy accents, half-baked action and even an irritating sidekick. Still, a global take of just under $400 million suggests that the Mummy might not be dead and buried just yet…
If It Had Been Low-Budget: We might have been spared those CGI yetis. Good Lord…
Up (2009)
Estimated Budget: $175 million
Value For Money: Whilst not as rapturously received as Toy Story 3 , Pixar's most human story to date still won rave reviews for its combination of eye-strokingly lovely visuals and well-drawn characters. A $731 million box office meant it was also a strong commercial performer for the studio that seemingly never fails.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: The whole concept would have fallen kind of flat. They needed to splash the cash to do this one justice.
Monsters vs Aliens (2009)
Estimated Budget: $175 million
Value For Money: Dreamworks really pushed the boat out on this charming tale of attic-dwelling monsters and their extra-terrestrial counterparts. A $381 million box office represented a reasonable return on that investment, although seemingly not enough to justify a sequel. Shame.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: You could kiss goodbye to that A-list voice cast. Seth Rogen, Reese Witherspoon et al don't come cheap.
Wild Wild West (1999)
Estimated Budget: $175 million
Value For Money: This big camp farce was slightly embarrassing for all concerned, although Will Smith wouldn't have been too fussed, having been paid twice for both starring and singing the theme tune. It was a relative flop at the box office too, taking just $221 million worldwide.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: That giant spider thing would have been crafted from old toilet rolls and egg cartons.
G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra (2009)
Estimated Budget: $175 million
Value For Money: This lunk-headed action spectacular was a fairly underwhelming affair both on screen and at the box office. A $302 million haul was enough to justify a sequel, and with Dwayne Johnson and Bruce Willis now on board, we're hopeful they can get it right second time out.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: It would have been filmed in stop-motion, using a collection of action figures.
Waterworld (1995)
Estimated Budget: $175 million
Value For Money: Despite its reputation as one of the biggest box-office flops of all time, Waterworld actually made a modest profit, with global receipts totalling $264 million. Its still a turgid old slog, mind…
If It Had Been Low-Budget: it would have been Quite Wet World , which doesn't have quite the same ring to it.
Evan Almighty (2007)
Estimated Budget: $175 million
Value For Money: $175 million always seemed like a huge amount of expenditure to throw at a sequel that had lost its headline star. Audiences weren't quite as taken with Steve Carell as they were with Jim Carrey and the film ended up with a $2 million loss, having taken just $173 million at the box office. Ouch.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: A few more people might have hung onto their jobs at Universal HQ…
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe (2005)
Estimated Budget: $180 million
Value For Money: Bringing CS Lewis' fantasy series to the big screen was always going to be a costly affair, but this Tilda Swinton starring effort made a pretty decent fist of things, without exactly outdoing itself. The box office return also made for heartening reading for Buena Vista execs, with $748 million taken worldwide.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: See the classic BBC adaptation for further details.
WALL-E (2008)
Estimated Budget: $180 million
Value For Money: Pixar's loveable little robot might have cost a few quid to bring to life, but it was money well spent, with $532 million ending up in the company coffers. Money aside, the film was unquestionably one of the studio's more affecting tales of recent years. We love that little guy!
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Johnny 5 would have been dusted off and thrust back into action…
Rush Hour 3 (2007)
Estimated Budget: $180 million
Value For Money: Two instalments of Chris Tucker's high-pitched shrieking was surely enough for anyone, but New Line in their wisdom thought it appropriate to chuck $180 million at a third film. It went on to make $253 million, which whilst not awful, should be enough to put them off round four.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Poor old Jackie Chan would probably have had a few more broken bones to add to his collection.
Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2008)
Estimated Budget: $185 million
Value For Money: Legions of fans trooped to cinemas the world over to see Indy's return. In fact, so many were up for the fourth instalment of the franchise that the film took a whopping $786 million at the box office. But if Paramount had any decency, they'd hand back every cent. In a word: awful.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: They couldn't have afforded the fridge sequence, the giant ants, the swinging monkeys or those bastard aliens. Shame.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Estimated Budget: $185 million
Value For Money: The greatest comic-book movie of all time, boasting an Oscar-winning performance from Heath Ledger, it took just over $1 billion globally. Yeah, we'd say it was worth the money.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Provided the cast were retained, it would still likely be awesome, although we wouldn't have been treated to such jaw-dropping sequences as the truck flip.
Iron Man (2008)
Estimated Budget: $186 million
Value For Money: Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. gave Marvel a new A-list hero with this show-stopping introduction to Tony Stark and his shiny metal suit. Winning over existing fans and new audiences alike, the film stormed to $582 million at the box office, a great result for a character who wouldn't have been that well known to non-enthusiasts.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: RDJ would have been capering around in a tin-foil breastplate with a saucepan on his head.
Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009)
Estimated Budget: $190 million
Value For Money: Robert Zemeckis directed this beautifully rendered CGI fable which was mercifully far less terrifying than his previous effort, The Polar Express . At $323 million, it wasn't the biggest festive smash of recent years, but it was no disaster either.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: The dead-eyed horror of Tom Hanks' conductor would return. Noooo!
Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (2011)
Estimated Budget: $195 million
Value For Money: Paramount somehow managed to get Michael Bay to work on a (slightly) reduced budget after the excesses of Revenge Of The Fallen . The results were no less explosive and the film made more than a billion at the box office. Mission accomplished.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Bay would have been forced to do away with all his professional actors and replace them all with lingerie models. Which is probably his ideal scenario, really…
2012 (2009)
Estimated Budget: $200 million
Value For Money: Roland Emmerich runs wild with another mega-budget in this epic tale of apocalyptic destruction. Like all his films, its more than a little daft, but there's no denying the OTT appeal of carnage on this grand a scale. A $766 million haul shows he's still the master of guilty pleasure blockbusters.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: We've a feeling Emmerich might not have signed on the dotted line…
Alice In Wonderland (2010)
Estimated Budget: $200 million
Value For Money: Despite its admittedly striking visuals, there was something about Tim Burton's Alice that left us cold. Perhaps it was fatigue with Johnny Depp's "wacky eccentric" routine, or the fact that the storyline seemed a very poor relation to the weird and wonderful setting. Still, the film was extremely successful commercially, bagging Disney more than $1 billion worldwide. Shows what we know…
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Burton might have been reigned in a little and forced to spend more time scrutinising the script than playing around with floating cheshire cats.
Cars 2 (2011)
Estimated Budget: $200 million
Value For Money: Cars has never been Pixar's most popular franchise, and this second instalment certainly seems lacking in ideas. Still, the petrolhead antics remained attractive enough to bank the studio $553 million at the box office. Enough to greenlight Cars 3 ?
If It Had Been Low-Budget: They might have been forced to do away with some of the original characters. That might have been for the best, considering how cluttered it ended up feeling.
Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time (2010)
Estimated Budget: $200 million
Value For Money: The classic video-game title was clearly not as popular as the studio thought, with the Prince limping to a disappointing domestic take of just $90 million. The global market saw the final total climb to $335 million, but this was another in a long line of video-game adaptations that failed to set the world alight.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: The footage would all have been taken from the video game, with Gyllenhaal et al reduced to voice-acting duties.
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Estimated Budget: $200 million
Value For Money: A rare example of a threequel that trumps all that had gone before, Toy Story 3 is the bittersweet finale to one of the best-loved family franchises of all time. Grown men everywhere were reduced to sniffling wrecks as the film stormed to $1 billion across the globe.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: We might have been spared the CGI horror of that incinerator scene. Waaaaah!
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Estimated Budget: $200 million
Value For Money: Probably the finest hour in Sam Raimi's Spidey trilogy, Spider-Man 2 combines the web-slinging spectacle of the first film with a genuinely compelling villain in Alfred Mlina's Doc Ock. Audiences clearly agreed, with the film scooping a healthy $783 million worldwide.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Raimi would have been forced to cast Bruce Campbell in all the roles. What we wouldn't give to see that…
Terminator Salvation (2009)
Estimated Budget: $200 million
Value For Money: This action-heavy attempt to kick-start the Terminator franchise was a mixed bag. As an action film in its own right, it wasn't too shabby. However, it was singularly lacking in the magic that made the franchise great. A $371 million take at the box office was respectable, if unremarkable.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Imagine, Christian Bale might have had to help move those lights himself!
Tron: Legacy (2010)
Estimated Budget: $200 million
Value For Money: In its favour, the de-ageing process used on Jeff Bridges was most impressive. However, the rest of it was just a bit dull really, obvious spectacle aside. Coming in just shy of $400 million, it performed well enough to ensure the planned sequels will go ahead.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: We would have had something closer to the original. Not necessarily a bad thing.
Titanic (1997)
Estimated Budget: $200 million
Value For Money: Despite being the most expensive film ever made at the time, Titanic more than justified the outlay by smashing box office records to bring in $1.8 billion dollars. Jim Cameron certainly knows how to turn a profit…
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Cameron would have had to film the exterior shots in his bath-tub. Ice-cube, dead ahead!
Green Lantern (2011)
Estimated Budget: $200 million
Value For Money: In a crowded superhero market in 2011, Green Lantern was probably the year's biggest disappointment. It managed to claw back just $222 million worldwide and was dismissed by fans and critics alike as tediously ponderous. And despite the money spent, the effects weren't up to much either.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: If it looked shonky on $200 million, God only knows what would have happened on a shoestring.
His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (2007)
Estimated Budget: $205 million
Value For Money: New Line were expecting the new Lord Of The Rings from their adaptation of the phenomenally successful His Dark Materials series. However, the film made a modest $372 million, and the rest of the trilogy has yet to see the light of day. That's how you spell "flop".
If It Had Been Low-Budget: They might have slipped it under the radar of America's religious right, who played a big part in the film's limited Stateside success. The film took just $70 million on the home front.
King Kong (2005)
Estimated Budget: $207 million
Value For Money: Peter Jackson brought the great ape to life in spectacular style, in a fantastical adventure that paid homage to its roots while exploiting the advanced technology available to it. A $550 million worldwide gross was a very decent result, to boot.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Andy Serkis would have been donning a hairier kind of suit…
Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen (2009)
Estimated Budget: $210 million
Value For Money: It made a whopping $836 million at the box office, enough to keep Michael Bay in bangers and girlie mags for the rest of his days. The film was a load of old guff, but then, what else were we expecting?
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Bay would have taken his ball and gone home. Bayhem doesn't come cheap.
Robin Hood (2010)
Estimated Budget: $210 million
Value For Money: A $322 million haul represented a modest success, but a raft of scathing reviews left Ridley and Russ's reunion severely mauled. Crowe reacted in traditional style, by getting very cross. Just ask Mark Lawson.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: They wouldn't have been able to afford Crowe's dialogue coach. Which would have made him sound silly!
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
Estimated Budget: $210 million
Value For Money: Bret Ratner's X-sequel took $459 million worldwide, but the film itself was a chronic disappointment. Lacking the heart of the previous two episodes, Ratner abandoned storytelling for spectacle, stringing together set-piece after set-piece with little time wasted on the mutants themselves.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: They would have ended up with an ex-footballer in a muscle-suit. Oh…
The Lone Ranger (2013)
Estimated Budget: $215 million
Value For Money: Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp have plenty of form on spending money together, although this time, there's no franchise reputation to back them up. Will the Ranger's appeal provide the global hit Disney are hoping for? Is Armie Hammer a big enough name in the title role? It remains to be seen…
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Armie would be riding a hobby-horse and dressed in Woody's cast-offs.
Men In Black 3 (2012)
Estimated Budget: $215 million
Value For Money: It's been a decade since the last Men In Black film hit our screens, and it remains to be seen how much enthusiasm remains for the franchise. That said, the new one does look an improvement on the last outing, with a deadpan Josh Brolin sure to add value to proceedings.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: They'd probably have to scale back the aliens a bit. Time to dig out MAC…
The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
Estimated Budget: $225 million
Value For Money: Despite taking $419 million at the box office, this second instalment in the Narnia series fell some way short of The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe . It's perfectly serviceable family entertainment, but fails to recapture the magic of CS Lewis' original stories.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: The CGI critters save the day. God help us if we're left with the child actors…
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
Estimated Budget: $225 million
Value For Money: After the success of the first film, it was perhaps inevitable that the first sequel would be an even bigger hit. More than a billion dollars later, the film had become the most successful episode in the series. Pity it was such an endurance test…
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Bill Nighy would have been forced to wear a beard made from real squid.
Quantum Of Solace (2008)
Estimated Budget: $230 million
Value For Money: A $591 million take represented a decent result for Sony, but in comparison with the franchise-reviving success of Casino Royale , Quantum was a bit of a let-down. A decent villain would have been a start.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Timothy Dalton might have expected a phone call…
Superman Returns (2006)
Estimated Budget: $232 million
Value For Money: Despite disappointing fanboys the world over, Superman Returns did make a reasonable profit, taking $390 million worldwide. That said, Warner would have expected more, and we'd still rather have seen Bryan Singer complete his X-Men trilogy.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: The airplane set-piece was one of the film's redeeming features. Strip that spectacle away and what are you left with? Not a huge amount…
Avatar (2009)
Estimated Budget: $237 million
Value For Money: Yeah, it made a few quid. Nearly $2.8 billion to be precise, making it the highest-grossing movie in Hollywood history. And lets face it, without spending all that money on the visuals, there wouldn't have been much to talk about, would there?
If It Had Been Low-Budget: There's a slight chance it might have been a bit, well, dull. Sorry Jim!
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Estimated Budget: $250 million
Value For Money: Let's be honest, this would have still made a packet had Warner spent a fiver on it, so the $934 million take should come as no surprise. It might not be the strongest episode in the series, but in terms of action, it doesn't disappoint.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: You could kiss that Millennium Bridge scene goodbye for a start. A rare moment of deviation from the books, it's one of the series' finest scenes.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Estimated Budget: $250 million
Value For Money: Come on now… if this isn't the biggest movie of 2012, we'll eat our collective hat. Nolan doesn't waste money… he puts it to work!
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Bane would have been reduced to doing a streak rather than causing the football pitch to collapse on itself.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
Estimated Budget: $250 million
Value For Money: Despite the fact that the series ran out of ideas some time ago, enough people were still nursing a Jack Sparrow crush to make this the second highest grossing instalment of the franchise, with a haul of more than a billion dollars. Wowsers.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: Johnny Depp would probably have said no. It's not like he had unfinished business with the character, is it?
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Estimated Budget: $258 million
Value For Money: The critics hated it, and the fanboys weren't any more enamoured with it, but Sony weren't too fussed - Spidey still managed to capture $890 million in his web!
If It Had Been Low-Budget: They might have had to settle for a single villain, which would have been something of an improvement.
Tangled (2010)
Estimated Budget: $260 million
Value For Money: Disney's return to traditional 2D animation (or at least what gave the impression of traditional animation, with a computer-generated kick) was a global smash to the tune of $586 million, proving that beautiful visuals, snappy storytelling and lively voice-acting are still a sure-fire recipe for success.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: It would likely have taken a lot longer to arrive, with the animators forced to do it by hand!
The Hobbit (2012-2013)
Estimated Budget: $270 million (per instalment)
Value For Money: Given the frenzied anticipation surrounding this one and the overwhelmingly positive feedback that greeted the trailer, we'd be stunned if this one didn't turn a huge profit for New Line. And if there's anyone we'd trust with the cash, it's Peter Jackson.
If It Had Been Low-Budget: The whole thing would have been filmed in a studio, with Andy Serkis mo-capping every role.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Estimated Budget: $300 million
Value For Money: Disney certainly saw a great return on their outlay, with the third Pirates film scooping more than $960 million across the globe. On-screen however, it was a turgid snoozefest. Not that that stopped people going back for round four…
If It Had Been Low-Budget: They might have been forced to whittle the story down a little. No bad thing…
John Carter (2012)
Estimated Budget: $300 million
Value For Money: Disney's wallet-busting mega-blockbuster has so far taken approximately $133 million worldwide, but has fallen way short of how the studio had hoped it would perform. Its derivate feel, from plot to visuals, also led to a pretty lukewarm reception from the critics. Money well spent, then...
If It Had Been Low-Budget: It would look like a poor man's Phantom Menace , rather than a rich man's… Phantom Menace .
