These Films Cost A Fortune And Watching Them Still Feels Like A Scam

Big budgets do not always guarantee big success and some movies prove that throwing millions at a project does not automatically make it good. Whether it is bloated CGI, disastrous scripts or poor creative decisions, these films burned through money only to leave audiences feeling cheated. Here are some of the most expensive films that, despite their massive budgets, still felt like a complete rip off.

Justice League (2017)

With a budget of around $300 million, Justice League was meant to be DC’s answer to The Avengers, but it ended up being a disjointed mess. Studio interference, extensive reshoots, and CGI so bad it turned Henry Cavill’s face into a meme left fans furious. After all that money, the film still felt rushed, incomplete and unsatisfying.

The Lone Ranger (2013)

Disney poured nearly $250 million into The Lone Ranger, hoping for a blockbuster, but instead, they got a bloated, overlong and tonally confused Western. Despite flashy action sequences, Johnny Depp’s questionable casting as Tonto and a meandering plot made it feel more exhausting than entertaining. The movie bombed so hard that it nearly killed Disney’s live action blockbuster formula.

Cats (2019)

With a staggering $100 million budget, Cats became a legendary disaster thanks to its nightmare inducing CGI and bizarre performances. The rushed special effects were so bad that the studio had to issue a “patched” version of the film after its release. No amount of money could save it from being one of the most unintentionally terrifying musicals ever made.

Battlefield Earth (2000)

John Travolta’s passion project cost an estimated $73 million, but every dollar seemed to go toward making it look like a cheap sci-fi parody. With its tilted camera angles, laughable dialogue and ridiculous alien designs, Battlefield Earth felt like an overpriced low budget movie that no one asked for. Even hardcore sci-fi fans could not take it seriously.

Jupiter Ascending (2015)

The Wachowskis were given $176 million to create a sci-fi epic, but Jupiter Ascending ended up being a baffling, overcomplicated mess. Between Channing Tatum’s half wolf character, Eddie Redmayne whispering his lines like an ASMR villain and a nonsensical plot, audiences felt lost. It looked visually stunning, but no amount of CGI could make sense of its absurd story.

Waterworld (1995)

With a then record breaking $175 million budget, Waterworld was supposed to be the next great sci-fi blockbuster. Instead, it became a cautionary tale of out of control spending, with costly sets sinking into the ocean and production delays spiraling out of control. While it has since gained a cult following, at the time, it felt like a bloated, soggy waste of money.

Fantastic Four (2015)

Despite a $120 million budget, Fantastic Four felt more like a cheap TV pilot than a superhero blockbuster. Studio interference, last minute reshoots and a director who openly disowned the film resulted in a joyless, awkward mess. Audiences left theaters wondering how so much money could produce something so lifeless.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

Warner Bros. spent a staggering $175 million trying to turn King Arthur into a CGI heavy action hero, but the movie completely flopped. Its odd mix of modern humor, fantasy elements and slow motion sword fights made it feel like a video game cutscene stretched into a full movie. For all that money, audiences expected something grander than a forgettable medieval dud.

The 355 (2022)

This star studded spy thriller had a $75 million budget but looked more like a direct to streaming film. With uninspired action, bland characters and a generic plot, The 355 failed to deliver anything remotely exciting. Viewers walked away wondering where all that money actually went.

Green Lantern (2011)

With a budget of $200 million, Green Lantern had every opportunity to launch a new superhero franchise. Instead, it gave us some of the worst CGI in blockbuster history, a boring origin story and a villain who looked like a floating space cloud. Even Ryan Reynolds could not save it and he has been making fun of it ever since.

The Mummy (2017)

Universal spent $195 million trying to kickstart a Dark Universe with The Mummy, but instead, they buried the franchise before it even began. Tom Cruise’s star power could not save a convoluted plot, cringe worthy dialogue and an overreliance on CGI. The result? A film that felt more like an expensive setup for sequels that never happened.

Gods of Egypt (2016)

Despite costing $140 million, Gods of Egypt looked like a poorly rendered video game with a script that felt written in five minutes. Its casting controversy, absurd storyline, and over the top CGI made it impossible to take seriously. This was meant to be an epic fantasy, but instead, it became an expensive joke.

These films prove that no amount of money can save a bad script, poor direction or uninspired storytelling. Hollywood may have spent hundreds of millions on them, but audiences left theaters feeling robbed of both their time and ticket money. At the end of the day, a film needs more than just a massive budget, it needs heart, creativity and a reason to exist.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.