The ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ was Disney’s most expensive film for years. These days, however, the title goes to a different franchise, one based on dinosaurs.
Newly filed financial records show that Universal Pictures has spent a whopping $658.8 million on ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’. This makes it the most expensive film in Hollywood history. The figure is higher than the $638.9 million cost of Disney’s ‘The Force Awakens’, which was previously the highest.
‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ Had A Pandemic-Era Production Which Raised Costs Significantly
The massive budget was due to the very special circumstances of the production during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project was started in 2020, when the entertainment industry was forced to implement strict health and safety measures.
Related: How A Cancelled ‘Jurassic Park’ Series Might Have Saved The Franchise
Despite paying for studio space, equipment rentals, security, and key production staff, Universal had months of delays. Instead of turning everything down, the studio maintained a large portion of its activities in a state of readiness to resume if necessary, thus raising costs.
The cast also had to spend a lot of time in quarantine in the United Kingdom near Pinewood Studios, where the majority of the movie was filmed. The production continued through these interruptions, making Dominion one of the most expensive filmmaking endeavors ever undertaken.
The Tax Break That Changed The Equation
The eye-watering cost was offset by the United Kingdom’s film incentive program, which pays studios for spending money within the UK. The production was shot extensively around the country and featured British talent, and qualified for significant reimbursements.
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Those incentives reduced a lot of the costs of the film. Though ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ grossed almost $1 billion worldwide, it was not enough to make a massive profit once the expenses were taken into account.
But the box-office figures do not tell the whole story. After a film is released in the theatres, it keeps making money from streaming, home entertainment sales, licensing, and merchandise.
The numbers underscore the fact that today’s blockbuster movies are costlier than ever, particularly when the world is in turmoil. But they also illustrate why big studios still have a vested interest in the big money gamble on proven franchises. The risk paid off for Universal, as it helped to sustain one of Hollywood’s biggest brands, albeit with a record-breaking bill.
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