Can John Carter Match Its Budget? Triumphs and Failures of Big Budget Cinema

While it is rumored to be higher, producers insist the budget of John Carter of Mars remains at $250,000,000. Either way you cut it though, a quarter of a billion dollars is more money than you can stuff a space ape with. It's not the only movie in recent memory with a huge budget if you can recall...

  • Avatar- $280 Million

  • Pirates of The Caribbean: At World's End: $300 Million
  • Spiderman 3- $258 Million

It's worth noting that regardless of your fanboy opinion of the above three, all of them met their financial goals (just barely on POTC though). These are just recent examples however. If you account for inflation, you'll find some more notable points where big budget films became classics.

  • Cleopatra- $300 Million
  • Superman- $200 Million
  • Titanic- $290 Million

Once again all of these films met their goals and went on to become defining landmarks in cinematic history. It would be foolish of course to leave out the big budget trash that has plagued the minds of producers for centuries. The most famous being

  • Waterworld $262 Million (adjusted for inflation)

Joining it in the box office flop category are the likes of Wild Wild West, Terminator Salvation, Green Lantern, Superman Returns...the list goes on and on. Which list do you think JCM belongs in?

Can John Carter succeed at grossing above its budget? I very much believe it can. From the very beginning I've said this is the next POTC, and considering this is based of one of the most influential sci-fi books of all time, I don't see how it can fail. The recent fan-made trailer reassured me that the team is staying true to the book, and with 7 more installments written after the original Princess of Mars, I can only hope this is a long running series for Disney.

...Besides if you can make your money back casting Topher Grace as Venom then I don't see how Hollywood can go wrong.

Email Me: MickJoest@Geektyrant.com Twitter: @MickJoest

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