Movies can be expensive to make, and making a blockbuster movie can be frighteningly expensive. But how does it compare to luxury liner construction in the early 1900s?
One of the popular myths in Hollywood that I hear people bring up is that the budget for the movie Titanic was actually more than the cost of the ship that sank.
But is it true? Today on “Movie Myths Monday,” we’ll dig into this common myth and see if there’s any truth to it.
Let’s dive in.
titanic boat budget
Let’s start with the actual Titanic, the boat. The RMS Titanic was the largest moving man-made object of its time, hence its name.
The boat itself was built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast in 1912 at a cost of approximately $7.5 million.
So, adjusting for inflation to 1997 (the year the movie was released), that amount equates to roughly $120 million to $150 million.
That’s almost enough money to make a major movie.
titanic movie budget
James Cameron doesn’t make small movies. He was famous for being a perfectionist, and this was reflected in his production of Titanic.
The entire time the cast and crew were addicted to PCP, it was a negative.
It’s a Fox movie, and there’s actually a great podcast called Blockbuster that breaks down the entire story.
The budget ballooned from an initial estimate of $100 million to a whopping $200 million. At the time, the film was the most expensive film ever made, and many industry insiders predicted it would be a “Waterworld”-level financial disaster.
People were panicking.
Why were movies so expensive?
Aside from paying the cast, crew, and everyone who crossed the line, Titanic was a big movie that relied on practical effects and sets to sell it to the world.
Here are just some of the things they spent their money on.
Horizon Tank: A special 17 million gallon aquarium was built in Baja California, Mexico for the film. Model: A near-life-size (90%) replica of the ship was built, which alone cost millions of dollars. Digital Innovation: In 1997, CGI was still in its relative infancy. Cameron pushed the boundaries of technology, placing data digitally onboard the ship and creating realistic water physics. Historical Accuracy: From the specific patterns of the china in the prestigious dining room to the branding of the life jackets, the production spared no expense in replicating the authentic.
Comparison of the two
Both “Titanic” films are very famous, one was a disaster and the other was the highest-grossing film of all time until it was succeeded by James Cameron’s “Avatar.”
The real ship was a financial loss for the White Star Line, sinking on its maiden voyage and resulting in multi-million dollar insurance claims. So I think they may have made some of them at some point.
The film grossed over $2.2 billion worldwide. With that profit, you could technically build a fleet of almost 17 identical Titanics today. Or some have plenty of lifeboats for everyone.
bring it all together
I think the important point here is that the movie Titanic was a money-making machine that didn’t sink, but exploded at the box office and paid back investors.
The boat sank and many people died, but it changed the culture, some laws, and gave us some great movies.
Yes, this movie was technically more expensive than the original boat, so keep that fun fact in your back pocket to take out at parties.
Let us know what you think in the comments.
