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Considering his humble beginnings in Hollywood as a cowboy hitchhiker in Thelma & Louise, it is fair to say Brad Pitt has become one of the most sought-out actors in the industry. And while his highly profitable movies were not the only thing filling up the tabloids, it would be foolish to not mention that the man knows how to play a role well and sell it to the masses. With the collection of awards tied to his name including Golden Globe and Academy Awards, we conjunctively find a variety of big-budget blockbusters and incredible performances. Indeed, a name as big as he has often been tied to not only high-profits but also big-budgets.
In this list, we will take a look at Brad Pitt's 10 most expensive films, ranked in order. And to confirm whether the high-stakes surrounding the movies were worth it, we will also take a look at the return in profit from each movie. A big thank you to IMDb's BoxOfficeMojo for gathering the data for box office sales and production costs.
Ad Astra ($100M)
This science fiction film was released this year and featured Brad Pitt as its central character. Herein, the story is set in a futuristic world where the Solar System experiences deficiencies capable of jeopardizing all human life on earth.
Brad Pitt's character is brought into the story as he sets out a quest to figure out the whereabouts of his father's mysterious disappearance. The technology-driven film was produced for $100M and resulted in a box office of $127M.
Deadpool 2 ($110M)
This comical twist on the usual output from Marvel Comics is the eleventh installment in the X-Men film series. It stars Ryan Reynolds as our witty and slightly inappropriate superhero "Deadpool" and sees a limited (and humorous) feature from Brad Pitt.
These kinds of movies with a lot of graphics, extensive fight scenes, costumes and more usually cost a pretty penny. As such, Deadpool 2 went for a $110M price tag but happily made up for it with a box office return of $785M.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith ($110M)
Many consider this movie to be where Brad Pitt first set eyes on his bride-to-be Angelina Jolie. Mr. & Mrs. Smith is yet another one of the actor's successful film and centers our main characters into an intense battle between love and war.
The action comedy film was well received by the masses and resulted in an output of $478.2M which entirely made up for its $110M price tag.
Allied ($113M)
Another love story helmed by Brad Pitt, but this time featuring another great actress, Marion Cotillard. The duo feature in a torrid love story and war thriller film wherein Pitt and Marion's character pose as a married couple during WW2 in order to complete a secret mission in Morrocco.
The moving story grasped the heart of its viewers by the heartstrings but did not do as well in the box office as expected. With a production cost of $113M and only a return of $119.5, many consider this to be a merely satisfying return on a huge investment.
Spy Game ($115M)
The 2001 spy film also featured Brad Pitt and was incredibly well received by film critics. It portrays the story of a retiring CIA agent and his struggle with escaping dark forces. Yet, with the help of a witty and well-trained accomplice, there is hope.
Both Robert Redford and Brad Pitt delivered exceptional performances in this film and the latter resulted in $143 million dollars in box office sales.
Megamind ($130M)
Here, we get to see Brad Pitt in-action in another way through this animated film. The famed actor voices the main character's former nemesis in the superhero comedy film Megamind. The movie follows the story of an alien with supreme intelligence and his quest to defeat his long-lasting enemy, Metro Man.
Here, we have the movie's main character voiced by Will Ferrell and the love interest helmed by Tina Fey. With $130M in production cost, the movie was a box-office hit with $321.9M dollars in sales worldwide.
Happy Feet Two ($135M)
Since the first movie, Happy Feet has indubitably created a frenzy around people's love for dancing penguins. And in the second installment of the film, we find actor Brad Pitt voicing the vibrant character "Will the Krill." The movie's success here relies on a variety of factors that includes a star-studded cast with the likes of Sofia Vergara, Matt Damon and Elijah Wood.
Moreover, the excitement surrounding a follow-up to the first story also contributed to the movie's epic success. Since its release, the family film generated $150M in output against its $135M cost. While much less successful than the first movie that generated $384M, it remains a considerable win at the box office.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ($167M)
Still mentioned as Brad Pitt's greatest movies to date, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one of the most successful films helmed by the actor in his career. A powerful story is told herein, precisely that of a man affected by a rare illness making him grow younger rather than older.
The movie features Brad Pitt in the titular role against Cate Blanchett, his devoted love interest. he movie went onto getting a slew of Academy Award nominations including some for the incredible performances put forth by Brad Pitt and Taraji P. Henson. With a production cost of $167M, the movie clocked in a massive return of $334M at the box office. High cost with high return, indeed.
Troy ($185M)
This epic historical war drama is based on the well-known story of Homer's Iliad, precisely the decade-long Trojan War. While the story itself condenses the events in a matter of weeks, the movie still grasps the tale beautifully.
We find here three amazing actors; Orlando Bloom, Eric Bana, and Brad Pitt, who each deliver dazzling performances. The movie was well-received by both critics and the masses. In the end, against a budget of $185M, the movie made an impressive $497M.
World War Z ($269M)
To finalize this great list of big-stakes movies, we have the epic tale of World War Z where Brad Pitt stars as the focal character in a zombie apocalyptic horror movie. The movie, which depicts the end of the world, was extremely pricey to make considering the number of effects to be added in.
With consideration of other production factors, it still managed to do pretty well at the box office and brought in a return of $540M in box office sales worldwide. It is Brad Pitt's most successful film to date.