10 Most Expensive Westerns Ever Made: Wild West Budgets and Box Office Bombs

Western films are some of the most iconic and celebrated Movies! And it appears, those movies cost a great deal to produce! The best directors and filmmakers have some amazing movies to showcase.

id="expensive-westerns">Expensive Westerns

Over time these classic Western Movies are some of the greatest in history and to have a great movie, it's got to be done with attention to detail. You will see a lot of creativity.

If a filmmaker has a dream to create something unforgettable, the budget usually is bigger and bigger, and we'll look at the top 10 of those big-budget projects.

All of these movies had the budgets adjusted for inflation so you get an idea of just how costly these productions were in their time.

Also Read: Best Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday Movies: A Wild Ride Through the Old West

Number 10 - The Horse Whisperer (1998):

Robert Redford petting his horse and looking at it fondly on The Horse Whisperer Image

The film, The Horse Whisperer, a dramatization, had an epic production cost!

It’s known as an amazing story full of heartwarming moments.

The movie was created for $115 Million in the year it was made! This takes us back to 1998.
While this movie cost a huge sum of money, it was successful at the box office and received a lot of great reviews.
Robert Redford takes on the role of a character who heals not only a woman (played by Scarlett Johansson). but her horse!

This unique, powerful film helps remind audiences that a big budget is sometimes all about a more introspective look, something about the deep connection people share.

Also Read: Tombstone: Why This Western Movie Is So Awesome

Number 9- The Alamo (1960):

This is another big movie! The Alamo was originally created as a big budget Western, the movie was going to change the Western genre and even be something unforgettable! That includes this special actor.

John Wayne. You know, this iconic movie star took center stage.
What really gave this film its special charm is that it was an ambitious vision, where he starred as a soldier from Texas who helped give us one of the greatest moments in U.S. history - The Battle of The Alamo in 1836! The whole cast made it so special.

Even those who were making the film made this an experience for the books. The creators had a goal in mind- creating the movie in such a way that it was as accurate to the history. They had to build this big structure on set! To show how real it was!

A replica! The production staff built The Alamo Mission.

You might think that this movie cost a huge sum and it really does. This 1960 film was a big, amazing feat! What really helped it to be so great was that it cost $128 Million when adjusted for inflation! This production went on to be an incredible experience. That was great, right? What makes this even more interesting is that the film earned nominations, including seven Oscar nominations, which is huge!

The problem? This huge budget wasn't able to find a large enough audience and never got its due, although it did garner praise from many critics!

Also Read: The Best John Wayne Movies: A Guide to His Most Iconic Films

Number 8- The Alamo (2004):

Years later, this iconic story came back in 2004. This made an interesting addition to a genre that had been successful with many different versions!

They created an incredible remake, the biggest story in Texas' history.
It made another massive statement.
This re-imagining of The Alamo featured some amazing actors like Billy Bob Thornton in the lead role!
Jason Patric played the iconic Jim Bowie

What stands out about The Alamo? Well, a story with lots of passion and historical impact!

It was also an interesting endeavor in giving audiences a chance to take a deeper look and to appreciate these events and individuals. It's not an easy feat to accomplish as this movie has garnered its share of critics, although it shows its real-world value by looking deeper at what makes The Alamo so important. This re-imagining is known as a huge flop at the box office with only $30 million in worldwide revenue. A major problem that it also had was an incredible budget of about $130 Million! The studio's effort was incredible, though. With hopes of capturing the essence of this battle and historical moment.
What really stood out about The Alamo is the fact that there's a huge need for both accuracy, and compelling stories that audiences truly will fall in love with.

Also Read: Top Kevin Costner Movies: The Ultimate Guide to His Best Films

Number 7- Wyatt Earp (1994):

Kevin Costner as Wyatt Earp Shoots a Pistol Into the Distance in Wyatt Earp 1994 Image

For the sake of these movies, "Wyatt Earp," really was something else. It features a unique moment with one of the most iconic figures of the West- "Wyatt Earp."!

We get a long look at the world through a new pair of eyes with the great, multi-talented star.

Kevin Costner took the leading role in the movie.

Costner was given the challenge to give us an intense, emotionally moving portrayal that was full of depth!

The film is known as a biographical masterpiece as well as a story filled with heart.

Earp starts his adventure as a rancher, eventually working to protect the West.
There were moments that were filled with intense conflict that led to the iconic Gunfight at The O.K. Corral

The budget in 1994 is now at $145 Million. If you can't imagine how much was spent for those sets, costumes, weapons and more. But with these large numbers you can certainly see why there is an interesting comparison to other films.

At the box office, however. It may not have been as successful, but that doesn't make it a failure. This movie features other talented, notable actors:

Dennis Quaid in his part of Doc Holliday
Gene Hackman in the role of Nicholas Earp

id="number-6-the-revenant-2015">Number 6- The Revenant (2015): 51litgyecu2kmatichyogeykciu.jpg Image

You're getting a very, special glimpse of some very tough, realistic, moments.

The film explores the West and it seems that this adventure goes far beyond!

Leonardo DiCaprio, is always a crowd favorite!
DiCaprio steps into the role of "Hugh Glass," a very recognizable story in the world of Westerns.

DiCaprio really has the amazing ability to go through it all and be able to show this really compelling fight.

The production staff behind "The Revenant," they also had the idea of taking filmmaking in a different direction. That is by using a special approach, natural lighting. And that made shooting extremely challenging! They made a movie full of powerful moments but a truly demanding shoot for the entire cast!

What stands out about this movie is the amount of passion and energy that goes into it!

There's even a great story about its cost that went over $151 Million!
It came together and earned major praise!

id="number-5-heavens-gate-1980">Number 5- Heaven's Gate (1980): The Revenant Movie Poster Image

The history of movies, in this specific case, is an event that everyone will recall. This particular movie! The behind-the-scenes, it's a story for the ages! It looks to show what it takes to have a huge vision! The movie brings us back to 1980 as it focuses on this amazing character.

The amazing "Michael Cimino", known for his powerful, dramatic films, was the director.

Heaven's Gate
Michael Cimino

He has so much passion and was set to make his vision come to life!

This was such a powerful statement from this amazing director and this 1980 production was going to bring it all home! Heaven's Gate is known as a big moment and gave us an intense story!

The time period of "Heaven's Gate was based in the 1890s!
There was a battle of power between European immigrants and wealthy land barons! The vision was so immense. There was just a great deal of controversy about the film’s quality. The cost! That is where it's notable! In the modern day, it cost over $163 Million! The big story behind this big, historic project is one for the books as the money didn't bring it home.

A powerful, almost epic, vision that gave us a movie. But it wasn't a box office hit, but the filmmaker also struggled with criticism. The critics were very skeptical.

The entire story of Heaven's Gate, its failure in the marketplace! This changed how studios created and handled filmmaking forever!

id="number-4-rango-2011"> Number 4- Rango (2011):

Not everyone was expecting this type of movie from Rango! But that is what makes it so exciting and entertaining!

It gives us an animated look, but what makes this special?

Johnny Depp stars as the character "Rango", a chameleon who ends up in this crazy town! The setting makes it interesting: "Dirt,"
And Rango creates all sorts of situations! His amazing ability to tell stories makes his performance iconic and a truly well-loved animated series.

You'll find out what makes Rango so special!

What's so cool about "Rango" is that the story is so well done with a look into the main characters, such as a "chameleon!"
It features a big budget.
While this animated Western movie had an incredible cost of about $180 Million! It brought in awards like an Oscar.
The fact that it won a "Best Animated Feature" award!

There was so much more behind Rango! This movie is a breath of fresh air as it takes this genre in new, surprising and awesome ways.

id="number-3-home-on-the-range-2004">Number 3- Home on The Range (2004):

This story gives us a group of farm animals that come together.

Disney made this incredible animation in 2004.

You will be looking at something a bit out there in the wild! The film brought us back to hand-drawn animation before all the big-budget CGI features. It features "Maggie," who had a starring role in this memorable story. She joins a cast of talented voice performers.

What makes this movie special?

This iconic cast was able to make "Home on the Range" a fantastic addition to the Western world.
However, in the modern age it also is known for being a major flop at the box office! The film's production cost came out to about $194 Million, however, it brought in reviews that weren't terrible. You could even see it on many lists of the best underrated Disney animated films of the 21st century!

id="number-2-cowboys-aliens-2011">Number 2- Cowboys & Aliens (2011):

Here's something new for you! In 2011, it seems that everyone wants to push those boundaries! "Cowboys & Aliens" is the combination of a Western, with science fiction!

Fans will get a big moment that took this whole movie genre to the next level.

"Cowboys & Aliens stars, a big duo! There is "Daniel Craig and "Harrison Ford!

In a setting in the West that has a retro feel in the 1870s! The movie, "Cowboys & Aliens, is full of excitement! But also has some incredible effects as well. In "Cowboys & Aliens," audiences will see what a truly exciting journey is!

While this was an incredible movie it wasn't the best performance at the box office!

It had to be costly as they brought out a massive production with all its impressive elements.
It ended up coming in with a huge production cost of about $220 Million!

Even if it had its downsides, it's hard not to appreciate a film that gave a wild ride, one that is one of the most creative of its time.

id="number-1-the-lone-ranger-2013">Number 1- The Lone Ranger (2013):

One film that made history. At this moment, it sits at number one and you may not believe it, as some films really have huge costs behind them. That's where "The Lone Ranger sits at the very top!

The film was a wild adventure as Disney, decided they needed to remake the classic Western franchise.

It featured an incredible pair of actors!

"Armie Hammer" as The Lone Ranger, an unforgettable role.
Johnny Depp stars as "Tonto,"

What makes "The Lone Ranger", unique is its historical accuracy with some truly spectacular set designs, train sets and all the characters that were featured!

However, The Lone Ranger didn't live up to its great vision! The cost was too big as it went all the way up to $294 Million in production cost, the movie cost more than $220 million! to produce with a budget exceeding its price tag.
What makes this a tragic moment for filmmaking was how big the price tag was. And unfortunately "The Lone Ranger" wasn't a box office success! There's something else that made it memorable. It had one major criticism from fans concerning a lack of historical accuracy when casting "Depp" as a "Native American"
This was not the movie that fans were looking for! The film's failure made it into an all-time flop.

Despite how expensive the film was it really had some incredible things going on!

That really captures the essence of the Western film era.

There were several major stories in this era and now we've highlighted the top 10 and you can see why each is incredibly popular in the "Western" genre. This genre had a truly magnificent run and even some great movies, you see a lot of failures in trying to capture something as timeless and impactful.

We'll have to see which movies rise to the top as new projects keep being made but in the meantime you can appreciate some of the classic stories!

10 Most Expensive Westerns Ever Made: Wild West Budgets and Box Office Bombs

Number 10 - The Horse Whisperer (1998):

Number 9- The Alamo (1960):

Number 8- The Alamo (2004):

Number 7- Wyatt Earp (1994):

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