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After a long gap of twelve years, Harry Potter is finally returning to screens. HBO Max recently announced that JK Rowling's beloved Harry Potter books will be made into a television series. The creators have also said that the production will come with a massive budget, perhaps even surpassing that of the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon.
With a budget of $20 million per episode, House of the Dragon was one of the most expensive fantasy TV series that was produced. Featuring elaborate sets, costumes, and visual effects that included CGI dragons, it makes sense that the show required a high budget to bring such an elaborate fantasy world to life.
The new Harry Potter reboot is expected to exceed these numbers, with HBO CEO Casey Bloys confirming that the show's budget will be close to, or even bigger than House Of The Dragon. Bloys said at a recent event:
“It will be that scale or higher. Whatever it takes to make a quality show.”
While it is not surprising that a show like Harry Potter, which requires intricate sets, elaborate costumes, and a whole new cast, would have such a large budget, there have been several other shows that have been made on bigger budgets.
From the Lord of the Rings prequel series to Stranger Things, here are three shows that had expensive production budgets.
The Rings of Power and 2 other shows that were made on an extravagant budget
1) The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Amazon Prime’s The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power is one of the most expensive television series ever made, with a production budget of around $58 million per episode. While Amazon Studios reportedly paid the Tolkien Estate $250 million for the rights alone, the first season of the show itself had a hefty production budget of nearly $465 million.
Set in the fictional world of Middle-earth created by J.R.R. Tolkien, the series takes place during the Second Age of Middle-earth, which is thousands of years before the events of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The series explores the history and mythology of Middle-earth, including the rise of Sauron, the creation of the Rings of Power, and the events that led to the first defeat of the Dark Lord by the armies of the Last Alliance.
The overall budget of the show is eventually expected to exceed US$1 billion, making Rings of Power the most expensive series in television history. With extravagant sets, detailed costumes, complex visual effects, and a large ensemble cast, it is understandable that the show would have one of the biggest budgets ever seen for a TV series.
2) Stranger Things
Stranger Things is one of Netflix's most successful series, with millions of viewers tuning in to watch each season. The series is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the 1980s and revolves around a group of friends who encounter supernatural phenomena.
The show's fourth season, which was released in two parts, had a budget of $30 million per episode, making it one of the costliest television seasons of all time as well as the most expensive season of the series. The series' special effects, detailed set designs, and ensemble cast have all led to higher production budgets for each subsequent season.
Despite the high production costs, Stranger Things has been a huge success for Netflix, attracting millions of viewers and generating significant revenue for the streaming service.
3) MCU shows on Disney+
The MCU has produced several television series that are set within the same continuity as the films of the franchise. Typical of any Marvel production, each of these shows comes with its own fanbase and loyal audiences.
With shows like Hawkeye (2021), The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (2021), WandaVision (2021), Loki (2021), and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (2022), Marvel has established its dominance in the television sector as well. Disney+ and Marvel Studios have reportedly spent a whopping $25 million on each of these shows.
While Marvel is already known for its expensive movie budgets, the studio's venture into television also came with relatively high production costs. However, it is not surprising that popular shows like these require big budgets to maintain the high standards set by the films and to ensure that audiences continue to engage with the overall narrative of the MCU.
Apart from a big budget, the Harry Potter TV series is also expected to be a faithful adaptation of the original books, with each book from the Harry Potter saga being made into a single individual season. The show will also feature a brand new cast, with author JK Rowling serving as executive producer.
While there has been considerable backlash and complaints from Harry Potter fans regarding a Harry Potter reboot, the outcome of the show will have to be waited and watched.
