Most Expensive Movies Debuting on Streaming in 2021

Going to the movies used to be the only way to see new releases upon their unveiling, but 2020 changed that. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, movie ticket sales drastically declined from $11.3 billion in 2019 to $2.1 billion in 2020, according to Box Office Mojo.

Related: Biggest-Budget Movies Directed by Women
Read: The Richest of the Rich: See How Much Tom Hanks and More A-List Movie Stars Are Worth

Since the COVID-19 pandemic has continued well into 2021, studios such as Warner Bros. and Disney have responded by releasing movies directly onto streaming platforms. In fact, Warner Bros. sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry in December by announcing that all of its 2021 films will debut simultaneously on HBO Max and in theaters.

The latest among them is “The Suicide Squad,” which hits theaters and HBO Max on Aug. 6.

More: The Biggest Box Office Bombs of the Past Decade

While releasing films directly to streaming platforms is new to traditional studios, Netflix has been experimenting with big-budget films for a few years now. For example, the streaming giant spent $90 million to make its 2017 film “Bright,” starring Will Smith, according to Deadline. In the case of “The Suicide Squad,” Variety said Warner Bros. is hoping the film will have a splashy opening weekend at the box office and drive movie fans to subscribe to HBO Max.

Only time will tell if audiences prefer heading to theaters to see new releases or want to watch them in the comfort of their homes. From the films already released in 2021, we have some indication, based on box office returns. However, plenty of big-budget films headed straight to streaming platforms remain to be released in 2021, while some of the year’s anticipated offerings have been shuffled to 2022. Here’s a preview of the most expensive films on the lineup.

Last updated: Aug. 6, 2021

• Studio: Warner Bros.
• Streaming service: HBO Max
• Budget: $40 million
• Release date: June 4
• Box office earnings: $65.2 million domestic, $132.3 million international
• Genre: Horror/mystery/thriller
• Director: Michael Chaves

Looking Back at 2020: How Much Money Did the Film Industry Lose?

• Studio: Netflix
• Streaming service: Netflix
• Budget: $41 million
• Earliest release date: Rescheduled to 2022
• Genre: Biography/drama
• Director: Andrew Dominik

Find Out: Netflix’s Most Expensive Productions Ever

• Studio: Warner Bros.
• Streaming service: HBO Max
• Budget: $55 million
• Release date: June 11
• Box office earnings: $29.7 million domestic, $13.2 million international
• Genre: Drama/musical/romance
• Director: Jon M. Chu

Read More: Streaming Services That Offer the Best Variety of Movies for Your Family

• Studio: Disney
• Streaming service: Disney+
• Budget: $65 million (estimate)
• Earliest release date: Rescheduled to 2022
• Genre: Adventure/family/fantasy
• Director: David Lowery

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Disney and Other Big Companies in 2021

• Studio: Warner Bros.
• Streaming service: HBO Max
• Budget: $68 million
• Earliest release date: Aug. 20
• Genre: Romance/sci-fi/thriller
• Director: Lisa Joy

Don’t Miss: Most Successful Action Movies in the Past 10 Years

• Studio: Netflix
• Streaming service: Netflix
• Budget: $70 million
• Release date: May 21
• Genre: Action/horror/sci-fi
• Director: Zack Snyder

Find Out: What These 32 Netflix Stars Did Before They Were Famous

• Studio: Netflix
• Streaming service: Netflix
• Budget: $75 million
• Earliest release date: Late 2021
• Genre: Comedy
• Director: Adam McKay

Read: Netflix, Redbox and More of the Best and Worst Company Makeovers

• Studio: Disney
• Streaming service: Disney+
• Budget: $85 million (estimate)
• Earliest release date: Rescheduled to 2022
• Genre: Animation/adventure/comedy
• Director: Adam Shankman

Read: Major Financial Risks Walt Disney Took in His Career

• Studio: Warner Bros.
• Streaming service: HBO Max
• Budget: $95 million (estimate)
• Release date: April 8
• Box office earnings: $42.2 million domestic, $41.4 million international
• Genre: Action/adventure/fantasy/sci-fi/thriller
• Director: Simon McQuoid

Read: 19 Sequels That Made Much More Than the First Film

• Studio: Warner Bros.
• Streaming service: HBO Max
• Budget: $100 million
• Earliest release date: Nov. 19
• Genre: Drama
• Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green

Film Trivia: Critically Acclaimed Movies That Bombed at the Box Office

• Studio: Disney
• Streaming service: Disney+
• Budget: $100 million-$200 million (estimate)
• Earliest release date: 2021
• Genre: Animation/fantasy/musical
• Director: Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson

Read More: Is It Worth Subscribing to Disney+ and Other Streaming Services Now?

• Studio: Warner Bros.
• Streaming service: HBO Max
• Budget: $150 million (estimate)
• Earliest release date: Dec. 22
• Genre: Action/sci-fi
• Director: Lana Wachowski

Find Out: 15 Highest-Grossing Actors of All Time

• Studio: Warner Bros.
• Streaming service: HBO Max
• Budget: $150 million
• Release date: July 16
• Box office earnings: $62.7 million domestic, $59.3 million international
• Genre: Adventure/animation/comedy/family/fantasy/sci-fi/sports
• Director: Malcolm D. Lee

Look: 10 Highest-Paid Movie Roles of All Time

• Studio: Disney
• Streaming service: Disney+
• Budget: $150 million-$175 million (estimate)
• Release date: March 5
• Box office earnings: $54.7 million domestic, $67.9 million international
• Genre: Action/adventure/animation/comedy/family/fantasy/musical
• Director: Don Hall, Carlos Lopez Estrada, Paul Briggs, John Ripa

More: The 22 Highest-Grossing Movies Starring Athletes

• Studio: Netflix
• Streaming service: Netflix
• Budget: $160 million
• Earliest release date: Nov. 12
• Genre: Action/adventure/comedy
• Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber

Read: Oscar Winners With Surprisingly Low Paychecks

• Studio: Warner Bros.
• Streaming service: HBO Max
• Budget: $160 million
• Earliest release date: March 31
• Box office earnings: $100.6 million domestic, $366.9 million international
• Genre: Action/sci-fi/thriller
• Director: Adam Wingard

Find Out: The Richest Celebrity From Every State

• Studio: Warner Bros.
• Streaming service: HBO Max
• Budget: $175 million
• Earliest release date: Oct. 22
• Genre: Adventure/drama/sci-fi
• Director: Denis Villenueve

Don’t Miss: 15 Highest-Grossing Actors of All Time

• Studio: Warner Bros.
• Streaming service: HBO Max
• Budget: $185 million
• Release date: Aug. 6
• Genre: Action/adventure/fantasy/mystery/sci-fi
• Director: James Gunn

Find Out: The 28 Richest Actresses of All Time

• What Money Topics Do You Want Covered: Ask the Financially Savvy Female
• The 29 Biggest Car Mistakes That Will Cost You
• Nominate Your Favorite Small Business To Be Featured on GOBankingRates
• 40 Money Habits That Can Leave You Broke

Jami Farkas contributed to the reporting for this article.

Photo Disclaimer: Photos are for representational purposes only.

Methodology: GOBankingRates looked at movies expected to debut through a streaming service in 2021, then used a variety of sources to find budget figures or estimates for as many films as possible. We then used Box Office Mojo and IMDb to find possible release date, genre and director information for all movies that had budget expectations available.