Arcane, the hit animated League of Legends series on Netflix, reportedly cost $250 million to produce, making it the most expensive animated series ever. Season 2 is set to air this month on the streaming service in batches, consisting of nine episodes in total. Netflix previously revealed that the show would only consist of two seasons. New reports suggest that its production and marketing budgets collectively brought it over $250 million.
As reported by Animexnews, the budget for Arcane is apparently somewhere north of $250 million. Breaking down the costs, the site revealed that the first season cost around $80 million to produce while the second season likely cost $100 million. League of Legends developer Riot Games reportedly spent a further $60 million on marketing and promotion, bringing the total up to $250 million.
As for the reasons why Arcane costs so much, there are several factors involved. The report broke it down in three points:
- Labor-Intensive Approach: The production process for Arcane is known to be highly detailed and time-consuming.
- Script Delays: Variety reports that frequent cost overruns were triggered by delayed script deliveries, especially for the second season, which began production with only a fraction of the season written.
- Extended Development Time: The show’s creators have emphasised the importance of “getting it right,” which has led to longer development periods than initially expected.
None of these figures have ever been reported in an official capacity by Riot Games or Netflix so we recommend taking it with a grain of salt for now. If it is accurate, then Arcane will be the most expensive animated series ever made, at least outside of anime.
In related news, Netflix is removing several of its interactive titles from the streaming service. In total, the company will remove 20 movies and shows, bringing the overall number down from 24 to 4. This includes titles like Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend, Ranveer vs. Wild with Bear Grylls, and You vs. Wild. Read more about it right here.
Arcane season 2 debuts on 9 November 2024.
Source: Animexnews
