Highest Grossing Movies Made in Austin, Texas

In our last blog post, we looked at the top 10 movies filmed in Austin based on their Rotten Tomatoes score. In this list we rank movies based on how much money they made to prove that you CAN film in Austin and profit!

If you want to visit some of these film locations with a guide, check out our Austin Film Tour.

#1. Alita: Battle Angel (2019) - $405 Million

Director Robert Rodriguez is known for filming in Austin and making the most of a small budget. He filmed Alita: Battle Angel at Austin Studios for $150-200 million. With a profit of over $200 million, it's no wonder a sequel is in the works!

#2 True Grit (2010) - $252 Million

It's the 4th highest grossing Western film and the Coen brothers' highest grossing film ever! With a budget of $35 million, it beats the profit margin of the first film on our list.

Want to visit a location from the film? Check it out on our Austin Film Tour!

#3 Miss Congeniality (2000) - $212 Million

While it may not have the highest Rotten Tomato ratings, Miss Congeniality captured its audience, brought in a substantial amount of money, and led to this viral clip which continues to make the rounds on the internet.

Translated into today's currency, Miss Congeniality would have made $418 million, actually beating the number 1 movie on our list!

Want to visit a location from the film? Check it out on our Austin Film Tour!

#4 Spy Kids 3-D (2003) - $197 Million

Normally sequels don't get very far in the box office but Spy Kids 3 broke that trend. Whether it was due to it being one of the first major 3D feature films on the market or because people really loved the Spy Kids series, Spy Kids 3 easily surpassed its $40 million production budget. Director Robert Rodriguez used his earnings to build his own Troublemaker Studios in Austin.

Robert Rodriguez highlights many of Austin's famous landmarks in this film. Check them out on our Austin Film Tour!

#5 Sin City (2005) - $159 Million

You may not be surprised to see another Robert Rodriguez film on this list. With a production budget of $40 million dollars, this financially successful comic adaptation led to a sequel. Currently there are talks about creating a streaming series.

#6 Spy Kids (2001)- $147 Million

It's the OG of the Spy Kids series featuring actors that Gen X will know and love. Director Robert Rodriguez had trouble getting financing at first since his story featured Hispanic Americans. Fortunately for us (and for him!), Dimension Films put faith in the director and the story. With a production budget of $35 million, it became Dimension Films' 2nd highest grossing film!

Filming took place all over Austin. Check out some of these notable locations on our Austin Film Tour!

#7 A Perfect World (1993) - $135 Million

Adjusted for inflation, this film would be #2 on our list with an adjusted gross of $295 million! Clint Eastwood directs and acts in this film that explores whether a criminal is born or made and if the answer to that gives us the power to determine whether they live or die.

Featuring Laura Dern the same year her iconic Jurassic Park role was released and garnering Kevin Costner great reviews for his portrayal of Butch Haynes, this film is one to watch!

Want to visit a location from the film? Check it out on our Austin Film Tour!

#8 Predators (2010) - $127 Million

Directed by Nimrod Antal and produced by Robert Rodriguez, it's no wonder Predators was shot in Austin! Like many films that use Texas actors, crew, and locations, Troublemaker Studios received a large tax benefit that continues to attract filmmakers to Austin and Texas today.

#9 Spy Kids 2 - $119 Million

By this point, I don't think you'll be surprised to find another Spy Kids movie on this list! With a production budget of $38 million (right around that $30-40 million mark that the other Spy Kids movies budgeted), Spy Kids 2 gave Troublemaker Studios a lot of money!

Want to visit a location from the film? Check it out on our Austin Film Tour!

 #10 Spy Kids 4 (2011) - $85 million

8 years after the last Spy Kids movie was made Director Robert Rodriguez returned with a mix of the new and old cast. Spy Kids 4's success proves that the story of Spy Kids is still popular with audiences. With a $27 million budget, it has been one of the more affordable Spy Kids movies to make .

Want to visit a location from the film? Check it out on our Austin Film Tour!

There are many more films that have been filmed in Austin and if we left out your favorites, maybe they're on our list of top 10 highest rated movies filmed in Austin.

If you like movies and are visiting Austin, your trip wouldn't be complete without an Austin Film Tour. We visit many film locations and more! Book Today!

See y'all soon!