What was the approximate budget of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz?

The approximate budget of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz was $2.8 million.

MGM’s production records put the final cost at roughly $2.777 million, commonly rounded to $2.8 million. That made the film one of the studio’s most expensive productions at the time. Its elaborate sets, large cast, extensive costumes, special effects, and use of three-strip Technicolor all contributed to the unusually high cost.

Filming began in October 1938 and continued into March 1939, with additional work and reshoots afterward. The production also went through several directors, including Richard Thorpe, George Cukor, Victor Fleming, and King Vidor, adding to its complicated history and expense.

Despite its lasting fame, the film did not immediately produce a major profit for MGM. Its first release earned about $3.017 million in worldwide rentals, but marketing, distribution, and other costs meant the studio initially recorded a loss. The film finally became profitable after later re-releases, especially the 1949 return to theaters.

Thus, $2.8 million is the appropriate rounded answer, while $2.777 million is the commonly cited precise figure.