League of Legends spin-off Arcane most expensive animated series ever, report says

Both seasons of League of Legends spin-off Arcane cost a total of approximately $250m USD to create and promote, making it the most expensive animated series of all time.

That’s according to a new report by Variety, with sources telling the publication the $250m figure covered production and promotion costs for Arcane’s two seasons, comprised of 18 episodes in total. The show’s first nine episodes are said to have seen a production cost “north of $80m”, while the second set of nine episodes – which will make up the show’s final season – reportedly had a production cost “approaching” the $100m mark.

Variety claims development costs were pushed up due to “a labour-intensive approach and frequent cost overruns triggered by delayed script deliveries after the second season was put into production with only a fraction of the season written”.

In addition, League of Legends developer Riot reportedly spent $60m promoting the first season of the animated spin-off, which released on Netflix in 2021. Variety says this figure is more than other studios would ordinarily spend to promote a show they weren’t distributing.