Raking it in and dishing it out: The most lucrative and expensive Chicago productions

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It’s clear that not every movie filmed in Chicago has made money. Take High Fidelity, the John Cusack vehicle about record collecting, love and, unofficially, the Purple Line. That 2000 flick only pulled in $27 million at the box office, a few million fewer than its $30 million production budget, according to Box Office Mojo.

But there have been some Second City blockbusters over the years. (We can assume, too, that Transformers 3 will fall into this category.)

Director Christopher Nolan directed The Dark Knight, that venerable Batman flick from two years ago, here in Chicago. And despite not even earning a nod for the Academy Award’s Best Picture category, it is one of the top-grossing films of all time.

Do you know what’s cooler than making all that money? Do you know what’s better than a Best Picture Oscar? I’d have to say flipping a tractor trailer end-over-end on the Loop’s La Salle Street. But that’s just me.

Here, Loopster breaks down some of the highest grossing and most costly movies made in Chicago. (And we couldn’t resist throwing in a few of our favorites.)

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