Netflix’s smash-hit animated series Arcane is making waves again, and not just for its intense storyline. According to a new report by Variety, Arcane has officially claimed the title of the most expensive animated show ever, with a jaw-dropping production and promotional budget of $250 million.
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to bring the League of Legends universe to life, apparently it costs a fortune—or more precisely, two and a half fortunes. The first season, comprised of nine episodes, allegedly cost around $80 million to produce, while the upcoming second season pushed Riot Games’ budget nearly $100 million deeper. On top of all that, the folks at Riot reportedly threw in another $60 million just for promoting season one, aiming to ensure that no gamer, TV fan, or casual scroller missed Arcane’s explosive debut. Of course, League of Legends developer Riot Games has chosen to stay mysterious, declining to confirm any exact figures. But they did assure Variety, “We’re more than comfortable with the spend it took to deliver a show that was worthy of our players’ time.”
For Riot, Arcane was more than just a venture into the world of animated TV; it was the crown jewel of their foray into scripted entertainment—a step they’d announced five years ago. Despite the grand scale of the project and its widespread acclaim, it seems Arcane is poised to bow out after season two. Originally intended to span five seasons, those plans have been scrapped in favor of wrapping things up sooner. Still, Riot insists they haven’t scaled back their ambitions in entertainment, just recalibrated their timeline. Riot co-founder Marc Merrill shared, “We were never intending to operate like a traditional studio with traditional timelines. What did change as we learned more was our expectations of ourselves: We realized that getting it right takes a lot more time than we’d originally expected, and so we recalibrated our development, output goals, and teams with that in mind.”
Arcane, which centers on League of Legends fan favorites Jinx and Vi, voiced by Ella Purnell (Fallout) and Hailee Steinfeld (Hawkeye), respectively, has struck a chord with viewers. The two sisters find themselves embroiled in the escalating conflict between the shining city of Piltover and its dark, oppressed neighbor, Zaun. With its beautiful animation, layered storytelling, and characters who somehow manage to feel both fantastical and painfully real, Arcane resonated far beyond its gaming roots.
Season two’s release has fans buzzing once more. Act 1 of the new season arrives on Netflix on November 9. If the first season was any indication, we’re in for another visually stunning and emotionally packed journey—albeit one that’s not quite the five-season epic Riot had once envisioned.
