What Is The Production Budget Of Jason Momoa’s Chief Of War? (Photo Credit – Apple TV+)
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Chief of War, featuring Jason Momoa in the lead, premiered on Apple TV+ on August 1, 2025. The storyline follows the unification of the Hawaiian islands during the late 18th century. The show has reportedly been made with quite a hefty budget, which shows its high production value. The show has everything from detailed costumes to a great ensemble.
The historical drama, co-created by Momoa and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, is also being considered one of the most expensive series ever made by Apple TV+ so far. It’s quite a record. Scroll ahead if you wish to know more about the budget of the series.
What Is The Chief Of War’s Production Budget?
According to the NZ Herald, Chief of War has a budget of $340 million. The first season has nine episodes, costing an average of $37.8 million per episode. This makes it Apple TV+’s most expensive series so far, even higher than other rival streamers. According to reports, such a massive budget has been pulled in because of the location shoots, creating authentic and elaborate sets, status-accurate costumes, and getting a culturally accurate Polynesian cast.
Jason Momoa not only stars in this drama but also plays an important role as the writer, executive producer, and creator. Hans Zimmer was roped in to make the original background score for the show, which also impacted the series’ budget.
The storyline of Chief of War follows a Hawaiian war chief, Ka’iana (Momoa), who joins a campaign to unite the Hawaiian islands as he wants to save them from the threat of colonization. Although the story focuses on the Hawaiian tribe, it has been filmed in New Zealand as the country provides excellent infrastructure.
Chief Of War Is Among Apple TV+’s Slate Of High-Budget Shows
Apple TV+ is known for backing high-budget series. Many projects on the platform have recently gained critical and commercial success, including Severance, The Morning Show, and more. Jason Momoa is now gearing up for his upcoming series, See, which will also release on Apple TV+.
Although the total budget of that series is more than the Chief of War’s, totaling around $360 million, it consists of 24 episodes, which means each episode will cost around $15 million (less than the Chief of War’s per episode amount).
The way Apple TV+ has taken responsibility for the high-end production budget of Chief of War shows the streamer’s commitment to delivering cinematic excellence. So far, Jason Momoa’s series is getting positive reviews from the audience and critics. If you haven’t watched it yet, start streaming on Apple TV+.
