Andorshowrunner Tony Gilroy has confirmed theStar Warsshow’s massive rumored budget. Streaming budgets have ballooned over the years, with epic shows likeStranger Things,The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,Severance, andThe Wheel of Timecosting inordinate amounts of money (The Rings of Powerseason 1, for instance, cost Amazon an estimated $462 million). Comparatively speaking, most, though certainly not all, of theStar Warslive-action shows were produced on relatively modest budgets.
Obi-Wan KenobiandAhsokacost between $90-100 million per season, while one season ofThe Mandaloriancosts around $120 million. Recently, however,Star Wars’ streaming budgets have turned the tide;The Acolyte, which was canceled after one season, had a reported budget of $231 million, andAndor’s budget went far beyond that. During a recent panel at the ATX Television Festival (viaIndieWire),Gilroy confirmed thatAndorspent a whopping $650 million combined on both seasons.
“I mean, [for] Disney, this is $650 million,” [Gilroy] said. “For 24 episodes, I never took a note. We said ‘F*ck the Empire’ in the first season, and they said, ‘Can you please not do that?’ … In Season 2, they said, ‘Streaming is dead, we don’t have the money we had before,’ so we fought hard about money, but they never cleaned anything up. That [freedom] comes with responsibilities.”
Disney Is Stepping Back From Streaming
Given the size ofAndor’s budget, it is, in all honesty, a miracle that audiences got to see this series, and it’s even more surprising that Gilroy, by his own account, dealt with very little oversight. As Gilroy confesses, he and Disney did clash over the money at certain points, and understandably so, but he still got to tell the story he wanted to without holding back.Andoris about dictatorships, genocide, and the personal cost of rebellion, and Disney’s support of it, both financially and artistically, has been a pleasant surprise.
Perhaps, given Disney’s support ofAndor, it may be a shock to hear they believe that“streaming is dead,”but it shouldn’t be. Disney+ doesn’t have the same pull as a platform like Netflix does with its original shows, no matter what major franchise they may be attached to. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is cutting back on creating new streaming series, and so isStar Wars. Only one live-actionStar Warsshow is currently in the works (Ahsokaseason 2), a major change from the last few years when audiences could expect two or three new seasons within months.
If the streaming bubble had to burst, I’m glad it remained in place long enough to give usAndor.
Disney and Lucasfilm are heading back to the big screen, with two confirmed upcoming releases –The Mandalorian and GroguandStar Wars: Starfighter– and a handful of otherStar Warsmovie projects in active (or not-so-active) development. Disney’s focus on the theatrical experience is understandable. Right now, it’s a safer bet. But if the streaming bubble had to burst, I’m glad it remained in place long enough to give usAndor.
Our Take On Andor’s Budget
It’s difficult to calculate exactly howAndor’s budget was spent. We do, however, know that Gilroy andAndor’s crew heavily favored location shoots and massive, practical sets, which is an expensive yet worthwhile endeavor. Very few live-actionStar Warsshows look and feel as good asAndor. Everything is tangible, and that translates to the actors’ performances.
I also genuinely believeAndorhas done more forStar Wars’reputationas a franchise than any otherStar Warsshow. Yes,The Mandalorianwas a massive hit when it was first released, but even that sub-franchise has lost some of its luster, especially after a divisive third season. On the other hand,Andorhas shown audiences a different side ofStar Wars. It has amplified the franchise’s most important themes while respecting the source material and given viewers a new, more mature perspective on the galaxy far, far away.
Can you truly put a price on the kind of critical acclaim and universal praise thatAndorhas received in the wake of season 2?It’s still being discussed and analyzed in the media, even weeks after the finale aired on Disney+.Andorhas given audiences and creators a glimpse of whatStar Warscan be, and that kind of limitless potential is arguably priceless.
2026
Ahsokaseason 2 (live-action)
Andor
Cast
Andor is a Star Wars prequel series set before the events of Rogue One, following Cassian Andor as he navigates a world of danger and deception. The series delves into his transformation into a pivotal figure in the struggle against the Galactic Empire.
