Andor’s Massive Budget Breaks Star Wars Record

A new report disclosed an estimate for Andor‘s surprising Disney+ budget. 

Lucasfilm’s Andor has always stood apart from other Star Wars Disney+ series due to its mature tone, rejection of The Volume, and a season with as many episodes as there are Star Wars movies.  

But with Season 2 of the series underway, fans are now learning of yet another way Andor differs from the Lucasfilm lineup. 

Andor’s Disney+ Budget Higher Than the Rest

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the budget for Andor is estimated at an eye-watering $250 million. 

This makes the first season of Andor the most expensive Star Wars Disney+ season ever made. For instance, The Mandalorian‘s first eight-episode season cost “around $100 million” to produce, with a budget of $12.5 to $15 million per episode. 

And, while unconfirmed, the budget for Season 2 of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett was believed to be the same.

Last year’s Obi-Wan Kenobi was rumored to be slightly higher at $25 million per episode and $150 million for the season. 

Also, the upcoming 2023 Star Wars Disney+ series, Skeleton Crew, is an up spend with a reported $136 million in expenditures. 

In comparing Andor to Marvel Studios’ Disney+ series, the per episode budget for entries like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Hawkeye hovered around that of Obi-Wan Kenobi at an alleged $25 million. 

In retrospect, Andor writer and showrunner Tony Gilroy, who’s also working on Season 2 of the series, certainly sees his show as an anomaly and a product of the perfect time and place. 

Due to Andor‘s inaugural budget, coupled with its tone and commitment to practical sets, Disney and Lucasfilm probably wouldn’t have signed off on such an undertaking today, especially now that Disney CEO Bob Iger is looking to cut Disney+ costs. 

Is Andor Really That Expensive? 

Andor‘s $250 million dollar budget is dizzyingly steep in comparison to The Mandalorian‘s first season or The Book of Boba Fett. 

However, it’s worth remembering that Andor‘s first season consisted of 12 episodes while The Mandalorian only included eight. 

And, when compared to 2022’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor‘s price tag may even be considered somewhat economical as the Ewan McGregor-led series only spanned six episodes but with a reported season cost of $150 million.

The fact that Andor‘s season doubled Obi-Wan‘s episode count but only cost $250 million is impressive, especially since the show was filmed on-location and featured a massive cast. 

While that’s one point of view, the fact remains that Disney paid a huge sum for only one season of the Rogue One prequel.

It will be interesting to see if the show’s Season 2 budget remains the same or decreases under Bob Iger’s new initiative.

Season 1 of Andor is available to stream on Disney+.