Following Cassina Andor and the prequel to A New Hope and the 2016 film Rogue One, Andor premiered on Disney+ in September last year. The Star Wars spin-off is based during the time a Rebel Alliance started forming against Galactic Empire. The 13-episode series has been considered to be the best Star Wars series so far, whether it’s for its mature tone or the methods used in filming the first season of the show.
Following the positive response, the studio has already announced a second season, which is expected to release in 2024. And The Hollywood Reporter has recently revealed the estimated cost of the 2022 series that has stood out from other Star Wars Disney+ shows.
Read More: Andor Getting Nomination For Multiple Critics’ Choice Awards Proves Star Wars Needs Darker Content
Andor’s Estimated to be the Most Expensive Star Wars Disney+ Season
The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Andor could be the most expensive Star Wars Disney+ season ever made. The report states that the budget for the 2022 Disney+ series is estimated to be around $250 million. With this immense budget, the first season of the sci-fi show has become the most expensive season for a Star Wars series.
It is much higher than Pedro Pascal’s The Mandalorian, which is estimated to have a budget of $12.5 million to $15 million per episode, making it around $100 million for the eight-episode season 1. While the budget for its second season is not publicly available, it is estimated to be the same as its first season.
Ewan McGregor starrer Obi-Wan Kenobi’s budget is also less than that of the Diego Luna starrer, having around $150 million for its first season. The 2021 miniseries, The Book of Boba Fett, reportedly has the same budget as The Mandalorian.
And the upcoming series under the franchise, Skeleton Crew, is reported to cost $136 million. The budget for Tony Gilroy’s Star Wars series is believed to be reasonable by many, considering the number of episodes in the series and its ensemble cast.
Tony Gilroy on Andor’s Budget And Success
Talking about the Star Wars spin-off, its creator Tony Gilroy shared that he did not expect the show to get the reception it has received after its release. He also stated that it would be impossible to make the series “inexpensively.”
Gilroy said,
“We got lucky making this during the gold rush a few years ago. A lot of people now have cold feet, and you can’t do this show inexpensively.”
He also said that he is so relieved with the positive reception for the show, as he shared that he also had some doubts, “like, ‘Is this too much? Have we gone too far?” while making the series. He also mentioned that they did not pay attention to the test audience and groups. And he wishes to follow up the same with Andor’s next season.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
