Every new Star Wars project usually announces itself with a massive budget in the three-digit million range. At first glance, major motion pictures appear to be the most expensive undertaking. However, according to a new report from business magazine Forbes, one live-action series was more expensive: Andor.
The spin-off of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which has been on Disney+ since 2022, tells the story of Cassian Andor, who later acts as a key figure in the theft of the plans for the Death Star. At the beginning of his Star Wars career, however, he had very little to do with the rebellion and the fight against the Empire.
Most expensive Star Wars project: Andor has cost $645 million to produce so far
But how did Cassian Andor get from the desolate planet Ferrix to the rebel base on Yavin 4? To tell this story, Lucasfilm dug deep into its pockets. Forbes reveals that production on Andor’s two seasons has so far been on $645 million amounts – and is not yet completed.
You can watch the trailer for Andor here:
Andor – S01 Trailer (German) HD
Forbes breaks down the budget as follows: Season 1 of Andor is said to have cost $271.6 million in its first year. There was also another $82.5 million in post-production. Season 2 has so far grossed $290.9 million and it is expected that this amount will continue to grow.
Where did Forbes get the numbers? Typically, film studio budgets are not shared with the public. Since Andor is filmed in the UK and therefore benefits from tax breaksall expenses can be viewed. Up to 25.5 percent of expenses can be reimbursed for Hollywood studios.
The sum that Andor has devoured to date is enormous. If we look at the dimensions of the project, the amount is put into perspective. Andor comes with two seasons and a total of 24 episodes. If we divide the budget by the number of episodes, we end up with tight $27 million per episode.
This puts Andor in the range of blockbuster series such as Stranger Things (season 4) and She-Hulk (season 1), whose budget per episode is between 25 and 30 million US dollars. Only The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season 1) was more expensive at $58 million. The Mandalorian (Season 1) comes in at $15 million.
When does Andor season 2 start on Disney+?
The second season of Andor starts on April 22, 2025 on Disney+ and draws a link to the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. In addition to main actor Diego Luna, Adria Arjona, Genevieve O’Reilly and Stellan Skarsgård return.