Disney’s reported budget for the first two seasons of Andor ballooned to over half a billion dollars amid diminishing returns.
In an era where streaming platforms are vying for viewer attention with ever-expanding libraries, Disney’s Star Wars series Andor stands out—not for its storytelling, but for its astronomical budget. With costs soaring to a staggering $645 million (£504.8 million), Andor exemplifies what many critics are calling “ridiculous bloat” for a streaming show whose viewership metrics don’t justify such expenditures.
Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) in Lucasfilm’s ANDOR, exclusively on Disney+. ©.
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Disney has disclosed that Andor’s second season alone cost a record-breaking $290.9 million (£232.1 million), marking the highest-ever annual spending on a Star Wars production. To put this into perspective, this figure eclipses the $280.7 million (£211.8 million) spent on Star Wars: The Last Jedi over an almost 11-month period and significantly surpasses the $243.8 million (£193.6 million) allocated to The Force Awakens during its production cycle.
The second season’s budget is expected to climb even higher. Filming, which commenced in November 2022, faced interruptions due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, prolonging the shoot and inflating costs further. Principal photography wrapped in February, but post-production—a year-long process laden with expensive visual effects—continues to drain resources.
Andor boasts less-than-impressive viewership numbers, with its finale amassing 674 million minutes watched on Disney Plus. These figures pale in comparison when scrutinized against its budget.
(L-R): The Stranger and Osha Aniseya (Amandla Stenberg) in Lucasfilm’s THE ACOLYTE, season one, exclusively on Disney+. ©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.
This is certainly not a new problem for Disney Lucasfilm.
The Acolyte, another Star Wars spinoff, had a budget exceeding $230 million according to UK tax filings. Despite this hefty investment, The Acolyte struggled with viewership, garnering over 50% fewer minutes watched than Andor. This directly led to the cancellation of its second season.
This stark contrast raises critical questions about Disney’s return on investment. The high costs of shows like Andor and The Acolyte are hard to justify. Especially when both failed to captivate a sizable audience. The disparity suggests that Disney may be prioritizing high production values over sustainable viewership growth.
Mon Mothma in Andor – YouTube, Star Wars
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Andor is set five years before the original Star Wars trilogy and is lauded for its grounded storytelling and extensive use of practical effects and physical sets. While these elements undoubtedly enhance the viewing experience, they also contribute to the bloated budget. The commitment to quality is almost commendable, if somewhat misguided. But when paired with viewership figures that don’t proportionally match the investment, it becomes a precarious strategy that Disney will eventually have to justify to its investors.
Moreover, the high costs associated with filming in the United Kingdom, where productions are subject to stringent financial disclosures and benefit from government reimbursements, add another layer to the financial strain. Disney’s forced transparency in UK-based productions reveals the true extent of Andor’s expenditures. That’s a practice not commonly seen with US streaming shows where budgets are typically concealed within broader financial statements.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: Kathleen Kennedy attends the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 attends the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)
The relentless spending on Andor comes at a time when Disney+ is navigating a fiercely competitive streaming market. With numerous platforms vying for subscriber loyalty, the sustainability of such high-budget productions is questionable. While Andor’s first season received critical acclaim, boasting an 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes—the highest among Star Wars shows—it remains to be seen if the second season can maintain its momentum without further ballooning costs.
In contrast, The Acolyte serves as a cautionary tale. Despite a substantial budget, its inability to attract a robust audience led to its premature cancellation. If Andor continues on a similar financial trajectory without a corresponding increase in viewership, Disney risks facing the same fate.
Will you watch Andor season two? What do you make of Disney’s insane Andor budget? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
