Disney spent more on Andor than any Star Wars movie

The final budget for the 24 cumulative episodes is impressive: the largest in the entire history of the saga.

We now know Andor’s “real” numbers. And they are impressive!

According to the very serious Forbes Magazine, Andor has become the most expensive project in the history of Star Wars. More expensive than any film in any trilogy, or any Skywalker. Disney confirmed that it spent $60.5 million in 2024 to finalize season 2 – bringing Andor’s total bill to…$705.5 million.

Forbes explains how we know these normally top-secret figures: the show is filmed in the United Kingdom, where productions must file detailed financial documents to obtain reimbursement of 25.5% of local expenses. These accounts, made public, reveal everything: costs, reimbursements, salaries, teams… and therefore the astronomical final amount. Even if, thanks to deductions, Andor ultimately cost Disney “only” 552 million.

Filmed at Pinewood Studios and in several locations in the United Kingdom – including a futuristic London underground station recycled as the headquarters of the Empire – the series suffered delays, confinements, insurance and additional costs (notably for season 1). The British state even paid out 1.6 million in aid, in addition to insurance compensation of 2 million.

To measure the extent of the financial chasm, it is enough to compare Andor to the latest installments of the Star Wars Galaxy released in theaters. According to Forbes figures, The Force Awakens (2015) cost approximately $533 million before tax deductions. For The Last Jedi (2017), the bill came to 410 million. Finally, The Rise of Skywalker (2019) ended up costing 593 million, according to the figure updated by Forbes last October. The total cost of Andor should therefore increase further in the financial reports which will be published next year…

Tony Gilroy’s series and its 24 episodes have therefore surpassed the films of the last trilogy. Except that we know that they brought in 4.478 billion dollars at the worldwide box office and that Disney recovered almost 2 billion in the deal. These Star Wars were largely profitable. But Andor? It is very complicated to assess the economic benefits of such an investment for a streaming platform.

Has the series helped to acquire new subscribers? To consolidate the base? In any case, the studio has put a lot of money on the table to surf on its license.