Disney Finally Reveals Which Star Wars Series Cost the Most to Make

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Disney has revealed the cost of making the Star Wars series Andor, and it was a significant investment. Recent financial reports show that just the second season cost $60.5 million to produce in 2024.

Including the costs from the first season, the total expense for the show came to $705.5 million. Disney maintains the production stayed on budget, but the final amount still exceeded the cost of any Star Wars film.

Since Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, ‘Andor’ stands out as one of the few Star Wars projects to achieve lasting success. The show centers on the character Cassian Andor, portrayed by Diego Luna, and is set five years before the events of the first Star Wars films.

I loved how realistic the show looked! It really felt immersive because they built so much on actual sets and used practical effects instead of relying on CGI. I recently read an interview with Neal Scanlan, the special effects supervisor, and he said they’d already gotten a head start – about six weeks of prep work – before the first lockdown hit in the UK back in March 2020.

The show’s first season was released in 2022 and was a hit with audiences, earning an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The second season faced delays due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes in 2023, finally premiering in April of this year. Despite the long wait, viewers loved the new season too, giving it an impressive 89% rating. Although it took years to complete, the positive response shows the hard work was worth it.

We know the precise costs of filming because shows made in the U.K. can get money back from the government. To receive these reimbursements, production companies have to provide thorough financial records, including all expenses and salaries. Because the show Andor qualified for this, detailed spending information became available. For instance, reports show that before filming Andor, the production company spent $7.2 million on early work for the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, as noted by Forbes.

I was so fascinated learning about how they filmed Andor! It was amazing to discover they used real locations all over the U.K., alongside Pinewood Studios. Apparently, a regular London Underground station stood in for the Imperial Security Bureau’s headquarters, and a peaceful little town by the sea in northern England transformed into the alien world of Niamos. It wasn’t an easy shoot though – the pandemic caused a lot of interruptions. Thankfully, they received some help, including a generous $1.6 million grant from the U.K. government and another $2 million from insurance claims to cover the delays.

As of November 22, 2024, the two seasons of Andor had cost a total of $705.5 million to produce, according to financial reports. Because the second season was released recently, this final cost is likely to increase when updated reports are filed next year.

After accounting for the costs initially allocated to the shelved Obi-Wan Kenobi series, the production of Andor totaled approximately $698.3 million. Records indicate that $85.5 million was spent on wages, making it Disney’s most expensive U.K. production in terms of payroll. At its peak in 2023, the production employed an average of 501 people each month, excluding freelance workers and contractors.

Okay, so I was digging into the numbers for the Andor series, and it’s seriously impressive – and pricey! After E&E Industries got their money back through reimbursements and tax credits, they recouped about $142.3 million. But when you add in all the grants and insurance Disney received, the total cost for Andor ended up around $552.4 million. Even with all that government support, it’s still one of the most expensive TV shows ever made, no question.

As a film fan, I’ve noticed Disney is really doubling down on making movies and shows in the U.K. They recently announced they’ve spent a massive $4.8 billion there since 2019! And it’s not just Disney – the British Film Institute’s data clearly shows how vital the film industry is to the U.K., creating tons of jobs – we’re talking tens of thousands – not just in London, but all over the country each year.

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2025-11-23 10:44