Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Tony Gilroy’sAndorwill be coming back to our screens this April and theStar Warsfandom couldn’t be more excited. As the prequel toRogue One,the show was a risk in itself. However, as the story progressed and the 12 episodes all came to life in good time, it became one of the most beloved shows in the entire fictional universe.Andoris one of the few lucky titles that managed to impress both fans and the critics – a feat on its own!
Thanks to the reception, the massive budget of the series seems justifiable. Even Tony Gilroy agrees that the feedback given toAndormade it easy for the studio to accept the price tag that comes along with such perfection. However, we cannot help but wonder if it really is worth it and if it’s causing a problem when it comes to the bigger picture.
Tony Gilroy on the humungous budget ofAndor
SinceAndoris a part of one of the biggest franchises of all time, everyone knew it was going to be heavy on the pockets. As perThe Hollywood Reporter, the first season cost $250 million to be made and it is in no way a cheap amount, even if it isStar Warswe are talking about.
Talking about the show,Tony Gilroysat down withEmpireand stated how the critical appreciation of season 1 really helped Disney choke down and accept the insane budget that comes along with it.
Diego Luna: “I come from a country that has the longest border with the States” on Why ‘Andor’ Wasn’t Just Acting in the Best Star Wars Project
He stated the first season gave the next“a lot of momentum and key benefits going into this second season, the kind it may not have been afforded otherwise.”Gilroy added,
The critical appreciation of the show was really helpful, if not essential, in helping Disney choke down the price of what this is.
Now, season 2 is just around the corner, and if you are wondering how much it cost Disney, well, prepare to be shocked. This time around,Andorspent a record $290 million on filming, as per new reports (viaForbes).
According to the report, the total cost of makingAndorhas come to a solid $645 million. For a television series, the number seems a little too high, no matter how worth the expenditure has been.
Is the staggering budget worth it?
While some may say that the hundreds of millions of dollars that have gone into making this one hell of a show are worth every penny, others might not agree.
Don’t get us wrong, we loveAndor.However, it is hard to ignore the financial consequences this ambitious budget could have over the broaderStar Warsuniverse. If Disney keeps focusing its finances in the wrong direction, there is a chance that cost management issues could disrupt future projects.
Andor Season 2: Real Reason Diego Luna’s Best Star Wars Project Won’t Return for a Third Reason Is Anti-Disney at Its Core
Let’s talk aboutAndor’s viewership. Despite being a highly anticipated show, it received far lower viewership as compared to otherStar Warsseries. Some might even deem it as franchise fatigue and we won’t disagree. Thanks to the reception though, Gilroy and his team were able to keepAndorup and running.
Otherwise, with a budget as high as $250 million, there was a good chance that season 2 would not have seen the light of day. Meaning, that the high amount spent on a single season could possibly have denied us a continuation owing to financial issues.
TakeThe Acolytefor example. A huge budget combined with negative reception ended up with the show getting canceled just after its first season. Coming toStar Wars: Skeleton Crew, the show sure has the potential to be the next best thing afterAndorand the fans are loving it.
However, the viewership once again looks troubling and it appears to have the lowest viewership of any Disney+Star Warslive-action series.
Skeleton Crew appears to have the lowest viewership of any Disney Star Wars live-action series on Disney Plus. It allegedly ranks below both The Acolyte and Willow, which were each canceled by Disney. That is truly sad. I think it’s the best new Star Wars since those first few…pic.twitter.com/6VqlUYHFur
According toForbes, the budget ofSkeleton Crewis allegedly a whopping $136 million and while it is not as insane as that ofAndor’s, it still is a lot. Combine this with the viewership, we might not have a season 2 to look forward to after all. Read our review ofSkeleton Crewhere.
All in all, Disney seriously needs to get its head in the game and take budgeting a tad bit more seriously. That is if they don’t want the future ofStar Warsto be in jeopardy.
Andor, The Acolyte,andSkeleton Creware all available to watch on Disney+.
Mishkaat Khan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2257
A connoisseur of all things horror, fantasy, and the occasional chick flick, Mishkaat has been penning pieces for FandomWire since 2022. She started off as an intern and has worked her way up to a Senior Writer with over 2000 articles to her name.Outside of entertainment, she has also written well-researched medical content as a freelance writer and has experience in social media management.When not writing, you can find her relaxing with a romance novel and a tall glass of iced coffee in her hand or watching re-runs of ‘Supernatural’ and ‘The Office.’
