Andor had a budget more than 10 times of the Original Trilogy films

Andor, a meticulously made Disney+ series, has drawn attention not just for its storytelling but for its massive scale. With a reported $650 million budget across two seasons, it vastly outspends the entire Original Trilogy, which was made for a fraction of that in the late ’70s and early ’80s. The contrast is striking, and it speaks to how much filmmaking and audience expectations have evolved since then.

This budgetary contrast isn't just a fun fact. It says a lot about how expectations have evolved for big franchises. Where the original films relied on innovation, practical effects, and clever editing to win hearts, modern projects like Andor face different demands: cinematic quality, immersive realism, and character-driven stories that go beyond lightsabers and space battles.

Looking back: When a galaxy far, far away was built on a shoestring

The original Star Wars trilogy is legendary, not just for changing the landscape of science fiction, but for doing so on what today would be considered a modest budget. A New Hope (1977) was made for just $11 million. The Empire Strikes Back followed with a $33 million budget, and Return of the Jedi closed the trilogy with around $32.5 million. All in, it took about $76.5 million to launch one of pop culture’s biggest empires.

A darker prequel with something new to say

Andor, created by Tony Gilroy (Rogue One, Michael Clayton), steps away from the usual high-energy Star Wars formula to explore something grittier and more intimate. The series follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), tracing his journey from reluctant loner to key rebel figure. It’s a slow burn, but in the best way, giving us a look at how rebellion is born not through heroism, but through sacrifice and moral conflict.

Season one lays the groundwork, showing Cassian’s brushes with imperial cruelty and the spark of resistance. Season two, which dropped in April 2025, takes things further, diving deeper into the operations of the Rebellion and the layered decisions that lead to Rogue One.

A cinematic series with a record-setting price tag

While The Mandalorian used groundbreaking LED screen tech to craft its digital backdrops, the show went in another direction. The series was shot mostly on location across the UK, using practical sets, physical environments, and traditional cinematography. The result? A rich, lived-in feel that makes every frame more grounded and more expensive.

Season one reportedly cost about $250 million. Season two? Around $400 million. Together, Andor’s two-season run sits at an estimated $650 million, making it one of the priciest shows ever made.

Slow storytelling, deep character work

What really sets Andor apart isn’t its budget. It’s the storytelling. There’s no Jedi, no Sith, no grand space opera. Instead, we get a tight political thriller where every character has something at stake. Cassian is far from a typical hero; he lies, steals, and runs when things get hard. And that’s exactly what makes his transformation so fascinating to watch.

Along the way, we’re introduced to characters like Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), whose sharp monologues and shadowy operations lend the story a sense of weight and urgency, and Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), who walks a tightrope between moral conviction and political survival inside a crumbling Senate. Even the so-called villains, like the icy and methodical Imperial officer Dedra Meero, aren’t one-dimensional. They’re strategic, human, and, at times, uncomfortably easy to understand.

What the critics are saying

Critics have praised Andor for its adult tone and refusal to play it safe. Season one scored 96% on Rotten Tomatoes; season two climbed to 97% by mid-2025. Reviewers called it the most thoughtful Star Wars project in decades - less space opera, more political drama. And it’s not just critics. Fans who longed for something more grounded embraced the series as a welcome departure from formula.

While it didn’t pull the massive viewership numbers of The Mandalorian, Andor held steady with a loyal, engaged audience, one that appreciated dialogue-heavy scenes, slow-building tension, and themes of oppression, rebellion, and sacrifice.

What’s next for Star Wars after Andor?

With Cassian’s story wrapped, the future is still uncertain, at least for now. There’s speculation that we may see spin-offs centered on characters like Mon Mothma or Luthen, but nothing has been confirmed. Disney is reportedly shifting its focus back to theatrical releases, starting with The Mandalorian & Grogu movie. The streaming side of Star Wars is entering a new phase, shaped in part by the industry strikes of 2023–2024 and a need to streamline production.

Even if Andor doesn’t directly continue, its impact is already locked in. It showed that Star Wars can grow up, that it can be bold, nuanced, and emotionally rich without losing its soul.

Final thoughts

It took just over $76 million to build the foundation of Star Wars. It took over $650 million to tell one man’s story within it. That might sound excessive, but the show proves that when handled with care, even the smallest spark of rebellion can justify the biggest of investments.

In a world oversaturated with spectacle, this series gave us something rare: a reason to care.