Tony Gilroy reveals Andor had a total budget of $650 million

Andor Season 2 wrapped up its storyline on May 13, 2025, with an intense three-episode finale. Created by Academy Award-nominated director, screenwriter, and producer Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton, Duplicity, and The Bourne Legacy), this season set new viewership records. The Wrap reported Andor Season 2 that the premiere, three episodes, racked up 721 million minutes on the streaming platform.

Andor Season 2 has garnered positive ratings and critical acclaim. It boasts a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.5/10 stars on IMDb. Ever wondered what it cost to bring Andor Season 2 to life? During the ATX Television Festival in Austin, Tony Gilroy revealed that Disney+'s Andor had a budget of $650 million for two seasons (24 episodes). As per Indiewire, he said:

"I mean (for Disney+), this is $650 million, for 24 episodes, I never took a note."

Gilroy continued that it was not an easy task to demand such a staggering amount for Andor. He revealed that even though the streaming platform balked at the bold language and massive budget, they ultimately signed off- but with great power (and a $650 million price tag) came even greater responsibility. He said:

"We said 'F*** the Empire in the first season,' but they said Can you please not do that? In Season 2, they said 'Streaming is dead, so we fought hard about the money, but they never cleaned anything up. That freedom comes with responsibilities. "

This creative and financial freedom allowed Gilroy and his team to explore topics rarely seen in Star Wars canon, including fascism, surveillance, propaganda, and even genocide.

In a franchise known for Jedi mysticism and space battles, Andor dares to ground its rebellion in the messiness of real-world politics. The show's $650 million price tag may even raise eyebrows, but Gilroy's uncompromising vision- and Disney's willingness to back it- has turned Andor into an iconic show and not just a prequel to Rogue One.

Apart from Andor Season 2, some of the other big-budget shows include Amazon Prime's The Lord of the Rings, Citadel, and Netflix's Stranger Things, to name a few.

Fan reactions to Andor's massive budget of $650 million

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Most of the fans have responded positively to Andor's $650 million budget, praising the series for its cinematography and bold storytelling. Many viewers believed that the investment is reflected in the show's production quality, calling it one of the most visually stunning and accurate entries to the Star Wars franchise. Across social media, viewers mostly praised the series for pushing creative limits and giving the galaxy a fresh edge.

Many fans were left stunned by such a massive budget. For instance, some comments on X (formerly twitter) read:

"650 million for two seasons, 12 episodes each is kinda crazy. Didn’t really think this show had that type of budget. Thought it was less tbh,"@Scoby20 wrote.

Most of the comments praised the show: