Andor Creator Secures $650M After Disney Slashes Streaming

Tony Gilroy, the showrunner behind the critically-praised Star Wars series Andor, revealed he faced tough negotiations for the show's second season budget after Disney executives declared "streaming is dead."

Speaking at the ATX Television Festival (via IndieWire), Gilroy confirmed Andor carried a staggering $650 million production cost – exceeding budgets for recent Star Wars theatrical films and nearly doubling The Last Jedi's expenses.

Despite lower viewership compared to The Mandalorian and industry concerns about Disney+'s high-budget strategy following underperforming Marvel shows, Disney greenlit the equally expensive second season.

"Across 24 episodes, I received only one content note," Gilroy explained, referencing the first season's dialogue adjustment where "F*** the Empire" became "Fight the Empire" at Disney's request.

"When Season 2 development began, we heard 'Streaming is dead' and faced budget constraints. The negotiations were intense, but remarkably, our creative freedom remained intact. With such freedom comes tremendous responsibility."

Critical Reception of Andor

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This responsibility translated into a series justifying its unprecedented budget, earning near-universal critical acclaim.

"Season 2 elevates every strength of its predecessor while deepening this pivotal Star Wars era," noted IGN's spoiler-free review. "Gilroy masterfully transforms prequel limitations into narrative strengths, delivering the franchise's most compelling content in years."