section_path: Production/Development
section_name: Development
paragraph_text: Development
  
  Disney CEO Bob Iger announced in November 2017 that Disney and Lucasfilm were developing live-action Star Wars television series for the new streaming service Disney+. One of these series was revealed a year later to be a prequel to the film Rogue One (2016). The series was described as a spy thriller show focused on the character Cassian Andor, with Diego Luna reprising his role from the film. Production was expected to begin in 2019 after Luna completed filming the second season of Narcos: Mexico (2020). Jared Bush originally developed the series, writing a pilot script and series bible for the project.
  
  By the end of November 2018, Stephen Schiff was serving as showrunner and executive producer of the series, whose working title was Pilgrim. Tony Gilroy, who was credited as a co-writer on Rogue One and oversaw extensive reshoots for the film, joined the series by early 2019 when he discussed the first story details with Luna. Gilroy, having received an earlier version of the script, compared Andor's relationship with K-2SO to that of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and felt it was "totally limited and claustrophobic". As such, he had sent a letter to Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy explaining his vision for the series. By the next year, Kennedy had contacted Gilroy to ask if he was interested in joining the series. In July 2019, Rick Famuyiwa was in early talks to direct several episodes after doing the same for The Mandalorian (2019–2023), the first live-action Star Wars series. Gilroy's involvement was revealed that October, when he was set to write the first episode, direct multiple episodes and work alongside Schiff; Gilroy had officially replaced Schiff as showrunner by April 2020. Six weeks of pre-production for the series had taken place in the United Kingdom by then, but this was halted and production on the series delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-production had begun again by September ahead of a planned filming start the next month. At that time, Gilroy, who is based in New York, chose not to travel to the UK for production on the series due to the pandemic, and was therefore unable to direct the series' first episode. Instead, the UK-based Toby Haynes, who was already "high on the list" of potential directors for the series, was hired to direct the first three episodes. Gilroy would remain executive producer and showrunner. Kennedy announced the series' title, Andor, in December 2020, along with its 2022 release date. Luna was revealed to be an executive producer on the series, which was set to consist of 12 episodes. In February 2021, Ben Caron and Susanna White were set as additional directors. Sanne Wohlenberg and Michelle Rejwan also executive produce.
  
  In February 2022, star Stellan Skarsgård indicated that the series would have a second season, with filming for it beginning in late 2022. That April, cinematographer Adriano Goldman said there had originally been plans for the series to last five seasons, but he believed those had changed and that it was now expected to last three. At Star Wars Celebration a month later, Lucasfilm confirmed a 12-episode second season. Gilroy explained that the original five-season plan was deemed to be "physically impossible" due to the series' scale, and instead they realized that they could end the series with one more season that led directly into the events of Rogue One.
  
  Documentation submitted by E&E Industries (UK), the subsidiary responsible for Andor, shows a total of $344.6 million spent by November 2022. This includes the costs of season 1 (£270.8 /$271.6 million to November 2021), as well as subsequent season 1 costs and pre-production on season 2, likely mostly the latter (£67.9 /$80.2 million). With a £54.6 /$70.9 reimbursement, net costs to November 2022 reduced to approximately $273.7 million. 3782 crew were used on season 1 as of April 5, 2021. Season 2 had a reduced 1067 crew as of April 5, 2023.
  
  Disney CEO Bob Iger announced in November 2017 that Disney and Lucasfilm were developing live-action Star Wars television series for the new streaming service Disney+. One of these series was revealed a year later to be a prequel to the film Rogue One (2016). The series was described as a spy thriller show focused on the character Cassian Andor, with Diego Luna reprising his role from the film. Production was expected to begin in 2019 after Luna completed filming the second season of Narcos: Mexico (2020). Jared Bush originally developed the series, writing a pilot script and series bible for the project.
  
  By the end of November 2018, Stephen Schiff was serving as showrunner and executive producer of the series, whose working title was Pilgrim. Tony Gilroy, who was credited as a co-writer on Rogue One and oversaw extensive reshoots for the film, joined the series by early 2019 when he discussed the first story details with Luna. Gilroy, having received an earlier version of the script, compared Andor's relationship with K-2SO to that of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and felt it was "totally limited and claustrophobic". As such, he had sent a letter to Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy explaining his vision for the series. By the next year, Kennedy had contacted Gilroy to ask if he was interested in joining the series. In July 2019, Rick Famuyiwa was in early talks to direct several episodes after doing the same for The Mandalorian (2019–2023), the first live-action Star Wars series. Gilroy's involvement was revealed that October, when he was set to write the first episode, direct multiple episodes and work alongside Schiff; Gilroy had officially replaced Schiff as showrunner by April 2020. Six weeks of pre-production for the series had taken place in the United Kingdom by then, but this was halted and production on the series delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-production had begun again by September ahead of a planned filming start the next month. At that time, Gilroy, who is based in New York, chose not to travel to the UK for production on the series due to the pandemic, and was therefore unable to direct the series' first episode. Instead, the UK-based Toby Haynes, who was already "high on the list" of potential directors for the series, was hired to direct the first three episodes. Gilroy would remain executive producer and showrunner. Kennedy announced the series' title, Andor, in December 2020, along with its 2022 release date. Luna was revealed to be an executive producer on the series, which was set to consist of 12 episodes. In February 2021, Ben Caron and Susanna White were set as additional directors. Sanne Wohlenberg and Michelle Rejwan also executive produce.
  
  In February 2022, star Stellan Skarsgård indicated that the series would have a second season, with filming for it beginning in late 2022. That April, cinematographer Adriano Goldman said there had originally been plans for the series to last five seasons, but he believed those had changed and that it was now expected to last three. At Star Wars Celebration a month later, Lucasfilm confirmed a 12-episode second season. Gilroy explained that the original five-season plan was deemed to be "physically impossible" due to the series' scale, and instead they realized that they could end the series with one more season that led directly into the events of Rogue One.
  
  Documentation submitted by E&E Industries (UK), the subsidiary responsible for Andor, shows a total of $344.6 million spent by November 2022. This includes the costs of season 1 (£270.8 /$271.6 million to November 2021), as well as subsequent season 1 costs and pre-production on season 2, likely mostly the latter (£67.9 /$80.2 million). With a £54.6 /$70.9 reimbursement, net costs to November 2022 reduced to approximately $273.7 million. 3782 crew were used on season 1 as of April 5, 2021. Season 2 had a reduced 1067 crew as of April 5, 2023.