Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy has revealed a shocking admission by Disney while he was developing the second season of the hit Star Wars show, noting that the company admitted to him that “Streaming is dead.”A definitive statement from a titan of the entertainment industry, delivered directly to the acclaimed creator of Star Wars: Andor, has now cast a long shadow over the future of Star Wars content on Disney+. The streaming platform has become critical in the expansion of the franchise, delivering major successes such as Star Wars: Ahsoka and The Mandalorian.
While Andor has garnered widespread critical acclaim for its mature storytelling, complex characters, and unflinching exploration of rebellion against tyranny, this surprising sentiment from Disney suggests a significant pivot in their content strategy. This stark contradiction — the artistic triumph of Star Wars series such as Andor standing in direct opposition to Disney’s disillusionment with the streaming model — raises critical questions about the kind of Star Wars series we can expect moving forward and whether the galaxy far, far away is heading into troubled waters on the small screen.
Disney’s Shifting Streaming Strategy Conflicts With Andor’s Success
Gilroy’s recent revelation at the ATX Television Festival, as reported by IndieWire, that Disney expressed a negative outlook on streaming during negotiations for Andor Season 2, is a bombshell that brings into question Disney+’s long-term commitment to high-budget television. Speaking about the use of the word “genocide” by Mon Mothma in Andor Season 2, Episode 9 — “Welcome to the Rebellion” — Gilroy said:
“I’ve been allowed to start using the word ‘fascism’ the last couple weeks. That’s liberating. But I don’t think it should be any surprise or even be too slippery or complicated for people to understand the road I have to walk to do all this; to maximize the audience and protect the investment of a really brave [company.]”
Elaborating on the matter, Gilroy continued: “I mean, for Disney, this is $650 million. For 24 episodes, I never took a note. We said ‘F-ck the Empire’ in the first season, and they said, ‘Can you please not do that?’ In Season 2, they said, ‘Streaming is dead, we don’t have the money we had before,’ so we fought hard about money, but they never cleaned anything up. That [freedom] comes with responsibilities.”
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This statement comes despite Andor‘s undeniable critical triumph. The series has been lauded for its gritty realism and depth — both for the characters and the themes tackled — rarely seen in the Star Wars universe. Critics and fans alike have praised Andor for its departure from the often-criticized fan service seen in other Star Wars productions, instead becoming engrossed with the compelling, character-driven story about the birth of the Rebellion. Andor‘s success lies in its willingness to push boundaries, to explore themes of fascism, occupation, and resistance with a seriousness that resonates deeply with contemporary audiences. It showcased the potential for Star Wars to evolve beyond its traditional fantastical elements into a more grounded, politically charged drama.
A $650 million investment, coupled with the creative freedom Gilroy claims to have largely enjoyed, allowed Andor to achieve a high quality that set the series apart. Yet, Disney expressing that the streaming model itself is unsustainable suggests that the high cost of producing such ambitious series, even those that achieve critical success, may no longer align with their evolving budgets. The unfavorable outlook on streaming highlights a broader industry trend of re-evaluating the economics of direct-to-consumer services, which have often prioritized subscriber growth over immediate profitability.
For Star Wars, a franchise deeply intertwined with Disney+’s initial launch and continued subscriber appeal, this re-evaluation could mean a significant recalibration of future content, potentially favoring lower-budget productions or a shift back towards theatrical releases for big titles.
Furthermore, Disney’s reported struggles with the profitability of its streaming division only reinforces the likelihood of a strategic shift. If upcoming new series and continuing seasons of established shows do not deliver substantial viewership, they could face a similar fate of budgetary restraints that impact their quality. The era of seemingly endless Star Wars content on Disney+, therefore, might be drawing to a close, replaced by an approach that prioritizes financial returns over expansive storytelling. For a franchise as beloved and vast as Star Wars, this shift could mean a less diverse and less adventurous future, potentially limiting the creative exploration that made Andor such a resounding triumph.
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