How Much Did Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Cost, Compared To The Mandalorian?

Star Wars' newest TV show, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, has released its first two episodes on Disney+, and, so far, it has been met with very positive reception—but how does its budget stack up against fan-favorite Star Wars show The Mandalorian? Star Wars has had its fair share of criticism, obstacles, and backlash in recent years, as The Acolyte's cancelation made clear. Already, though, Skeleton Crew seems to have quite a bit of promise.

By the Skeleton Crew episode 2 ending, the show had revealed many of its thrilling new ideas for and additions to Star Wars, from the pirate empire of Port Borgo to Skeleton Crew's cast of characters primarily comprising children. A budget doesn't always directly translate to success, however, especially when it comes to Star Wars. Given the popularity of both shows, which live-action Star Wars show had a bigger budget: The Mandalorian or Skeleton Crew?

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Had A Staggering Budget

Surprisingly, Skeleton Crew Was More Expensive Than The Mandalorian

Based on how much every Star Wars live-action show cost, surprisingly, Skeleton Crew was more expensive than The Mandalorian, by a fairly wide margin. Skeleton Crew is estimated to have cost about $136 million, whereas seasons of The Mandalorian cost about $120 million each. Of course, with The Mandalorian getting three seasons thus far, the full show has cost more.

If Skeleton Crew were to get a season 2 or additional seasons beyond that, which isn’t yet confirmed, presumably, the show’s seasons would continue to be more expensive than The Mandalorian's. It’s difficult to know precisely why shows or movies end up costing as much as they do, particularly because many companies don’t want to disclose the exact budget, much less a breakdown of what the specific expenses were. It’s safe to assume that many of Skeleton Crew's expenses were similar to those of other Star Wars shows, including elaborate costuming, practical effects, etc.

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How Skeleton Crew Compares To Other Live-Action Star Wars TV Shows

Skeleton Crew Is The Third Most Expensive Live-Action Disney Star Wars Show

In addition to being more expensive than The Mandalorian, Skeleton Crew is the third most expensive of all the live-action Star Wars shows thus far. Budgets have been a major topic of conversation in the Star Wars fanbase of late, with many criticizing the reported costs of certain shows and arguing the final product didn’t justify the cost. This argument was especially made about The Acolyte, one of Star Wars’ most controversial projects, which cost $231 million to make.

For a live-action show, that is a truly jaw-dropping budget, but even The Acolyte wasn’t the most expensive. Andor, arguably one of Star Wars’ best TV shows, cost around $250 million. This suggests that Skeleton Crew’s high cost isn’t necessarily breaking the mold for the franchise, but it is nevertheless surprising that the show was so expensive and that the budget was ultimately higher than that of The Mandalorian.

The first two episodes of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew are now streaming on Disney+.

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  Set in the Star Wars universe, Skeleton Crew follows four young adventurers as they become lost in the galaxy while searching for their home planet. The series chronicles their exploration and encounters with diverse worlds and characters, presenting themes of friendship, discovery, and the quest for belonging.

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  The Mandalorian is set after the Empire's fall and before the First Order's emergence in the ever-growing Star Wars universe. The series follows the travails of a lone gunfighter named Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) in the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic. Acting as the first live-action Star Wars series, The Mandalorian has become incredibly popular on Disney+, partly due to Mando’s relationship with Grogu, which the internet dubbed “Baby Yoda” upon his introduction in season 1.