To date, 'Game of Thrones' is the most expensive television show ever produced - but it's likely that it won't hold on to that title for much longer.
With Amazon set to spend close to a billion on 'Lord of the Rings', the reality for television now is that it's fast becoming about spectacle. It makes sense, seeing as how 'Lord of the Rings' exists in people's minds as this huge cinematic epic.
The same goes for 'Star Wars', and the upcoming live-action series, 'The Mandalorian'. The Disney+ series will be among the first original shows produced for the streaming platform, and it looks like the House of Mouse is going all in to make it a success.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Disney spent close to $15 million per episode on 'The Mandalorian', which puts it on par with the final season of 'Game of Thrones'. While it does have some reasonably well-known faces - such as 'Narcos' alum Pedro Pascal in the lead role, and German auteur director Werner Herzog - the money most likely isn't going into casting.
Instead, it's more likely going into paying for sets, special effects and production design - something that 'Star Wars' has never scrimped on in the past.
A full trailer for 'The Mandalorian' is expected next month, with the series set to launch with Disney+ in November of this year.
