10 Most Expensive TV Show Pilots Ever

10. The Mandalorian - $12.5 Million

It should come as no surprise to see The Mandalorian on this list. It was the very first original series to premiere on Disney+ and as a result, the House of Mouse were willing to bank a lot of money on it to make sure it was a success. $100 million on just eight episodes, to be precise.

Consequently, the opening episode, Chapter 1: The Mandalorian, cost approximately $12.5 million to produce. And looking back on it you can clearly see where the cash went. The show’s production values and visual effects are better than almost anything else you’ll find on the small screen. This is largely down to the creation of a humongous, brand new, 360-degree video wall - called 'The Volume' - that was used to create the series’ various locations and sets.

Throw in the cost of hiring a star-studded cast and crew, as well as the $2 million needed to create and operate the Baby Yoda puppet and you end up with a rather pricey pilot.

Ultimately though, it was money well spent. A triumph upon its release, The Mandalorian has been lauded by critics and fans alike, receiving numerous nominations at prestigious award shows and bringing balance back to the Star Wars community after the polarising Sequel trilogy.

Now, more series and several spin-off shows are in development. Moreover, its success led Disney to green-light TV spinoffs for their properties including the recently released The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which also had an astronomical budget.