Andor’s Tony Gilroy Shares How He Liberated the Show from Its Primitive Premise

The Disney+ series Andor is an ambitious expansion of the character Cassian Andor, who was first introduced in the 2016 film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Cassian Andor, portrayed by Diego Luna, became a beloved character in the Star Wars universe, and the series aims to explore his background and the larger Star Wars narrative with more depth and complexity than initially conceived.

Tony Gilroy, the executive producer and showrunner of Andor, revealed that he was initially introduced to an early draft of the series which he found “limiting and claustrophobic”. According to Gilroy, the original concept was heavily centered on Cassian and a droid, akin to a space-age Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, embarking on various escapades as reported by Deadline.

“I had seen one of the versions [of the previous drafts of Andor] Kathy [Kennedy] sent, just as a point of interest, not as an employment request, and I thought it was incredibly well done. But I thought it was totally limiting and claustrophobic in a way.”

While Gilroy appreciated the craftsmanship of the initial drafts, he believed that the concept could be broadened and enriched. He communicated his thoughts to Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm, suggesting an audacious reimagining of the story. Gilroy was surprised when he was approached by Lucasfilm and have him develop the version he pitched. Although, he admitted that he did not have any issues or agenda with the Star Wars franchise.

Andor Season 1 is set five years prior to the events of Rogue One movie. It delves into the life of Cassian Andor as a thief and smuggler before he joined the Rebel Alliance. The show is not only focused on his life as a spy. It also narrates different aspects of his personal life such as childhood and his relationship with his sister.

The series contains many subplots as well. It showed the covert activities of one of Alliance’s future leader, Mon Mothma. The series also focused on other aspects of the Rebellion’s actions to oust the tyrant that is the Galactic Empire.

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For Gilroy, the authenticity and depth of the narrative and characters were paramount. The producer wants to make the series as real as it can get. Everything should feel vivid and lifelike. He wants the audience to be clinging into each scene, wanting to know what will happen next.

As for the future of Andor, Gilroy announced at April’s Star Wars Celebration that the second and final season is expected to air in August of the following year. However, there is some uncertainty regarding this schedule due to a potential Writers Guild of America strike which could affect the production timeline. For now, fans can stream the first season of Andor on Disney+​​.

Andor is a daring venture that went beyond its original scope. It offers rich interwoven narratives and characters with depth present in the vast Star Wars universe. With Tony Gilroy directing the series, it strives to deliver a healthy dose of thrill while keeping the audience emotionally hooked. It aims to bring the same joy long-time Star Wars fans feel on every release and also introduce newcomers to wondrous adventure that is Star Wars.