Set five years before the events of “Rogue One,” the series stars Diego Luna as Rebel pilot Cassian Andor. While Cassian ultimately meets a fatal end after helping deliver the Death Star received by Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), the prequel series will span the five years leading up to “Rogue One” across two seasons. According to Empire Magazine, the first season of “Andor” will center on Cassian’s life as an operative for the Rebellion and cover one year of his life across 12 episodes. However, “Andor” Season 2 will cover four years total, jumping one year ahead every three episodes. “The scale of the show is so huge,” Gilroy explained. “Directors work in blocks of three episodes, so we did four blocks [in Season 1] of three episodes each. [For Season 2] we looked and said, ‘Wow, it’d be really interesting if we come back, and we use each block to represent a year. We’ll move a year closer with each block…’ from a narrative point of view, it’s really exciting to be able to work on something where you do a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and then jump a year.”
Gilroy previously billed “Andor” as a “spy thriller” that uses “sideways” storytelling to reframe the 2016 film trilogy. “It’s about him being really revolution-averse, and cynical, and lost, and kind of a mess,” Gilroy said of subverting “Star Wars” fans expectations, with the story following Andor (Luna) into adulthood after the destruction of his world. “His adopted home will become the base of our whole first season, and we watch that place become radicalized,” Gilroy continued. “Then we see another planet that’s completely taken apart in a colonial kind of way. The Empire is expanding rapidly. They’re wiping out anybody who’s in their way.” The series ensemble cast includes Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, and Fiona Shaw. “Andor” will also mark the return of Genevieve O’Reilly as the former senator-turned-Rebel leader Mon Mothma. Emmy-winning “Succession” composer Nicholas Britell is handling the score. Season 2 will begin filming this fall. “Andor” was in development beginning in 2018, with Luna telling The Hollywood Reporter in 2020 that the series was filmed like “a very long movie.” “You’re not going to recognize Cassian Andor in the beginning,” lead star Luna said at the “Star Wars” celebration on May 26. “I cannot wait for you to meet him.” Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
