After Cutting Multiple Seasons, ‘Star Wars’ Will Speed Through Five Years In New Series

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star wars rogue one jyn erso cassian andor

Credit: Lucasfilm

Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) might have been and gone, but that’s not the end for the live-action Star Wars TV shows. The fourth such entry in the “MandoVerse” will be Andor (2022), which follows The Mandalorian (2019), The Book of Boba Fett (2021), and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

As you’ve probably already guessed from the title alone, Andor will see the return of rebel fighter Cassian Andor, with Diego Luna reprising his role, having previously played him in Star Wars spin-off movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), alongside Felicity Jones (Jyn Erso).

Diego Luna as Cassian Andor
Credit: Lucasfilm

Related: Beginning Quietly Revealed For Brutal, Dark ‘Star Wars’ ‘Andor’ Series

As per the official Star Wars website, here’s the synopsis for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story:

From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

rogue one cast official image
Credit: Lucasfilm

Related: ‘Andor’ Will Reportedly Feature Two MAJOR Jedi Characters

As per Wikipedia, here’s the synopsis for Andor:

Beginning five years before the events of the film Rogue One (2016), the series follows an ensemble cast of characters during the time that a Rebel Alliance is forming in opposition to the Galactic Empire. One of these characters is Cassian Andor, a thief who becomes a revolutionary and eventually joins the Rebellion.

Check out the official trailer for Andor below:

Related: Diego Luna’s Andor Nearly Unrecognizable In New Set Photos

Though it requires no explanation, Andor will of course take place before Rogue One, seeing as the titular character, along with all his fellow rebels, perishes on Scarif at the end, after the Empire cowardly uses their planet-destroying Death Star to blow it to smithereens.

But while it was previously reported that the show will take place five years before the film, that isn’t necessarily true. In a recent an interview with Empire Magazine, the show’s creator Tony Gilroy has revealed exactly how Andor will lead into Rogue One.

Diego Luna as Cassian Andor flying a Tie Fighter
Credit: Lucasfilm

Related: Lucasfilm Reportedly Scraps Two Seasons From ‘Star Wars’ Series

The showrunner has explained that, while Andor will indeed begin five years before Rogue One, it will actually dedicate three episodes for each of those five years, which means that there will be 12 episodes in the upcoming show.

“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. 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.”

Diego Luna as Cassian Andor
Credit: Lucasfilm

Related: After Losing Two Seasons, ‘Star Wars’ Longest Live-Action Series May Be Cut Even Shorter

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Gilroy revealed details about how the show starts, saying:

“Our show starts with a very simple, almost film noir situation for a thief. A skeevy kind of guy gets in big trouble, tries to sell something he has to save his ass,” Gilroy said. “A Rebel talent scout has been watching him with interest, and he’s sort of recruited on the worst day of his life. On episode four, we leave there and we begin to expand out…”

Andor was originally intended to be five seasons in length, however, Gilroy recently explained that the plan was “physically impossible” due to the scale of the series. Now, evidently the showrunners have come up with a way to tell the same story using this new format.

Andor in Rogue One (2016)
Credit: Lucasfilm

Related: ‘Andor’ Set Photo Hints Surprising ‘Rogue One’ Character Will Be Back

Andor stars Diego Luna (Cassian Andor), Genevieve O’Reilly (Mon Mothma), Forest Whitaker (Saw Gerrera), and Robert Emms, David Hayman, Stellan Skarsgard, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, and Fiona Shaw in undisclosed roles.

It’s unknown which other Star Wars characters will be making an appearance in the show, however rumors have so far included Satine Kryze from hit animated show Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008). As for droid K-2SO, apparently Alan Tudyk won’t be returning.

diego luna as cassian andor rogue one
Credit: Lucasfilm

The first two episodes of Andor will land on Disney+ on August 31, and each subsequent episode will be released every week thereafter until November 9. A second season has been confirmed.

Are you excited for Andor? And what do you think of the format of the show? Let us know in the comments down below!

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