Previous Star Wars streaming series on Disney+ were helmed by self-professed fans of the franchise, but the showrunner for the upcoming Andor series admits his interest isn't quite so intense.
Andor writer and executive producer Tony Gilroy says he's "not a fan fan" of the Star Wars franchise, according to SFX Magazine. That doesn't mean Gilroy is a stranger to Star Wars, though, especially to the character of Cassian Andor himself -- Gilroy co-wrote the script to 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the film that introduced the freedom fighter to Star Wars fans.
Andor's Tony Gilroy is No Stranger to Spy Thrillers, Either
Gilroy is perhaps best known as screenwriter for the original Jason Bourne trilogy starring Matt Damon, as well as writing and directing the subsequent The Bourne Legacy in 2012. The filmmaker also adapted Jonathan Hensleigh and J.J. Abrams' screenplay for the 1998 blockbuster Armageddon starring Bruce Willis, and was nominated for two Academy Awards for 2007's legal drama Michael Clayton, for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.
The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett co-executive producer Dave Filoni, meanwhile, is not only a self-professed fan, but served as the supervising director for the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series. Fellow Mandalorian co-executive producer Jon Favreau has also expressed his love of the franchise. Favreau voiced the character of Death Watch leader Pre Vizsla in The Clone Wars, and also supplied the voice of alien pilot Rio Durant in 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Andor features Diego Luna reprising his role as the thief-turned-future-Rebel from Rogue One, telling the story of the one-time criminal in the five years leading up to the film. Rogue One itself was a prequel to 1977's Star Wars: A New Hope, concluding immediately before the latter film’s opening moments.
Rogue One featured Cassian Andor joining other resistance fighters in infiltrating a guarded installation and stealing the plans for the Galactic Empire's planet-annihilating Death Star, in support of the Empire-defying Rebel Alliance. Andor also stars Genevieve O'Reilly, reprising her role as Mon Mothma from Rogue One, and also features Forest Whitaker returning as insurgent Saw Gerrera.
Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona and Denise Gough also star in the series.
Andor has already been greenlit for two 12-episode seasons on Disney+. The first three episodes of the series premiere on the streaming service Sep. 21.
Source: SFX Magazine