Andor is one of this shows that raised the bar for the Star Wars franchise. But, getting to that second season? That didn’t come easy.
Tony Gilroy, the creator of Andor and the mind behind Rogue One, opened up at the ATX Television Festival about the uphill battle he faced securing proper funding for Season 2 of the critically acclaimed series. While you’d think Disney would be all-in after Season 1’s success, Gilroy revealed a much grimmer outlook from the studio:
“I mean, [for] Disney this is $650 million. For 24 episodes, I never took a note. We said ‘F*ck the Empire’ in the first season, and they said, ‘Can you please not do that?’ …
In season 2, they said, ‘Streaming is dead, we don’t have the money we had before,’ so we fought hard about money, but they never cleaned anything up. That [freedom] comes with responsibilities.”
“Streaming is dead,” according to what Gilroy was told during Season 2’s production. Kind of a surprise, considering this is Disney we’re talking about, owners of Disney+, the home of Andor, The Mandalorian, and every Marvel show.
But, this internal sentiment makes a bit more sense when you look at the recent slowdown in Disney’s streaming content pipeline. Marvel shows have slowed down. Star Wars shows are fewer and farther between. The emphasis, for now, seems to be shifting, toward theatrical releases.
I’m glad to hear that Gilroy “fought hard” for the budget and to preserve the scope and freedom of the show. It was a massive creative swing that kept its integrity intact despite the studio’s shifting priorities.
Even with all the struggles behind the scenes, Andor remains the most critically lauded live-action Star Wars project to date. It was an impressive show that hit a nerve with fans, elevating the franchise in a way no other Star Wars project has.
As for what’s next: The Mandalorian & Grogu is headed to the big screen with Pedro Pascal and Sigourney Weaver. Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling are confirmed to be teaming on the Starfighter movie. Ahsoka’s second season is underway for a 2026 release, and a Darth Maul series is also coming.
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