Andor returns for one final, politically charged season that marks the end of a bold television experiment. Starring Diego Luna, the series explores the roots of rebellion leading up to Rogue One.
Often hailed by critics as “the best Star Wars series,” Andor returns this Wednesday for its final season—shaped by historical accounts of war and revolution, according to creator Tony Gilroy.
Premiering on Disney+ in 2022, the large-scale production cost over $645 million across its two seasons, according to Forbes.
The show traces the early days of the galactic rebellion in the five years leading up to Rogue One (2016), through the journey of one of its central figures, Cassian Andor (played by Diego Luna).
In the film, a team of rebels embarks on a suicide mission to steal plans for the Death Star, a massive weapon of destruction. “You have characters who are willing to give everything for a cause,” Luna told AFP. The series, he says, reveals “how someone gets to that point.”
Yet, Andor doesn’t just focus on its title character. It delves into the complex motivations and moral ambiguities on both sides of the conflict—spotlighting not just Andor, but also the architect of the uprising, played by Stellan Skarsgård, and the oppressive machinery of the fascist Empire.
Originally planned as a five-season arc, the show was scaled back during the filming of season one, said Gilroy, who also adapted the Jason Bourne novels for the big screen and co-wrote Rogue One.
“When I first signed on, I had no idea how much work it would take… It just wasn’t physically feasible,” the American showrunner told AFP while visiting Paris.
As a result, the second and final season includes 12 episodes, released three at a time, and covers a four-year span that leads directly into Rogue One. According to Luna, this season is “far more intense and complex” than the first.
Since acquiring Lucasfilm in 2012, Disney has rolled out multiple Star Wars films and series with mixed success. The franchise remains central to Disney+’s strategy to boost subscriptions.
Its biggest small-screen hit, The Mandalorian, is set to receive a theatrical spinoff in May 2026. But for many critics, Andor stands out—darker, more grounded, and unapologetically political.
To portray the birth of a revolution and its impact on “ordinary people,” Gilroy—a proud autodidact—drew heavily on historical sources.
“I grew up surrounded by books, and whenever something caught my interest, I dove into it,” said Gilroy, whose father was a well-known screenwriter and playwright.
“I’ve been reading about wars, rebellions, and revolutions for 40 years”—Russian, French, British, Haitian, Romanian, Mexican, and more.
Season two takes a closer look at the power of propaganda, especially through the fate of the people on a fictional planet called Ghorman. The team had to invent an entire civilization—its economy, language, culture, wardrobe, and aesthetic.
A French touch: Several French actors, including Thierry Godard (Spiral, A French Village), were cast to bring this new community to life in a made-up language.
“I was a big fan of A French Village,” Gilroy explained, referencing the cult WWII-era series set in occupied France. “There were a few actors I already had in mind. We kept asking ourselves: how do we bring the culture of Ghorman to the screen? And at some point, I said—what if we just cast all French actors?”
More broadly, the show strikes a chord in today’s turbulent world—something Gilroy admits he couldn’t have predicted when writing the story.
“The sad truth is that history keeps repeating itself,” he noted. “We like to think we’re living through unique times, but that’s just narcissism.” While “technology changes, and the language evolves, the dynamics of oppression and resistance” remain timeless.
With AFP
Comments