Exclusive: How Kathleen Kennedy Unleashed Tony Gilroy’s Vision for ‘Star Wars: Andor’

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As a die-hard fan of the Star Wars universe, it’s been thrilling to witness Tony Gilroy‘s impact. He’s left an indelible mark, penning two of the highest-rated projects in the saga as co-screenwriter for Rogue One and creating Andor. Now, the final chapter of his journey in a galaxy far, far away unfolds with the second season of Andor, premiering on Disney+ on April 22.

Before the new season launched, Gilroy discussed with George Edelman from MovieWeb how he got to create a one-of-a-kind Star Wars series, featuring everyday people in a fantastic world, which turned out to be exceptional.

“Kathy (Kennedy) arrived, and I had penned down a manifesto outlining my vision for the show. Multiple attempts were made to realize it, but they eventually returned and said, ‘Remember that unconventional advice you gave us? We want to make it happen.’ I knew Diego was someone I could collaborate with extensively. The opportunity presented itself in a massive scale – a vast canvas and abundant resources. The subject matter was intriguing – we wanted to create a show about revolution, focusing on the kitchen rather than the dining room, and highlighting ordinary people. I assured them there would be no lightsabers, no Force, just a compelling tale about revolution.

‘Andor’ Took Many Months to Develop Into the Incredible Series It Became

During a brief yet turbulent phase, the approach of The Walt Disney Company towards its major franchises like Star Wars and the MCU was to release content as swiftly as they could be produced. This push was spearheaded by Bob Chapek, who served as an interim CEO between the tenures of Bob Iger. As a result, Lucasfilm found itself juggling various projects, but despite these distractions, the series ‘Andor’ by Gilroy managed to make its mark in due time, offering something exceptional to the franchise.

According to the creator’s account, the series provided an outlet for him to explore themes he had long been fascinated by, yet it involved numerous dialogues and iterations to shape it into the hit that it ultimately was.

For years, I’ve been passionately invested in this particular subject, delving into various resources that I initially thought might never come in handy. Now, it feels like a massive chance to explore this topic in depth. It’s not something you rush into; instead, there’s been a significant period of several months where I’ve been presenting ideas and drafting episodes before we move forward with the contract. We aim to bring on board the production designer from ‘Chernobyl’, and I envision us starting with a scene set in a brothel, where two policemen are confronted and possibly eliminated. For a writer, this opportunity is simply enormous.

Starting this week, the final chapter of “Andor” unfolds on Disney+, releasing sets of three episodes each week, starting from April 22, 2025.

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2025-04-19 15:02