Tony Gilroy is ready for life beyond Star Wars, and he's not ashamed to admit it.
Gilroy's involvement in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is well-known among Star Wars fans. As a late addition to the film, Gilroy reworked the movie's script and is largely responsible for the final product. He received screenwriting credit for the movie, and a few years later, he began working on Andor.
Critics and fans raved about Andor, and with the show ending soon, everyone is curious about Gilroy's future in Star Wars. When Kathleen Kennedy spoke with Deadline last month, she didn't rule out the possibility of Gilroy working on another Star Wars project. Discussing his work on the franchise, Kennedy said, "I don’t think he ever believed he’d be a decade inside Star Wars. He’s writing some things on his own, and I think he’d like to get back into the director’s chair. So we’ll see what he does."
As for Gilroy, he told Collider, "I've been peripherally involved for 10 years and intensely involved for six years, so that's a pretty big chunk of my life. There are other things to do." He said he wants to work on a movie about movie music and get back in the director's chair before he forgets how to direct.
Although he knows Andor fans hope to see more of his work in Star Wars, he's not too eager to continue, because "I think when it's done, I will have left a pretty big piece of Star Wars real estate behind. I’m not feeling guilty about not chipping in." He admits life outside of Star Wars won't be easy, as he'll have to struggle to secure enough money for future products. This is a far cry from how well he's been treated by Lucasfilm, where he has all the resources at his disposal and an enthusiastic fanbase to cater to.
Regardless of that, Gilroy is ready to move on, but not before Andor Season 2, which is awaited with lofty expectations. Lucasfilm gave Gilroy complete creative freedom and a huge budget for the final season. Its budget is larger than all other Star Wars shows, and even bigger than that of Rogue One.
As for Gilroy's Star Wars future, it's too early to say anything even if he says he's ready to move on. You never know what the future holds, and Tony Gilroy may return after taking a few years away from the franchise to work on his other passion projects. Even if he never returns, his work will continue to be appreciated by generations of Star Wars fans in the years to come.
Andor Season 2 premieres April 22 on Disney+.