In 2022, the galaxy far, far away was met with a much-needed breath of fresh air in the critically acclaimed series Andor, starring Diego Luna as the titular character Cassian Andor, the future hero of the Rebellion.
Taking place five years before the events of 2016’s Rogue One, season one of Andor explored the earlier life of Cassian Andor prior to his service in the Rebel Alliance. Helmed by showrunner Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton, The Bourne Legacy), the series proved to be a slick and edgy espionage thriller full of moral ambiguity and mature themes.
Gilroy returns now to helm the second and final season of the series. What we know so far is limited, but much can be gleaned from context. We know that the second season will be twelve episodes in length and will take place over the course of 4 years of Cassian’s life, with the season separated into a quartet of three-episode chunks. Each will detail significant events leading up to the story of Rogue One, which is an immediate prequel to the original 1977 Star Wars.
We had already seen multiple reports stating that Alan Tudyk would be reprising his role as the much-loved K-2SO along with Ben Mendelsohn as Director Orson Krennic. We also got a first look at some fresh footage in the 2025 Disney+ promo reel.
Production of season two was impacted by the 2023 Writers Strike, with production occurring periodically from November 2022 through to February 2024. Although the finer details of these impacts may never be fully published, we know that Gilroy (a member of the Writers Guild of America) stated that he was not present on set from May 2, the day strike action began.
Part of what makes Andor such a standout is the perceived lack of studio intervention the show enjoys. Whereas shows like The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan Kenobi were tightly coordinated by Disney and Lucasfilm, Andor was given a degree of distance in terms of corporate oversight, adding to the show's distinctive feel.
This may be due to the fact that Cassian is not a legacy character or unlike the titular Mandalorian, Din Djarin, is more of an every-man by comparison. Perhaps Gilroy and other creatives were, as a result, granted a higher degree of creative freedom. The hope is, of course, that this continues with Season 2. Gilroy has promised a conclusive and satisfying ending to the series.
Although many of us will be sad to see Andor end, having a show able to wrap up on its own terms is quite the blessing in an age where show cancellations are as common as the announcement of new Star Wars movies.
Season two of Andor airs on April 22 exclusivity on Disney+.