With a whole lot of obvious focus on The Mandalorian with its second season coming up and the teases of the Obi-wan series starting production next year, things are also picking up on the Cassian Andor untitled series. With it set to film in the UK, the pandemic has caused a change in plans in how it’ll get underway. Tony Gilroy, who did a lot of the work in the Rogue One film, is serving as showrunner and was set to direct the first three episodes. But with the pandemic and his being in New York, the flareups and so forth have him holding off on doing that. Instead, director Toby Haynes – who was set to direct later episodes – is shifting up to handle the earlier episodes. It’s still possible/likely that Gilroy will direct some later ones but he’s still serving as the showrunner and with the way technology is – he’ll be pretty well involved in it.
With Tony Gilroy serving as the showrunner and having worked on Rogue One, the cast includes Diego Luna as Cassian Andor, Alan Tudyk as K-2SO, Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma, Denis Gough, Stellan Skarsgard, Adria Ajorna, and Kyle Soller having joined the project in undetermined roles.
One thing to remember is that based on past reveals, Cassian’s parents were Separatists, which is a side that in the live-action side hasn’t been explored much and can provide for a distinctly different view than what we usually get.
Marvel Comics previously produced a special for the character and K2-SO (who we’re hoping will be a big part of this) and this project is definitely what I’m hoping for when it comes to original live-action TV projects for the property. One of the themes of the Rogue One film involved Andor talking about how he’d been fighting for so long and done so many dark things in order to help the growing Rebellion. The chance to explore some of that is definitely exciting, much as it was to get the backstory we did in the Catalyst novel for the Rogue One film that explored Jyn’s parents and the nature of how the Empire started strip-mining worlds after the end of the prequels.
Check out our review of the film.
Plot Concept: The series will follow the adventures of rebel spy Cassian Andor during the formative years of the Rebellion and prior to the events of Rogue One.
[Source: Deadline]