2 Reasons ‘Andor’ Will Change Disney’s Bad Luck With ‘Star Wars’ Series
While fans wait for the next Star Wars movie, Disney keeps the taps open with a near-constant stream of original series on Disney+. The Season 2 finale of The Mandalorian was top-notch Star Wars, and it left fans eagerly anticipating the February 2023 debut for Season 3. Andor is the next series on deck, and there are two reasons it will change the bad luck Disney has had with its recent, non-Mandalorian Star Wars series.
‘The Book of Boba Fett’ and ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ didn’t satisfy ‘Star Wars’ fans
When a droid that barely appears in the movie — such as D-O in The Rise of Skywalker — is the biggest star, it’s an indication things could be going better for Disney’s Star Wars content.
The Mandalorian made the Star Wars universe feel more realistic, and fans loved it. The planet-hopping, forged friendships, pacing, and action won over the audience. The show whetted the appetite for more Star Wars series. Yet The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi, the next two shows to hit Disney+, didn’t deliver for many fans.
Episode 6 of The Book of Boba Fett turned a beloved character in the galaxy far, far away into a jerk. The show set up the third season of The Mandalorian, but the title character sits out one-and-a-half of its seven episodes.
Ewan McGregor returned to play Obi-Wan in the 2022 limited series, but some fans felt it should’ve been a movie (as it was supposed to be) instead Disney+ show. It was intriguing to see Obi-Wan’s life between the fall of the Republic and the rise of the rebellion, but the uneven pace left something to be desired.
BOBF and Obi-Wan Kenobi missed the mark, but Andor will reverse Disney’s bad Star Wars TV luck for two reasons.
Why ‘Andor’ will change the bad luck Disney+ has had with ‘Star Wars’ series
After the lackluster Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi, the upcoming Andor will restore Star Wars fans’ faith in the limited series.
The Disney+ premiere date moved from late August to late September 2022, which will help bring fans closer to the third season of The Mandalorian. And Andor, a spinoff from the Rogue One movie, will succeed where previous series fell short for two reasons:
1. ‘Andor’ brings back key creatives who made ‘Rogue One’ a success
Tony Gilroy co-wrote the screenplay for Rogue One. He created Andor, wrote five of the 12 episodes, and produced the show. Diego Luna, who starred in the movie, returns to his role. He also produced one episode of the show, per IMDb. Bringing back two of the people who made the source material a hit differentiates Andor from Boba Fett and Kenobi and sets it up for success.
2. The show didn’t use The Volume as other ‘Star Wars’ series did
The Volume — the name for the seamless LED screens that allow filmmakers to display scenery and background without blue screens — streamlines the Star Wars creative process. Actors can see what they’re reacting to, and creators can change the background at the drop of a hat.
The Volume provides realistic imagery, but it’s not the same as shooting in the real world. Gilroy said Andor shot in real locations instead of using The Volume, per The Direct. That will give it a different look and feel compared to the shows that came before it, which will help it feel more authentic for fans.
What we know about ‘Andor’ so far
In addition to a Sept. 21 premiere date, we know a few more things about Andor.
- The show will reportedly dig deep into Cassian Andor’s origin story: How he grew up (there are reportedly younger Cassians in the show) and how he joined the rebellion.
- Forest Whitaker (Saw Gerrera) and Genevieve O’Reilly (Mon Mothma) reprise their roles from Rogue One in the show.
- Gilroy and directors Benjamin Caron, Susanna White, and Toby Haynes filmed Andor in various sites around the U.K., per IMDb.
Andor will receive a three-episode premiere when it debuts on Sept. 21.
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