Star Wars: Andor
The “Andor” series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make.
The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved.
It’s an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.
Cast: Diego Luna, Genevieve O’Reilly, Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, Fiona Shaw
Creator/Showrunner: Tony Gilroy
Directors: Toby Haynes (Episodes 1, 2, 3, 8, 9,10), Susanna White (Episodes 4, 5, 6), Benjamin Caron (Episodes 7, 11,12)
Writers: Tony Gilroy (Episodes 1,2, 3,11,12), Dan Gilroy (Episodes 4, 5, 6), Stephen Schiff (Episode 7), Beau Willimon (Episodes 8, 9,10)
Executive Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Tony Gilroy, Sanne Wohlenberg, Diego Luna, Michelle Rejwan
Release Date: Wednesday 21st September (Episodes 1-3)
With the Star Wars saga stepping beyond the safety of the Skywalker story, Lucasfilm have the opportunity (and with it the pressure) of delivering something fresh and bold, all the while retaining that unique Star Wars magic that has kept people coming back for almost half a century. With 2016’s Rogue One capturing a billion dollar return despite a famously troubled production, the chance to expand on that bleak yet inspiring story (the heroic capture of the Death Star plans as mentioned in the scroll up of A New Hope while one-by-one witnessing the death of the team who stole them) seemed unlikely. Thank goodness for Tony Gilroy, who looked beyond the obvious roadblock of their demise and stepped the story back half a decade, lasering in on the morally conflicted ‘James Bond’ of Rogue One Cassian Andor and his backstory.
That truly was a genius stroke, not only because of the chance to delve deep into an era where the Empire holds almost complete dominion over the galaxy, but the choice of its lead. Diego Luna arguably stole Rogue One, and in Andor (the first four episode of which we were generously allowed to view back in July) we see the start of the journey. From a directionless inhabitant of the industrial world of Ferrix we see Andor in his own habitat, from his adoptive mother Maarva (Fiona Shaw), to his equally dissatisfied friend Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona). His friends (like all true friends) are well aware of his shortcomings. He disappears without explanation and seemingly cares little for the consequences while Bix and others cover for him with alibies. In flashbacks we see a young Cassian, learn how the fire that burns like a furnace by the time of Rogue One first got lit and while it barely glows in these early episodes, it’s definitely there. Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) is made aware of this, journeying to Ferrix to enlist Andor. The door to adventure is open, but unlike other classic GFFA adventures, Andor is in no hurry to walk through.
As a location Ferrix is a marvel, a town built for real in Little Marlow in Buckinghamshire that is so immersive and complete the actors were able and indeed encouraged to choose their own route when running through the streets, such was the detail available to the director of the Ferrix scenes Toby Haynes, and it’s grimy, dirt-under-the-fingernails grittiness is the perfect metaphor for the galaxy five years before the pivotal engagements at Scarif and Yavin as well as for Cassian himself.
It’s worth noting that this is not your classic, Flash Gordon inspired Star Wars adventure – this is as ‘grown up’ as the Wars have ever been, from the stark, clear policies of the Imperial Security Bureau to the reality of toiling on an industrial world like Ferrix where huge starships are chopped for scrap in a parallel of the scavenger fields of Jakku. The relationships are complicated and real, while the thriller aspect of the show would be easily transferable into an Earthbound story. Certainly, this assumes a knowledge of the wider Star Wars story, but even for canon novices, a quick visit to Wookieepedia and a search of the era allows for treats to be mined.
Of the characters, many of whom have pleasingly familiar accents including a variety of English and Scottish (lots of Scottish), the breakout is certain to be the adorable B2EMO. Equal parts WALL.E and B.O.B from The Black Hole, he is a triumph of design and execution, built by the droid builders of Neal Scanlan’s workshop and operated by BB-8 team member Dave Chapman. Fiona Shaw brings her usual award-winning intensity while Genevieve O’Reilly and Stellan Skarsgard stand out as Mon Mothma and rebel sympathiser Luthen Rael. Kyle Soller as Syril Karn delivers a dedicated career man desperate to evolve out of the shackles of his station, much like Cassian himself. Diego Luna gave us an able foil to Felicity Jones’ Jyn Erso in Rogue One; here he is unsettled, unsure, aimless, dissatisfied (everything you’d expect from a prospective rebel) but once given focus, determined to make that change.
We have no idea where the next eight episodes take us, but if they deliver the high bar of quality these first four do, with excellent direction, stunning VFX (interestingly there’s practically zero StageCraft), engaging music from Nicholas Brittel and performances that flatly refuse to let you take your eyes off them, then we could be in for a landmark Star Wars project that changes the direction of the saga and perhaps assuages the concerns of fans who are convinced Disney don’t know where they want to go with their crown jewel. On the strength of these opening episodes, the galaxy has rarely been in better hands.
You can listen to our roundtable chat with Bix Caleen actress Adria Arjona on a special episode of Making Tracks and tune in Wednesday evenings for the return of Making Tracks Reaction Chats.
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