Tony Gilroy created the upcoming Andor TV show that will premiere on September 21. It is a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The show will be a bit grittier than Star Wars, highlighting the stories about average people struggling to get by under the tough reality of the Empire’s iron grip.
During a recent interview with Variety, Gilroy summarized his inspiration behind this new show.
“I wanted to do it about real people. They’ve made all this IP about the royal family, in essence. It’s been great. But there are a billion, billion, billion other beings in the galaxy. There are plumbers and cosmeticians. Journalists! What are their lives like? The revolution is affecting them just as much as anybody else. Why not use the Star Wars canon as a host organism for absolutely realistic, passionate, dramatic storytelling?”
Andor’s story required onsite shoots and properly established sets, including sprawling cities with housing projects and brothels. By opting for this way, Andor is trying to break away from the family-friendly nature of virtually every Star Wars movie and TV shows over the franchise’s 45-year history:
“I don’t think it’s a show for 9-year-olds. We are an adventure story, we are a thriller. And in an abundant way, we’re creating a lot of IP. You should be able to watch the show and not give a s**t about Star Wars ever or have ever seen any Star Wars.”
