Back in April, I found myself taken aback when Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy said he thought nothing like his TV show would ever happen again. The headline sounds almost arrogant, but Gilroy was actually referring to behind-the-scenes events. In his view, Andor was the result of a unique moment in history; "no-one’s ever gonna start a show on this scale again, and shoot it practically, and have the resources and the protection to do something like this," he explained.
Andor was undeniably the best Star Wars TV show to date. According to tax returns submitted in the U.K., it had an eye-watering $645 million budget that certainly explains why it looks so gorgeous - that's more than any Star Wars movie (even The Last Jedi cost under $400 million). But that's not the only reason the show did so well - and Lucasfilm will struggle to make lightning strike twice.
Andor Took A Very Different Approach To Storytelling
"If Your Primary Goal Is To Make Fans Happy, You're Gonna Be In Trouble Real Quick"
Speaking to Backstory Magazine, Tom Bissell - part of Andor's writing team, scribe of the final three episodes of season 2 - reflected that the writing on this show is unlike anything you normally see in what he calls "IP storytelling."
I couldn't help chuckling when I heard these words. I don't think Bissell meant the comment to be pointed, but he was offering an unwitting criticism of Lucasfilm creators Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau; both frequently use the metaphor of "getting toys out of the toybox," and their approach arguably caused great problems with The Mandalorian season 3. Bissell was unwittingly highlighting the difference between Andor and most other Star Wars shows.
Like Cassian himself, Tony Gilroy was a messenger, and this show was his message.
The core problem is that Star Wars storytelling is focused on satisfying the fans. Andor was different, though; it wasn't made because of demand (nobody was asking for Cassian Andor's backstory), and it avoided fan-service as much as possible. It was made because Tony Gilroy had a message to tell, and he chose Star Wars as his medium. Like Cassian himself, Tony Gilroy was a messenger, and this show was his missive.
This Is The Star Wars George Lucas Wanted To Make
It's Time For Star Wars To Grow Up
I don't know what George Lucas thinks of Andor. Neither does Tony Gilroy; he's only spoken to Lucas once, after Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. But I strongly suspect that he'll love it, because we recently learned Lucas wanted live-action Star Wars TV to look a lot more sophisticated and mature. In the 2000s, Lucas worked on scripts for a live-action TV show, and what producer Rick McCallum described looks rather more Andor-like than Mandalorian-lite.
Please don't misunderstand me here. I grew up with Star Wars, and I absolutely love The Mandalorian, which means I'm really looking forward to The Mandalorian & Grogu. But that's more of the same - a repeat of a winning formula, just taken to the big screen. Ahsoka season 2 continues a story that really began in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Shawn Levy's recently-announced Starfighter movie sounds promising, but it also feels like a fairly safe bet rather than a bold reinvention.
There are, however, two promising signs. The first is James Mangold's "Dawn of the Jedi" movie (we don't know if that's the final title). Announced two years ago, this is being written by Mangold and Beau Willimon - one of Andor's writing room. Looking away from the big screen, Lucasfilm recently announced an upcoming Darth Maul TV show, Maul: Shadow Lord. This is the first time Star Wars has ever made a show that actually stars a villain, and it's another hint at evolution.
I don't know whether Lucasfilm will be able to follow on from the success of Andor. I'm pretty sure president Kathleen Kennedy wants to; according to Gilroy, she had his back through the show's development, and he credits her on the finished product. But I truly hope Mangold's upcoming Dawn of the Jedi project and Maul: Shadow Lord are hints of a newfound courage, a boldness the franchise desperately needs. Andor has raised the bar, now Lucasfilm need to clear it.
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