Andor is unique among Star Wars streaming shows. Not only was it given the most airtime for a live-action series — two 12-episode seasons — but its entire structure was laid out from the beginning. Season 1 has covered the events that convinced Cassian to join the Rebellion instead of just looking out for himself, while Season 2 will cover the four years that lead right up to the opening moments of Rogue One.
Now, on the eve of the Season 1 finale, we finally have an idea of when to expect Season 2, and it’s sooner than you think.
In a conversation with Collider, Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy revealed the timeline for the rest of Andor. Season 2 begins shooting this week and will continue through August 2023. If post-production takes as long as it did for Season 1, Gilroy said we should expect a two year break between the seasons. So we won’t see more of Cassian, Luthen, and Mon Mothma until Fall 2024, which is typical for a Star Wars show. The Mandalorian Season 2, for example, ended in December 2020 and is returning in February 2023.
However, Tony Gilroy teased that the show could arrive sooner if it’s given money to fast-track the post-production process.
“There would have to be some serious motivation next May or June or something,” Gilroy said. “Someone would have to say, ‘Wow, we really need this, and we’re willing to pay X.’”
Considering how popular Andor has been among fans, it’s entirely possible that the right person at Disney will be willing to fork out that extra cash. While we’ll still have to wait until late 2024 for Andor Season 2, maybe we’ll see it slide under the two-year production mark if the motivation is there.
Star Wars fans have learned to be patient for Disney+ shows, but Andor may be able to deliver the goods a bit quicker than expected, which would be a huge boon for the series. Andor is so visually and thematically different than every other Star Wars show, and the best way to maintain its popularity would be to shorten the production cycle as much as is reasonably possible.
Hopefully Disney understands what an asset Andor is and plans to react accordingly. But even if we have to wait a full two years for Cassian to return to Disney+, Season 1 has shown that it will be worth it.
Andor Season 1 is now streaming on Disney+.
