Lucasfilm’s most promising live-action series is slowly becoming its most embattled. After production delays in 2022 and two historic Hollywood strikes in 2023, Andor Season 2 could be arriving much later than anyone expected.
Andor was originally slated to return in 2024 alongside the debut of two new Star Wars shows, Skeleton Crew and The Acolyte. But as the film industry gets up and running again, Andor is among a handful of projects that need just a bit more polish. Disney+ UK recently released an updated slate for 2024, and while Lucasfilm is still on track with most of its shows, Andor isn’t one of them. So far, Skeleton Crew and The Acolyte are the only two live-action Star Wars series scheduled for a 2024 release, while Andor has been removed for now.
There’s no word on when Andor will eventually return for its second season, but Gizmodo reports it could be pushed back to 2025. Whether Andor will score a release window in early months like March (a slot typically reserved for The Mandalorian) or stream in the fall remains to be seen. Either way, the show could be delayed up to a year — but there is still a silver lining here.
A delay certainly isn’t ideal, especially as fans have been waiting for Andor’s return for what’s felt like years already. But this may be the best way forward for the series, especially given the role it played in the writers’ and actors’ strikes.
Andor was among a handful of shows that filmed amid 2023’s writers strike. The bulk of its scripts had already been written, allowing production to continue for at least a month before Hollywood actors joined writers on the picket lines. As Andor’s head showrunner, Tony Gilroy, is also one of its chief writers, the series found itself in an uncomfortable intersection. Gilroy wouldn’t have been able to make any tweaks to the script while filming Andor Season 2, but now that production is free to continue, some reshoots may be required.
Projects aren’t delayed for fun, so any delays Andor suffers are likely necessary to make it the best show it can be. Andor Season 1 was one of Lucasfilm’s strongest projects ever, so spending a bit more time on its second season should be worth it. Hopefully, fans won’t have to wait too long to catch Cassian Andor’s continuing adventures, but with Skeleton Crew, The Acolyte, and a handful of animated series on the horizon, at least we won’t be waiting emptyhanded.
