- Title: Star Wars "Andor" offers "a new lane for this franchise" - Tony Gilroy
- Date: 16th September 2022
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 15, 2022) (Reuters) LUNA BEING INTERVIEWED
- Embargoed: 30th September 2022 06:34
- Keywords: Andor Diego Luna Genevieve O'Reilly Premiere Star Wars Television Tony Gilroy
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS
- City: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES; UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Television,United States
- Reuters ID: LVA004573916092022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The latest 'Star Wars' television series, 'Andor', is set to turn the franchise on its head with a realism from 'Rogue One' writer Tony Gilroy.
Gone are the lightsabers and the black and white polarizations of the beloved 'Star Wars' films. Instead, the television series follows the struggles of normal people under the Empire's control.
Actor and producer Diego Luna reprises his role as Cassian Andor, who lost his life at the end of 'Rogue One' delivering the Death Star plans to Princess Leia.
Luna turned out at the launch of the series in Hollywood and said "I see as this like four films, you know. I see this as four films. We've worked really hard. I don't know, this is new for me, this long format Disney. I really enjoyed it. The opportunities, the freedom you find as an actor, the chance to explore stuff in a film you would never be able to explore, it's amazing."
Gilroy's "Rogue One" is seen as one of the most popular films in the franchise, despite having a different feel to the originals.
He told Reuters at the launch "This is about regular people being either who don't even know they're going to be over-swept by a tsunami. I mean a revolution of war cataclysm is coming to people. What happens to ordinary people when that happens? They haven't done that yet and so that's what Disney wanted to gamble on, that's what we wanted to do, that's what we wanted to work on. Cassian Andor's story is a really good spine to put in the middle of that, so it's a new lane for this franchise and I hope it's one that people dig."
Irish actor Genevieve O'Reilly, who plays iconic rebel leader, Mon Mothma, told Reuters "It is different. I think it's a departure from a style we've seen recently in 'Star Wars' but I think it's the story that lends itself to that. I think usually we're embedded in a world with empire versus rebellion and at the moment when we start 'Andor', there is yet to be a rebellion. There is no rebellion. So therefore, all of the characters on their different planets are navigated a shadowier world where things are grayer."
Although the series seems like a galaxy far, far away from the original films, Gilroy promises the show, which launces on September 21, will evolve into something more recognizable.
He said "The conversation that we can have at the end of October is so different than the conversation we're having now. I can't tell you what's about to happen and what's coming. It is the story of the making of a revolutionary in some ways but it's a story about a whole bunch of different characters that are being pushed towards really big decisions."
The show's musical composer, Nicholas Britell, pointed out at the premiere that a lot of clues of what's to come lie in the music.
He said "I will say there is a lot that went into this and there's a lot of thought and care in how things are structured and so I would say there is definitely stuff in there. I think that hopefully people are able to enjoy it as itself on the surface but if you dig deeper, there is more there for sure. So watch out for things, listen up, listen up!"
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