He may have bit the dust at the end of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (spoiler, sorry!), heroically dying in great sacrifice next to Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) at the Battle of Scarif, but we haven’t seen the last of Diego Luna as Captain Cassian Andor. Today, on a shareholder call Disney chief Bob Iger announced the second “Star Wars” live-action series and it’ll be a “Rogue One” prequel starring Luna. The show, described as a rousing spy thriller, will appear on what is now known as Disney+, the Company’s just-named, new direct-to-consumer streaming service.
Here’s the press release from Star Wars.com
Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced today that Lucasfilm is in development on a second Star Wars live-action series for Disney+, the Company’s new direct-to-consumer streaming service. The series, which will go into production next year, follows the adventures of rebel spy Cassian Andor during the formative years of the Rebellion and prior to the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Diego Luna will reprise the role of Andor. “Going back to the Star Wars universe is very special for me,” said Luna. “I have so many memories of the great work we did together and the relationships I made throughout the journey. We have a fantastic adventure ahead of us, and this new exciting format will give us the chance to explore this character more deeply.”
The rousing spy thriller will explore tales filled with espionage and daring missions to restore hope to a galaxy in the grip of a ruthless Empire. A release date for the series has not yet been announced.
Introduced into the “Star Wars” universe in Gareth Edwards‘ aforementioned “Rogue One,” Andor is a soldier, pilot, and Intelligence officer who served in the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars. In the movie, Andor relates that he’s been part of the Rebellion since he was a child and lost his parents early on. “Everything I did, I did for the Rebellion, and every time I walked away from something I wanted to forget, I told myself it was for a cause I believed in. A cause that was worth it,” he says in one of the film’s crucial lines about his backstory. Without that, we’re lost. Everything we’ve done would have been for nothing. I couldn’t face myself if I gave up now.”
The untitled Cassian Andor series will follow “The Mandalorian,” a “Star Wars” series from director Jon Favreau that will appear on Disney+ first when it presumably launches in late 2019. It’s interesting how Lucasfilm has denied that “Star Wars” spin-offs are on hold at the movies, and yet, most of them seem to be migrating to television. Given the fact that the expensive “Solo: A Star Wars Story” crashed and burned at the box office, “Star Wars” on the Disney streaming channel may be the way to go going forward: no theatrical profits to split with theater chains, no multi-million dollar theatrical marketing campaigns and no Netflix or streaming distributor to deal with either. Don’t be surprised, if all the spin-offs go to Disney+ and all the movies saved for more traditional “Star Wars” ensemble films.
Hate losing a scoop to an earnings call. Little context, Diego has to shoot another season of NARCOS first before CASSIAN, so will be a little bit before we see this series
— Justin Kroll (@krolljvar) November 8, 2018