In a recent interview with The Playlist Tony Gilroy explains where Andor ends and why he is not directing Season 2. Andor‘s inaugural season is almost upon us and head writer Tony Gilroy is on the promotional trail. So far we know that Andor Season 1 is a whopping 12-episodes long and that there will be a second, and final season. In the outlets first article Here, Gilroy talks about where Andor ends and where the Rogue One movie begins.

“Yeah, I mean, our final scene of the show is no secret; it’s going to be [Cassian] walking across the tarmac to get in the ship to go to the Rings of Kafrene to go meet, Daniel Mays’ [Tivik informant character that Cassian kills in ‘Rogue One,’ because he’s become a liability], he’s going there.”

When you think about it, that makes a lot of sense in terms of where Andor’s own story has to go. We already know where Cassian’s story ends, this show is about the how he get there.

“I mean, you watch people watch History Channel shows and whatever,” he explained. “What’s that story? Well, you know how it’s going to turn out. And it’s still, ‘why did it happen?’”

Gilroy also talked about how some changes had to be made in order to meet the show’s five year structure within only two full seasons.

Exit Strategy

“So, we have a really cool narrative thing we’re going to do,” he continued, speaking about the show’s production structure and where it’s heading. ”Because we have blocks of three that we shoot the show in and—more of a production thing, really, it was for directors— but a lot of our shows lined up [like that], the director comes in and does [three episodes at a time, in a row]. But we realized we couldn’t possibly make a show for five years. It was just physically impossible, like going to Mars or something.”

RELATED: Andor Actor On Playing A Female Imperial During Palpatine’s Reign

“We were in Scotland, [producer] Sanne [Wohlenberg], Diego. And we were like, ‘Oh my God, how do we get outta here? How are we gonna get out? What’s our exit strategy?’ But then we realized, ‘Oh my God, we have four years, and we have four blocks, and I went home, and I came back and [came up with], “You know what, why don’t we jump a year?” And what’s really cool, when we come back for part two, we’re going to jump a year, and we’re going to come back.”

“It’s a year later, and all this shit’s happened, but we’re going to come back for a Friday, Saturday, and a Sunday, and then we’re going to jump a year. Then we’re going to do like five, six, seven days and jump a year, and then we’re going to do two weeks and jump a year. And the final block that we come back to is going to be the last five days before ‘Rogue One.’”

For me it’s important for any story to have an ending planned. It doesn’t need to fully realized, but you need to as a writer kinda know where you’re aiming towards.

Gilroy Will Not Direct Season 2

Gilroy also spoke about the reason he is not directing any episodes of Season 2, and it’s absolutely by design. Thee quotes come from a separate article from the same outlet Here. Gilroy was originally planned to also direct Season 1 of Andor and then when COVID hit those plans were swiftly changed and new directors were hired. As far as a Gilroy is concerned, this was a blessing in disguise.

“[Season] two? I am not,” Gilroy said when asked if he would direct any episodes of “Andor” season two. “I am not.”

“No, how I was even going to— I mean, COVID kind of saved the show because I was so ignorant and naive about how difficult and how huge and what it was going to be,” he said, characteristically self-deprecating. “I mean, I had no clue, and if I had directed, I mean, it would’ve been—I don’t know what would’ve happened with the show. The job I have to do now is so all-consuming and so much more than that. It’s just not a good use of my time to be on a set at all. And the directors that we get, they come, they’re energized, they’re ambitious. And so, I can take it all the way down and do the whole thing, but they come in with a new [hunger] that you really need.”

“They come in with a little extra thing,” he continued about his A-team of directors. “And it’s very exciting to wake up— because my days are out of New York. It’ll be five o’clock in the morning; wake up, turn on dailies, and go, ‘Wow, I wouldn’t have shot it that way. That’s wow. Look what they did.’ Right? So, no, I’m not directing. No, I can’t. I want to come back and direct something else later on, but I can’t do it now. The job’s too big. I can’t; I can’t afford it, the time.”

It shows great wisdom to dispense with ego and admit ones own limits. Yoda would be proud of Gilroy on this one. So far all we have to go in is clips and trailers. But…. Andor is looking absolutely fabulous so far and the tone seems more designed for a mature audience. I’m really looking forward to this one.

Let us know what you think of where Andor ends and Rogue One begins? Or, what do you think of the fact Tony Gilroy is not directing Season 2 of Andor? As always, leave any thoughts below.

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