A massive changing of the Star Wars guard kicked the year off, with Kathleen Kennedy stepping down and Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan taking over as Co-Presidents of Lucasfilm. As such, they'll now be in control of what's on the way for upcoming Star Wars projects, and while I think many fans are behind the decision, one might wonder how Andor's showrunner feels about the path ahead for the sci-fi franchise.

The topic came up when Tony Gilroy spoke to THR, with the outlet noting that Kennedy's greenlight of shows like Andor and The Acolyte showed a strategy in which the franchise was unafraid to take risks and challenge what the mainstream traditionally viewed as Star Wars. It was then noted that the company's strategy seems to be that it will embrace "safer" projects, and that Andor may one day go down as an outlier amongst the rest of works for its tone and storytelling.

Gilroy made it clear it wouldn't bother him, and shared how he'd like to think he'd respond if he were in charge, saying:

That sounds like the response of someone giving their honest view of how they'd approach things, whilst also trying to be diplomatic. Gilroy has made it clear he doesn't feel compelled to return to Star Wars anytime soon, so I believe him when he says it doesn't matter to him whether or not Andor is an outlier or not.

Tony Gilroy added that it's also really easy for him to say he'd take a lot of risks with Star Wars when he doesn't have anything to lose in doing so. The Andor showrunner noted that if he were actually put in the position where he was responsible for the financial success of the franchise as a whole, the stakes might feel different:

He makes a great point, as while Game of Thrones has successfully found a way to go lower budget with A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms, it's harder for a franchise like Star Wars to accomplish. Whether leaning on practical effects or CGI, a lot of work goes into bringing the galaxy to life, and with so many major projects under its belt, fans may react a sudden way if they watch The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer and it looks cheap.

The good news is that Lucasfilm has Dave Filoni running the show, and he's displayed a solid track record throughout his career as someone who not only knows Star Wars but also what people seem to like about it. Sure, maybe he won't prioritize anything as daring as Andor in the new future, but let's not forget that he managed to get a good number of adults invested in shows like The Clone Wars and Rebels that were initially made for children.

We'll see how Star Wars looks under its new leadership as the first few years pass, and continue to track all the movies and shows that come out along the way. I'm hype for The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 22nd as part of the 2026 movie release schedule, and hoping we get more news on other projects before the year is up.

The Star Wars movies are wildly popular, with generations of fans brought up on the galaxy far, far away. While the property has been away from the big screen since the end of The Rise of Skywalker, it's expanded thanks to live-action TV shows that were released for those with a Disney+ subscription. Chief among them is Andor, which was an Emmy-winning success during its two-season run. And showrunner Tony Gilroy recently got real about the possibility of returning to the franchise with upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows.

Andor was a prequel to Rogue One, and told a wildly satisfying story about Rebels trying to fight the villainous Empire prior to A New Hope. Given how wildly successful the show was, there are plenty of fans who want to see what Gilroy might do next within the beloved property. In an interview with Reason, the screenwriter/director got real about how much time he spent working on the Diego Luna-led series, saying:

Is anyone else's head spinning? Gilroy isn't wrong, as he shot and released two twelve-episode seasons of Andor in a short period of time. Most of the Star Wars TV shows have less episodes, and only one season on the air. As such, the showrunner feels like. he's basically made a handful of movies in the galaxy far, far away before ever actually bringing a project to the big screen.

The production value of Andor certainly didn't suffer from being on on TV, so Gilroy's comments definitely make a great deal of sense. Still, fans are eager to see him return to George Lucas' galaxy, either on the small or silver screen. Later in the same interview, the showrunner explained why he's reticent to come back, offering:

It sounds like Tony Gilroy loved his time working on Andor, and is (rightfully) proud of what he accomplished with the show's two-season run. While he's not ruling out the possibility of working on another Star Wars project, it sounds like it's not high on his list of priorities at the moment.

Andor is streaming in its entirety on Disney+. The next Star Wars movie hitting theaters will be The Mandalorian and Grogu on May 22nd, as part of the 2026 movie release list.

Bittersweet is the best way to describe the Andor series finale for two reasons in particular. First, Diego Luna’s title character leaves Yavin IV with K-2SO to meet with an informant on Kafrene, putting him on the path that will end with him dying during Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Second, we spend out last moments back on the planet Mina-Rau with Adria Arjona’s Bix Calleen, the former love of Cassian Andor’s life, as she’s holding a baby, implied to be her and Cassian’s son. There’s a fan theory that’s made the rounds about that specific Bix moment, and Andor creator Tony Gilroy has shared his thoughts about it.

As the 2025 TV schedule winds down, Total Film interviewed Gilroy, who also co-wrote the Rogue One script, about his work on Andor’s second and final season. That included asking him about the theory that in the final shot of Season 2, Bix somehow knows that Cassian has died on Scarif. Here’s what the showrunner had to say about this idea:

Bix left Cassian at the end of the episode “Welcome to the Rebellion,” which took place one year before the final trio of Season 2 episodes. She felt that it was more important for Cassian to continue fighting for the Rebellion rather than depart for a new life with her, and told him in a hologram message that after the Empire was toppled, she would find him again. Sadly, that never happened, and while Tony Gilroy acknowledged that eventually Bix would likely learn about Cassian’s death, he wasn’t intending to make it look like she sensed in that moment that he died on Scarif.

I’m not surprised by this considering how little Andor touched on the Force; the only notable exception that I can think of is when that healer who treated Cassian in “Messenger” sensed something inside of him that foreshadowed his greater destiny. That said, Gilroy didn’t discount the possibility that Bix might have had intuition that something happened, unless she just made to stand in that particular spot on Mina-Rau every day. As he put it:

Given that Cassian Andor was one of the key operatives who helped steal the Death Star plans from Scarif, paving the way for Luke Skywalker to destroy the space station in A New Hope, he’s considered a hero of the Rebellion. Since Tony Gilroy didn’t mean for Bix Calleen to suddenly know he was dead, it’s only a matter of time before the news reaches her. Honestly, I’m ok that we never got this scene on Andor. It’d be heartbreaking to see Bix learn that she’ll never reunite with man she loved, and that their baby will never know its father.

Andor may be over, but there are plenty of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows to be excited about. Next up is The Mandalorian & Grogu, which opens May 22 on the 2026 movies schedule, and Ahsoka Season 2 is expected to premiere on Disney+ sometime next year, too. It was also recently announced that the original theatrical version of A New Hope will screen in theaters February 2027.

David Harbour and Pedro Pascal have known each since they were 17, with the former having joked about being “mad” at the latter for 30 years because he scored the lead role in a Northwestern play. These two will share screen time in December 2026 for Avengers: Doomsday, but that’s not the only movie they have coming up together. What’s even better is that this other movie is being put together by Andor creator Tony Gilroy.

Fresh off Gilroy bringing one of the best Disney+ Star Wars TV shows to a close after two seasons earlier this year, he’ll next write and direct Behemoth! for Searchlight Pictures. According to Deadline, David Harbour is currently in talks to star opposite Pedro Pascal, and the movie will begin filming in Los Angeles later this fall. The only plot detail for Behemoth! that’s been revealed is it will focus on a cellist.

This news comes just a month before David Harbour will wrap up his time as Jim Hopper in Stranger Things Season 5. The popular science fiction/horror series that’s viewable with a Netflix subscription catapulted him to worldwide popularity when it premiered in 2016, and later netted him two Emmy nominations and one Golden Globe nomination. Season 5 will be released in three parts, with two volumes releasing November 26 and December 25, respectively, on the 2025 TV schedule, followed by the finale on December 31. Pedro Pascal already made his big exit as Joel Miller in the second season of HBO’s The Last of Us.

Of course, 2025 has been a big year for both David Harbour and Pedro Pascal on the Marvel front. Harbour reprised Alexei Shostakov, a.k.a. Red Guardian, in Thunderbolts* (which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription), and he can also now be heard voicing an alternate version of the character in Marvel Zombies. Meanwhile, Pascal debuted as Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mister Fantastic, in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and I look forward to seeing these characters interact with each other when the events of Avengers: Doomsday roll around.

Still, as much as I like the prospect of Harbour and Pascal working together outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Behemoth! coming from the mind of Tony Gilroy is the cherry on top of this metaphorical sundae. He hasn’t directed a movie since 2012’s The Bourne Legacy, the sole installment in the action film series to not star Matt Damon, and he helmed Michael Clayton and Duplicity before that. That’s not to say he hasn’t been keeping busy with writing and producing stuff besides Andor, but I’m intrigued to see what he has cooking with Behemoth! Along with his writing and directorial duties, Gilroy is producing with Sanne Wohlenberg.

No release date has been set yet for Behemoth!, but we’ll keep you apprised on that information and more updates as they come in. Looking to next year before Avengers: Doomsday arrives, David Harbour will star in Goat and Violent Night 2, and Pedro Pascal will reprise Din Djarin in The Mandalorian & Grogu.

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards kicked off on September 14 with Nate Bargatze on board as host with a plan for keeping the acceptance speeches short, and I was rooting for plenty of the people in the running from the full list of 2025 Emmy nominations. As CinemaBlend's Emmy's live blog continued, my fingers were crossed especially hard for Andor to get some wins in the primetime broadcast.

While the Star Wars show missed out on winning Outstanding Drama Series, showrunner Tony Gilroy did get the trophy for Outstanding Writing, and the episode that clinched him the win makes me mad all over again that Genevieve O'Reilly was snubbed for what I consider her award-worthy performance.

Andor's Big Primetime Emmys Win

Andor's Tony Gilroy won Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for "Welcome to the Rebellion," the game-changing ninth episode of Season 2. He was up against Severance's Dan Erickson, Slow Horses' Will Smith (who is not that Will Smith), The White Lotus' Mike White, The Pitt's R. Scott Gemmill, and The Pitt's Joe Sachs. That was some stiff competition, with no guarantee that Gilroy would come out on top until the big announcement.

The acclaimed Star Wars show was also nominated for Outstanding Drama Series, but lost out to The Pitt. Season 2 accumulated some wins at the Creative Arts Emmys, however, in the categories of Outstanding Production Design, Outstanding Picture Editing, Outstanding Special Visual Effects, Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes.

So, there's plenty to celebrate even if Andor didn't beat out The Pitt for Outstanding Drama, and leading man Diego Luna had a refreshing take on not being nominated for playing Cassian Andor. But a cast member who really made Andor Season 2 her own was Genevieve O'Riley, and "Welcome to the Rebellion" getting the writing win makes her snub sting afresh.

Genevieve O'Reilly Deserved A Nomination

Season 2 of Andor delivered some of the very best content set in the galaxy far, far away in the history of the franchise, as far as I'm concerned, and I had high expectations going in after how excellent the first season was. But I wasn't prepared for how much Genevieve O'Reilly was going to hook me into Mon Mothma's story this time around.

She was an absolute standout of the season, going back to the unforgettable drunken dance sequence that might have come across as silly in the hands of a less talented actress. The climax of her Andor arc really happened in "Welcome to the Rebellion," with her powerful speech to the Galactic Senate before fleeing the life she'd known.

Just take a look, and tell me that this sequence from the Emmy-winning episode wasn't worth some Emmy love for O'Reilly:

Now, I can be reasonable. I'm not saying that Genevieve O'Reilly needed to win the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress, which was ultimately won by Katherine LaNasa for her work on The Pitt. (Other nominees were Patricia Arquette for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, Julianne Nicholson for Paradise, Parker Posey for The White Lotus, Natasha Rothwell for The White Lotus, and Aimee Lou Wood for The White Lotus.)

Why couldn't O'Reilly have at least been among the actresses who were honored by a nomination? No hate to any of the nominees, but it just hurt to see The White Lotus scoop up three nominations while O'Reilly didn't get one. Since Season 2 was the end of Andor, this was O'Reilly's last chance to get some Emmy love for her work as Mon Mothma for arguably Star Wars' most acclaimed series. Even if she reprises the role for Ahsoka Season 2, Ahsoka was certainly not the critical hit in Season 1 that Andor was.

I hope that Genevieve O'Reilly can at least take it as a compliment that Andor's Primetime Emmy win was for an episode that showcased her character so much, and I have to congratulate Tony Gilroy on taking home a prestigious trophy for a science-fiction franchise. Genre series aren't usually big winners at major awards shows, after all, and Andor earned it.

If you want to revisit the Emmy-winning episode of Andor, you can find the series streaming with a Disney+ subscription now.

It’s safe to say that Andor can be considered one of the Star Wars franchise’s greatest successes in the Disney era, if not its entire history. The Rogue One prequel’s two seasons were met with critical acclaim, and we have Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote the 2016 Star Wars movie, to thank for its darker and more “adult” exploration of a galaxy far, far away (albeit with less aliens). That being said, Gilroy has explained why it’s necessary for upcoming Star Wars TV shows to simply copy what he did with Andor, and he’s absolutely correct.

While appearing on The Ringer-Verse, Gilroy laid out his feelings about Andor being pitted against the other Star Wars TV shows in terms of quality comparison, as well as the importance of creators bringing fresh perspectives to this franchise. He explained:

There’s a world where Rogue One would have been our only time following along with Cassian Andor, as he perished alongside Jyn Erso on Scarif. However, Tony Gilroy decided he was a compelling enough character to further delve into, so Andor chronicled the five years leading up to the movie. But it wasn’t just Cassian getting all the attention, as this series also explored the complexities of characters in both the Rebel Alliance and the Empire at the height of the Galactic Civil War, including Mon Mothma, Bix Caleen, Luthen Rael and Deedra Meero.

While it’s possible that some of the characters who made it out of Andor alive could be revisited one day, Tony Gilroy would prefer that future Star Wars shows explore new corners of this fantastical galaxy. I definitely agree with him on this, as I worry the franchise will go stale if it keeps revisiting familiar faces rather than introduce new ones. Even better, it sounds like Gilroy already aware of how this will be accomplished next, saying:

Following the release of Star Wars: Visions Season 3 next month, there are three Star Wars TV shows lined up for the coming years: Ahsoka, which is returning for its second season, and the animated series Maul: Shadow Lord and spinoff Star Wars: Visions Presents. It also still hasn’t been announced if Skeleton Crew will return for Season 2. However, I suspect that Tony Gilroy is referring to something that hasn’t been announced to the public yet with that last comment, as I wouldn’t necessarily describe those aforementioned shows as “unusual.”

While it certainly would have been great if Andor could have lasted longer, I’m appreciative of the two seasons of exceptional storytelling we got, while simultaneously agreeing that the creative talents behind other Star Wars TV shows should steer clear of trying to borrow too much from it. Andor won four categories at the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards this past weekend, and we’ll see how it fares in its three nominated categories at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards when that airs on Sunday, September 14.

Pedro Pascal’s certainly been keeping busy this year. In addition to starring in the 2025 movies Eddington, Materialists and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, this year has also seen him filming Avengers: Doomsday, which will come out at the end of 2026. While Doomsday as a whole is a ways off from wrapping principal photography, Pascal has reportedly finished his work on the upcoming Marvel movie, and now The Mandalorian’s lead actor is apparently lining up a new movie that involves some fellow Star Wars talent.

The latest update about Pedro Pascal’s career is that he’s in talks to star Searchlight Pictures’ Behemoth!, which comes from the mind of filmmaker Tony Gilroy. With a resume that includes writing the first four Bourne movies, State of Play and Nightcrawler, as well as directing Michael Clayton, Duplicity and The Bourne Legacy, Star Wars fans know Gilroy co-writing and directing the reshoots for Rogue One. He then went on to create the prequel series Andor, which ended its two-season run in May.

According to Deadline, “things are heading in the right direction” with Pedro Pascal coming aboard Behemoth!, which Tony Gilroy will write, direct and produce. Specific plot details are being kept secret, but Gilroy has previously said it will follow a cellist, whom I assume Pascal would play. Behemoth! will begin filming this fall, but a release date hasn’t been set yet.

It’s cool to see that these two men who worked in separate corners of the Star Wars franchise are gearing up to work together on this upcoming movie. Since The Mandalorian is set several years after Return of the Jedi, and Andor covers the last five years of Cassian Andor’s life leading up to Rogue One, there was no way Pascal and Gilroy were ever going to be able to collaborate in a galaxy far, far away. Now Behemoth! is here to bring them together, assuming Pascal is able to work out a deal with Searchlight.

This Behemoth! news follows on the heels of Pedro Pascal both earning an Emmy nomination for his performance as Joel Miller in The Last of Us and making his MCU debut as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The latter co-starred Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch. This quartet will team up with the Avengers, New Avengers, X-Men and more when Avengers: Doomsday comes out on December 18, 2026.

Before that, Pedro Pascal will return to the Star Wars universe for The Mandalorian & Grogu, the franchise’s first theatrical movie since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. It arrives to the 2026 movies schedule on May 22, and we’ll let you know once Behemoth! is slotted on the cinematic calendar too.

By the end of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, one wouldn’t have been faulted for thinking Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso had formed a romantic connection. Moments like the two of them sharing a special look while on an elevator and them dying in each other’s arms on Scarif prompted many Star Wars fans to ship Cassian and Jyn together. But Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote Rogue One, didn’t “pay attention” to these romance theories when making the recently-concluded Andor series, though he did have some kind parting words for this disappointed segment of the fanbase.

As seen over the course of Andor’s two seasons, which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription, Diego Luna’s title protagonist shared a deep connection and on-again-off-again relationship with Adria Arjona’s Bix Caleen. So although Gilroy was well aware of the Cassian/Jyn shippers, he wasn’t going to let stop him from delving into a different romantic relationship, telling Collider:

It was nice of Tony Gilroy him to acknowledge the passion that these Star Wars fans have for pairing Cassian and Jyn together rather than ignore them or even dismiss them. This wasn’t a matter of Gilroy being disdainful of this particular ship, it’s just that it didn’t align with his creative vision for Andor. For him, it was more important to explore what Cassian had with Bix rather than act as though Jyn was his only love.

In fact, Tony Gilroy also admitted during the interview that it makes sense for Cassian and Jyn to be shipped together given all they went through, even though he doesn’t see it as a full-blown romance. As he explained:

Sadly, Cassian and Bix’s romance ended on a tragic note long before he met Jyn Erso and they embarked on a mission to steal the Death Star plans. A year beforehand, shortly after Cassian had decided to leave the Rebellion in order to start a life with Bix, she left him on Yavin IV and told him he needed to stick with the Rebels and help them overthrow the Empire. Adria Arjona also confirmed that Bix knew at that point she was pregnant with Cassian’s child.

Bix promised that she would find Cassian once the Empire was defeated, but that never came to pass, and Diego Luna’s character never learned he was a father. Still, at least he was with Jyn Erso in his final moments rather than alone, and hopefully there will come a day when Bix and her child can return.

Warning: SPOILERS for this week’s Andor episodes are ahead!

“Who Are You?”, the second of the three Andor Season 2 episodes that premiered on the 2025 TV schedule, depicted the Ghorman Massacre, an event that had already been mentioned in Star Wars history. Kyle Soller’s Syril Karn was killed during the tragic event, and the slaughter of so many innocents pushed Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma to openly condemn Emperor Palpatine in the following episode. However, fans of Star Wars Rebels may have noticed that this moment deviated from how the animated show presented Mothma speaking out against the Empire, and Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy explained why he and his team decided to pivot from canon with this.

For those unfamiliar, the Star Wars Rebels Season 3 episode “Secret Cargo” shows Mon Mothma delivering a speech decrying the Empire’s atrocities that was broadcast across the galaxy far, far away while she’s being transported to Yavin IV by Gold Squadron. While it was established towards the end of “Welcome to the Rebellion” that this moment is still going to happen following the events of this episode, Tony Gilroy explained to EW that he and his brother/fellow writer Dan Gilroy weren’t interested in having O’Reilly recite the exact same speech for Andor, saying:

I can understand perspective, especially from a writing perspective. Although Andor and Rebels both exist within official Star Wars canon, both feel quite different from one another. The latter show is accessible to fans of all ages, while the former show gearing itself to the older members of the Star Wars fanbase with its more mature storytelling. So while there’s nothing wrong with the speech Mon Mothma gives in Rebels, it was also fine for Tony and Dan to come up with another speech that more effectively fit Andor’s tone.

But again, the speech we saw in “Welcome to the Rebellion” isn’t retconning Star Wars Rebels. It’s merely expanding this corner of Star Wars lore, as Tony Gilroy laid out:

The speech Mon Mothma gave to the Imperial Senate was cut between action scenes involving Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor and the operatives Bail Organa sent to sneak Mothma off planet, one of whom was an Imperial spy. However, a full speech was indeed written and filmed for “Welcome to the Rebellion,” and Genevieve O’Reilly told EW that it felt “special” getting the recite the whole thing. Alas, the video feed broadcasting this first speech from the Imperial Senate chamber was cut part of the way through, which is why it became necessary for Mothma to deliver that second speech from Rebels once she was in Gold Squadron’s care.

There are just three episodes left to go in Andor, and with Mon Mothma now on the run from the Empire, we’ll finally get to see her as that public Rebellion leader we know so well. Those episodes will lead directly into the events of Rogue One, which was technically O’Reilly’s theatrical debut as the character since her scenes from Revenge of the Sith were deleted.

Spoilers for the Andor episode, “What a Festive Evening,” lie ahead.

The long-awaited Andor Season 2 is in full swing and, after its first six episodes, it’s simply firing on all cylinders. As the series – which is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription – continues its run, it’s adding new elements to the Star Wars universe. One of the latest episodes also adds a franchise newcomer, who actually plays a long-running character in the galaxy far, far away. Series EP Tony Gilroy provided a solid explanation for that major recast, yet I still lament the fact that the OG star couldn’t reprise their role.

During the sixth episode of this second season, Mon Mothma, the senator working with the growing rebellion behind the scenes, attends a viewing of an art collection alongside her husband, Perrin. On their way there, they cross paths with fellow Senator Bail Organa, who’s long been acquainted with Mon. Historically, Organa has been played by veteran actor Jimmy Smits yet, this time around, he’s played by another tried-and-true performer, Benjamin Bratt.

It’s possible that some die-hard Star Wars fans may have been thrown for a loop when seeing a new actor take on the role of Senator Organa. Well, there’s an understandable reason for the change-up, as Tony Gilroy explained to TVLine. Jimmy Smits was apparently filming the CBS drama East New York around the same time Andor Season 2 filmed Organa’s scenes in Valencia, Spain. Gilroy was honest about the different variables that can come into play when trying to secure an actor for a role:

As a rational person, I completely understand why Jimmy Smits wasn’t able to play the role once more. It’s still disappointing, however, that he couldn’t take part this time around. He made his debut as Bail Organa in 2002’s Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and subsequently reprised the role in 2005’s Revenge of the Sith and 2016’s Rogue One. He also appeared as Bail briefly in the limited series Obi-Wan Kenobi. Smits’ role as Bail is understated, and he’s always brought a quiet strength and sense of dignity to the character.

Considering those aforementioned qualities, it’s unfortunate that the In the Heights alum couldn’t return to play Princess Leia Organa’s adoptive father. Interestingly enough, in 2020, rumors began to circulate that he’d possibly reprise Bail for Andor. The following year, Smits himself addressed a potential return, saying that with Disney now having the creative reins there were plenty of possibilities (case in point, his return during Obi-Wan Kenobi).

I may be disappointed that Jimmy Smits didn’t return, but I also have to give Benjamin Bratt his props. The Law & Order alum is a highly skilled actor in his own right and, like Smits, he brings gravitas to the role of Organa. I’d imagine it’s not easy to step into an iconic franchise and even more daunting to take over an important role from a seasoned star. Kudos to Bratt for crushing it, and Tony Gilroy and co. deserve props as well for executing an effective recast.

While it’s unclear if any upcoming Star Wars movies or TV shows will feature Jimmy Smits playing Bail Organa again, his past appearances in the saga are available on Disney+. Of course, also be sure to check out new episodes of Andor, which hit the aforementioned streamer at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesdays as part of the 2025 TV schedule.

Andor Season 2 is in full swing, and while there are only three episodes available as of writing this, the scale of this season is amped up as we play catch up to the events of Rogue One. Now that the first block of episodes has been released and Season 2 reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, showrunner Tony Gilroy broke down some of the questions fans are having, as well as talked about the characters we won’t be seeing, and why. As understandable as it all is, you can’t help but think it would have been cool if Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine showed up.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Gilroy was asked if Andor intends to include either of the aforementioned Sith Lords. His answer was pretty cut and dry:

Seeing as he was one of the Rogue One writers, that already puts Vader’s limited appearance into more perspective. On the topic of Emperor Palpatine and whether or not he would make an appearance in Andor, once again, Gilroy had a pretty honest response:

Again, that's a very fair statement to make. Leading up to the release of Andor Season 2, there have been hints and nods from Gilroy and cast, teasing what characters we’re going to see. We knew that Mon Mothma will be having a "hellacious time" in the newest season, and we were already aware that Orson Krennic will be returning.

But on the subject of why specifically we won’t be seeing, Palpatine or Darth Vader, despite the fact that we did see Vader in Rogue One, Gilroy had this to say:

In the interview, and for anyone who has actually seen Andor, its focus has been less space wizards with glowing swords, and instead been compared to a Russian novel like War and Peace. It follows the struggle of the normal masses who are just at the mercy of the constant strife of the Empire.

While it would be cool to have another moment like in Rogue One, where all we see is the ominous glow of red highlighting Vader before he hacks and slashes at a bunch of Rebels, it really doesn’t have a place in Andor. This has been, in my opinion, its greatest appeal, a fact Gilroy touched on. We get to focus on a story that is removed from the traditional fight of the Light and Dark sides of the Force because for most people in the galaxy, they know very little about that.

Gilroy has shown before that the focus is to tell a real and grounded story, one that is removed from some of the antics of the Jedi and the Sith. This is shown even in the limited use of aliens in the show, something that Gilroy is a bit sensitive about.

And again, while yes, it would be cool to see Vader and Palpatine in Andor, I do understand why they are absent. They just don’t have much of a place in this story, and they’re more suited for places like Obi-Wan Kenobi, where their actions and presence hold more weight. Though that doesn’t mean they hold no weight in a show like Andor.

There is plenty to talk about from the three released episodes, including Mon Mothma's drunken dance sequence, and there is plenty to enjoy without focusing on the stuff we don’t have. And there is still lots more to come, so use your Disney+ subscription to stay current on Andor.

One of the things that makes the Star Wars galaxy so appealing is the alien creatures that populate it. While humans are still front and center of the stories most of the time, you don’t have to wait long to see them surrounded by these colorful extraterrestrials, from Chewbacca to Yoda. And yet when it comes to Andor, which premiered its second season earlier this week on the 2025 TV schedule, there are significantly fewer aliens to spot. It’s something that Tony Gilroy, who created the Disney+ subscription-exclusive series, is well aware of, but he opened up about these smaller numbers while speaking with CinemaBlend.

Gilroy addressed this topic with our own Jeff McCobb while he was seated next to Mon Mothma actress Genevieve O’Reilly, who discussed her character’s drunken dance sequence in “Harvest.” When Jeff asked Gilroy if he noticed that Andor doesn’t include as many aliens compared to other Star Wars projects, the showrunner answered:

Andor definitely gives off a Battlestar Galactica vibe to me, as that popular sci-fi TV series was lacking in aliens entirely. To be clear, the reduced presence of such creatures clearly doesn’t affect how the Star Wars show’s been received, as evidenced by the overwhelmingly positive reviews for Andor Season 2. But it is arguably the most human-centric of these shows by far, whether we’re talking about the people making up the Rebellion when Cassian Andor was around or simply the populations of the various planets visited.

At least the showrunner made an effort to include more aliens in Season 2, and when Jeff McCobb pointed out that the fewer amount of them helped make the series feel more “grounded and real,” which is why he liked Rogue One, Gilroy said:

Jeff then said that this approach made it more “impactful” when aliens do come in, to which Gilroy responded, “I agree.” With nine episodes left to go in Andor Season 2’s run, I’m looking forward to seeing what aliens will rear their heads as this show follows along with the Rebellion and Empire in the years leading up to the events in Rogue One. However, we don’t have much longer to spend with the Andor gang, as three episodes are being released at a time weekly.

As such, this series will come to an end on Tuesday, May 13. After that, the next upcoming Star Wars TV show is Ahsoka Season 2, which doesn’t have a premiere date set yet.

There are plenty of upcoming Star Wars series headed our way, but one of the most highly anticipated is, without a doubt, Andor Season 2. The upcoming 12 episodes will cover the remaining four years before Cassian Andor’s appearance in Rogue One, which means the series is ending after this season. Some lucky critics have already had the chance to screen episodes before it hits the 2025 TV calendar on April 22, and their first reactions are pretty exciting.

CinemaBlend has been bringing you all the latest from the Star Wars Celebration in Japan, including coverage from the Andor Season 2 panel, but let’s take a look at some of the overwhelmingly positive first reactions from those who have seen the new episodes. That would include critic Darren Mooney, who says he can’t stop thinking about the “beautiful, incredible, transcendental” second and final season. Mooney writes on X (Twitter):

Critic Zach Pope says this installment is “1000 percent” better than Season 1, and like the critic above, this Star Wars fan hasn’t been able to stop thinking about it, and he predicts that won’t change anytime soon, writing on X:

Jordan King also gives Andor Season 2 — which will be available to stream with a Disney+ subscription — a vote for best TV show of the year, saying:

The trailer gave fans plenty of reasons to get excited, and it sounds like fans won’t be disappointed. Germain Lussier of Gizmodo is positively gushing over this “miracle” of a season, writing:

Nick Iarriccio writes that this isn’t just a good series in regards to a galaxy far, far away; it’s great television overall, from the writing to the acting. Prepare to be emotionally devastated. In the critic’s words:

Justin Lawrence of Geekcentric also uses the word “masterclass” to describe the upcoming series. Although some parts of Season 2 are “uneven,” the story is ultimately both ambitious and powerful. The critic writes:

While many of the first reactions are centered around the writing and the plot that — if you’re watching the Star Wars movies in order — will lead us into Rogue One, Anthony Gagliardi of The Movie Podcast praises the performances, specifically of those portraying Cassian Andor and Mon Mothma — who Tony Gilroy says is in for a “hellacious Season 2.” Gagliardi says:

It sounds like there’s plenty for Star Wars fans to be excited about, and thankfully you don’t have to wait long to get the first dose of Andor Season 2. The first three episodes premiere on Disney+ on Tuesday, April 22, with the streamer releasing three episodes each Tuesday thereafter.

We are here at Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo, Japan to report live on all the big news on upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows coming out of the convention! After Friday's festivities kicked things off with a panel for The Mandalorian & Grogu movie that officially announced Ryan Gosling's Star Wars movie and the Lucasfilm Animation panel revealed an upcoming Darth Maul series, you're going to want to see what Saturday brings.

This one is going to be all about Andor Season 2, which is set to premiere for those with a Disney+ subscription this Tuesday, April 22. We'll provide all the updates from the panel here.

We're here at the Andor panel on this Saturday morning in Tokyo. It's another packed panel at the Celebration Stage. Stay tuned.

Before the panel has even begun, we're being entertained by over 100 Star Wars fans who are dressed up like the prisoners from Andor Season 1, and not only took to the stage, but walked all around Celebration Stage in unison yelling "One Way Out." This is too good. And what a way to honor Season 1.

Tony Gilroy, producers and the whole cast is here including Diego Luna, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, Genevieve O'Reilly, Alan Tudyk and Denise Gough. The energy from the fans is so palpable right now and Gilroy and Luna took some time to thank fans for the massive support they've given the show already. Luna is teasing new and familiar characters and is urging fans to go back to Rogue One right after they finish. In his words: "You're gonna see a different film."

Gilroy let the audience know that the episodes are dropping three episodes at a time, with each batch taking place during a different year leading up to Rogue One. Gilroy is is calling the season "a chorus" that will play out the stories of every character we followed in Season 1.

O'Reilly is talking about Mon Mothma. She said her and the cast feels like they have been "sitting on a diamond" and can'r wait for audiences to see the new season. She said the season starts in Mon Mothma's home world for a wedding. She said her character goes to some "dark places" amd her character has to go out of the shadows and speak up.

Gough is now talking about her character this season. She says we will learn more about Deidre's origins. She teased that "things get real strange" and "much more fascist" for Deidre this time around.

Kyle Soller's Syril teases his character's romance with Deirdre this season, which he called "the heart" of his arc. Gough jokes the romance goes "goes super well." I'm so curious what they mean by all these comments.

Adria Arjona says Bix is trying to "reconstruct" herself after her rough first season. I can't wait to see some redemption for her character after all the pain she underwent the first season, but as we know this story is very tragic, so I'm holding my breath.

Now there's huge applause for Alan Tudyk who is finally back this season as K2SO as the moderator addresses him.

Tudyk joked that he tried to originally pitch K2SO: 2 Fast 2 Furious years ago, but he's grateful for Gilroy being the better writer. Tudyk also called it a "very important series" he's happy to be part of. Luna also gushed about his reunion with Tudyk after seven years apart.

They are going to show this first episode, which means the laptops and phones are being put away!! Thanks for sticking with us here on CinemaBlend for all the highlights. Catch the first three episodes next week, and stay tuned for exclusive interviews with the cast.

The Star Wars movies lie deeply within the realm of science fiction but, in recent years, various entries in the franchise have flirted with other genres. Disney+’s The Mandalorian plays as more of a western, while Andor is more of a crime drama/political thriller. Lucasfilm, the company behind the massive IP, has yet to truly dive-head first into horror, though, as far as film and TV are concerned. It seems, however, that such a project is in the works, and I have an idea for a movie that could be both fun and nerve-wracking.

What Exactly Was Said About A Horror Project Set In The Star Wars Universe?

Coming up on the schedule of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows is the second season of Andor, which is set to close out the acclaimed Rogue One spinoff show. Ahead of the new season’s debut, EP Tony Gilroy has been doing press, and he dropped an interesting detail while speaking with Business Insider at an event for the streaming show. When asked whether he’d ever spearhead a horror project set in the galaxy far, far away, Gilroy shared a somewhat surprising response:

It should be mentioned that, as of this writing, Lucasfilm has neither confirmed nor denied that such a production is in some form of development. Despite that, this should excite those who enjoy spine-tingling content. Some may scoff at the notion of a scary Star Wars story, but it’s not all that crazy, especially considering the literature that the franchise has spawned over the years. After all, there are some truly creepy stories set within the now-non-canon Expanded Universe, and recent SW comics have played with spookier concepts as well.

Of course, there’s the obvious question of what the focus of the supposed project might be. There are plenty of possibilities but, if I were Lucasfilm, I’d be focusing on a certain planet that’s been featured in a variety of Star Wars TV series over the past decade or so.

There’s A Spooky Planet That Would Make For A Great Setting In A Star Wars Horror Movie

Any upcoming horror movie set within the Star Wars universe would be made all the better by utilizing Dathomir as its backdrop. Within the continuity, it’s the homeworld of the Nightsisters along with other witch clans. It’s also the birthplace of eventual Sith-turned-mercenary Asajj Ventress (who’s about to return in Tales of the Underworld), and Ahsoka’s Morgan Elsbeth has links to it, too. Dark magic is a major part of their culture and, with it, characters can return in ghost form or utilize forces of the undead.

Near the end of the Galactic Empire’s reign, Dathomir is ravaged and uninhabited following attacks spurred by the war between its leader, Mother Talzin, and Darth Sidious. Given that, I’d love to see a film in which a group of smugglers travel to the seemingly dormant planet to find a valuable artifact or resource and end up haunted and attacked by the souls of the departed. Aside from potentially undead Nightsisters and brothers, the smugglers could also experience ghosts who have the ability to possess living beings.

I know the chances of this film actually being made are slim, but it’s fun to think about. What I also love is that Tony Gilroy is enthusiastic about horror being injected into the Star Wars franchise. The Monkey director Osgood Perkins even pitched a scary idea to produce short stories composed of the “the collected dreams and nightmares of Darth Vader.” There’s certainly room for horror within this massive IP, and I truly hope the production Gilroy is teasing comes to fruition.

Right now, you can stream the various Star Wars movies and TV shows using a Disney+ subscription.

Andor Season 2 is next on the slate of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, arriving roughly two and a half years after Season 1’s critically acclaimed run. Andor was also the fourth live-action Star Wars TV show to premiere to Disney+ subscription-holders, with The Mandalorian kicking off this era back in 2019. Well, with just a couple weeks to go until Andor Season 2 premieres on the 2025 TV schedule, showrunner Tony Gilroy took some time to give The Mandalorian its flowers while discussing his own Star Wars series’ success.

While The Mandalorian and Andor are unquestionably quite different tonally, with the former appealing to the Star Wars franchise’s all-ages fanbase and the latter being geared towards older fans, Gilroy acknowledged to Empire that Andor wouldn’t exist had The Mandalorian not been so popular, saying:

Over five years later, I can still remember social media blowing up over the reveal of the character we now know as Grogu at the end of The Mandalorian’s first episode. Baby Yoda quickly became a pop culture sensation, and not only did two more seasons of The Mandalorian follow, we also have the movie The Mandalorian & Grogu to look forward to next year. Granted, Andor was already well into development before The Mandalorian premiered, but its strong start helped with boosting the Rogue One prequel’s chances of success.

During this interview, Tony Gilroy also mentioned that a series like Andor “will never happen again,” with The Mandalorian playing a role in guaranteeing this story following Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor came to life in the way that it did. As the showrunner put it:

Andor Season 1 took place five years before the events of Rogue One, chronicling how the title protagonist went from a cynical thief and scavenger to a Rebellion recruit. Season 2 covers the remaining four years leading up to the 2016 Star Wars movie, with three episodes being released weekly. Although Tony Gilroy initially conceived the show to run five seasons, he realized in the middle of shooting Season 1 that this wouldn’t be feasible for several reasons. So the two-season run was “born out of desperation,” and if Gilroy is indeed correct, we’ll never see a show like this in a galaxy far, far away again.

Andor Season 2’s first three episodes drop Tuesday, April 22 on Disney+, and The Mandalorian & Grogu follows on May 22, 2026. The only other live-action Star Wars TV show on the horizon is Ahsoka Season 2, but we’ll let you know here on CinemaBlend if that changes.

While Andor Season 1 took place over the course of one year in Cassian Andor’s life, Season 2, which premieres next month on the 2025 TV schedule, will cover the remaining four years that lead to his appearance in Rogue One. So why not have this Star Wars series run for three additional seasons and give fans nearly half a decade more worth of entertainment to stream with their Disney+ subscription? Well, that was originally what was going to happen, but according to Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy, two specific issues required the shift in plans.

Gilroy discussed this subject as part of the Andor spread in the latest issue of SFX Magazine. The showrunner, who previously wrote additional scenes for Rogue One following the conclusion of principal photography and worked with director Gareth Edwards on the reshoots, intended for each season of Andor to cover one year in the life of Diego Luna’s character as a member of the Rebel Alliance. However, that went out the window due to the unbeatable enemy of all, time. It was a move “born out of desperation,” with Gilroy explaining:

When Andor Season 2 premieres on April 22, it will have been a little over two and a half years since Season 1 started airing. Granted, the writers and actors strikes in 2023 played into the long gap, but even ignoring them, it’s an intensive feat putting together Star Wars TV shows. One might argue it’s even more so than the Star Wars movies considering there’s more than just two hours of content being written, filmed, edited, etc. Andor Season 1 began rolling cameras at the end of November 2020 and didn’t finish until September 2021.

So not only did Tony Gilroy realize that he didn’t have it in him to make three more seasons of Andor, there was also the matter of that being too much time for Diego Luna’s face. Remember, the actor shot Rogue One in 2015 and the movie was released at the end of 2016. If too much time passed working on Andor, then suddenly his younger version of Cassian Andor would end up looking older than he did in his last chronological appearance.

So instead, it was decided to cover the remaining four years of Cassian’s life across three episodes each of Andor. Not only that, each trio of episodes will be released weekly, meaning Andor will be done by May 13. Tony Gilroy shared his thoughts on this Disney+ rollout thusly:

While it’s regrettable that Tony Gilroy’s original five-season vision for Andor didn’t work out, I take comfort knowing that as Diego Luna pointed out, that “in a way, we did four movies.” Sure, we won’t be exploring his years as a Rebel as in-depth as what was done in Season 1, but it’s not an insignificant chunk of time either. Maybe if the pandemic and the aforementioned strikes hadn’t happened, those five seasons could have happened, but I’m just grateful that the show will have a definitive ending planned ahead of time. The same can’t be said for The Acolyte.

There’s only a few weeks left to go until Andor Season 2 begins, so continue visiting CinemaBlend for more updates on what it’ll deliver. You can also count on us covering the latest and greatest news about the other upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows.

Andor Season 2 will be here soon and a lot of Star Wars fans are getting very excited. The first season of the best Disney+ Star Wars series is arguably the best thing we’ve received since the relaunch of the franchise under Disney. The show was something entirely unlike other parts of the universe, especially in the language it used.

Andor contains the first use of the word “shit” in Star Wars but it almost went even harder by dropping the first F-bomb. While we already knew that Lucasfilm had drawn a line on the use of the word, creator Tony Gilroy has now spoken out about how he actually feels about it.

What Originally Happened With Andor’s F-Bomb

Andor Season 1 sees the title character, played by Diego Luna, as he navigates the early days of the creation of the rebellion against the Empire. On Andor’s home world, the spark is lit when a holographic message from the character Maarva urges the citizens to stand up and “Fight the Empire.” Check out the speech below.

It was remarked by many fans at the time that the line “Fight the Empire” might have also worked as “Fuck the Empire" and showrunner Tony Gilroy later admitted that was exactly how the line had originally been written. As he recently told Mashable…

Gilroy even wrote a multipage document, akin to a legal brief, arguing why he thought the word was appropriate and should be used for the first time in Star Wars history. However, he was ultimately overruled by the powers that be at Lucasfilm.

How Tony Gilroy Feels Now About Having The Line Changed

One might expect that, considering how much Gilroy apparently fought for his vision of the moment, that he’d be frustrated that he was overruled. However, he now tells Mashable that, not only was there never a “fight” over it, he now agrees that Lucasfilm made the right call. Gilroy said…

While Gilroy doesn’t go into detail, it sounds like Lucasfilm felt that using the word would simply draw attention to the language, and not the scene where the word was being used. It certainly would have been a memorable scene, but perhaps not for the right reasons.

All in all, Gilroy has nothing negative to say about Kathleen Kennedy or the rest of Lucasfilm. Rather than focusing on what they wouldn’t let him do, he is complimentary of all the things he’s been able to do, saying…

We can guess the f-word probably won’t show up in Andor Season 2, but that doesn’t mean the show won’t find other ways to break new ground. If you don't already have a Disney+ subscription, there's no better time to get one.

Andor's structure will be similar in Season 2 as it was in Season 1, with the story being in told in chapters of three episodes. However, Disney+ will handle the Season 2 release differently, with each chapter being released as a block. The first part of Season 2 arrives on Disney+ April 22.

One of the most anticipated titles on the schedule of upcoming Star Wars shows is finally set to return this spring. Andor Season 2 is set to arrive in only a matter of weeks and will continue the adventures of the titular thief-turned-rebellion fighter introduced in Rogue One. Spearheading the show once more is Tony Gilroy, who just shared an honest take on the science fiction series’ new release strategy on Disney+ amid the 2025 TV schedule. I have to say that, as a journalist, I feel these sentiments on a deep level.

How Andor Is Season 2 Being Released And What Did Tony Gilroy Have To Say About It?

During the 12-episode first season of the Rogue One spinoff series, which is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription, new installments mostly dropped weekly. The exception was that the first three episodes were released simultaneously. When it comes to Season 2, there will once again be 12 entries, which will be distributed over four chapters that feature three episodes each. You can check out a breakdown of the schedule down below:

• Episodes 1, 2 and 3 - April 22
• Episodes 4, 5 and 6 - April 29
• Episodes 7, 8 and 9 - May 6
• Episodes 10, 11 and 12 - May 13

As far as original content is concerned, Disney+ has experimented with different release methods. Some air on a weekly basis, while there have also been cases in which a full season is dropped on the platform at once. Other methods involving multiple-episode releases have also been toyed with. Of course, Tony Gilroy could only speak to Andor’s status when talking to Collider, and he recalled how that decision was handed down:

It’s not too surprising to hear that it was the powers that be at the House of Mouse who made the final call. The company has long been quite shrewd when it comes to how it dishes out content. Aside from that, what really stands out to me about the Bourne writer’s comments are what he had to say about how the plan impacts media pundits.

Why I Relate To What Tony Gilroy Says About That “Burden”?

As a member of the press (and a Star Wars fan), I’ll surely be covering the show in some form or fashion. I’m not a podcaster, but I still understand how challenging it can be to cover a series when its release schedule is somewhat unconventional. The notion of three episodes coming out on a weekly basis is somewhat daunting. Considering the schedule, I’d imagine that some of my fellow journalists are going to have some packed weekly recap articles.

These may sound like champagne problems in some sense, but believe me when I say this is a genuine concern for journalists. What I’d love to know is how exactly Disney landed on this particular release strategy for Andor Season 2. Regardless, pundits and fans alike are just going to have to go with the flow.

Regardless of how I’ll consume the episodes, I’m excited for the new season, with the Andor Season 2 trailer having only amped up my hype. We’ll see what lies ahead for Cassian Andor when the season premieres on Disney+ (one of the best streaming services) on April 22.

It’s been a long wait for Andor Season 2, with Season 1 wrapping back in November 2022. Fortunately, that wait won’t last too much longer, as the upcoming Star Wars TV show is finally set to arrive on the 2025 TV schedule in late April. Mom Mothma is among the many characters fans who have a Disney+ subscription will reunite with, but if you thought things were doing to get easier for Genevieve O'Reilly’s character in this next season, think again. In fact, Andor creator Tony Gilroy describes what’s ahead for her in Season 2 as “hellacious,” as if I wasn’t already sympathizing with Mothma enough.

During Andor Season 1, Mon Mothma was still serving as the senator from Chandrila, but she was also secretly raising funds for the Rebel Alliance, with Stellan Skarsgård’s Luthen Rael being one of her main contacts. But as Tony Gilroy, who helmed the Rogue One reshoots and is the mastermind behind Andor, explained to EW, we’re coming up to the period of Star Wars history where she’s forced to leave the Senate and become one of the Rebellion’s public figures:

Those who watched Star Wars Rebels will remember in Season 3 that the main characters were tasked with transporting Mon Mothma to safety after the Empire started hunting for her when she spoke out publicly against Emperor Palpatine. Andor Season 2 will show the lead-up to that, though that’s far from the only problem on her plate. Let’s also not forget that in Season 1, Mothma had to contend with strained relationships with both her husband and daughter. While O'Reilly’s character has already made arrangements for her husband to take the fall if the Empire discovers discrepancies in her financial accounts, her daughter showing an interest in Chandrilan courtship tradition isn’t as easily handled.

Going back to Mon Mothma getting on the Empire’s bad side in Andor Season 2, Tony Gilroy also had the following kind words to say about Genevieve’s O'Reilly’s performance in this Disney+ Star Wars show:

Because Andor Season 2 will jump forward a year every three episodes, by the time the show is done, Mon Mothma will be where we find her shortly before the events of Rogue One and A New Hope. Meaning, her political career in the Empire has long since concluded and now she’s one of the Rebellion’s leading figureheads. We know she’ll make it through to the end of the Galactica Civil War and become Chancellor of the New Republic, as seen in Ahsoka, but I know it’ll be rough watching her endure even more hardship during this final batch of Andor episodes.

Andor Season 2 premieres April 22 on Disney+, with three episodes being released weekly until May 13. On Star Wars’ film side of things, The Mandalorian & Grogu opens in theaters on May 22, 2026.

The introduction of streaming services into the entertainment ecosystem is another one of those moments that changed everything. It’s a change in the game that’s led to both the 2023 WGA writer’s strike, as well as the recent SAG-AFTRA actor’s strike, as this brave new world has raised grievances that have now thrown a wrench into productions far and wide; which just happens to include the world of the Star Wars spin-off Andor.

One of the sticking points in this conflict has been pointed out by creator Tony Gilroy, who has gotten pretty honest about why he feels streaming is “close to ruining” the entire entertainment industry. As he spoke with IndieWire on behalf of the series’ 2023 Emmy nominations, the Rogue One co-writer revealed that audience numbers are a major concern. 

More specifically, the lack of disclosure when it comes to how many people are watching, as well as the demographics enjoying this prequel series. In his view, here’s how Tony Gilroy feels streaming is bringing down the world of entertainment: 

As the issues of residuals and back end payments have become another discussion point during the current negotiations, Gilroy’s worries are not unfounded. While some companies have revealed pieces of the viewership puzzle, the overall picture isn’t exactly clear; nor is it a standard held throughout the streaming world. Not everybody has metrics like Netflix’s previous 28-day viewership rule; and if they do, they’re certainly not sharing.

What makes this even more disheartening is Disney CEO Bob Iger’s recent claim that Disney+ is damaging brands like Marvel and Pixar. That sort of blowback is a major issue that any streamer would want to combat, but again without specific numbers, there’s only so much anyone can do. 

So while Andor seems to have been a hit with the Disney+ subscription base, Tony Gilroy doesn’t exactly know how many people are watching. Not knowing the exact makeup of the audience, except that it’s more than likely heavily made up of Star Wars loyalists, doesn’t give a lot of notes on how to tweak the series. 

Even worse is how that lack of metrics can, as Gilroy mentioned above, affect how people are paid and project's budgets are structured. Lamenting these facts for the sake of his project, and the industry in general, Michael Clayton's writer/director further elaborated his feelings thusly: 

What we know about Andor Season 2 has so far not included when exactly to expect the concluding of Tony Gilroy’s series to debut.  With the current double work stoppage between the WGA and SAG-AFTRA’s respective strikes, that debut will probably see further delay into an unknown time frame. 

All the while, the negotiations that are currently taking place will undoubtedly seek to see some sort of viewership metric that’s universally agreed upon by all parties. With that sort of transparency, proper compensation and market reception can be determined for any project in the streaming sphere, which can allow for a more fair playing field. Here’s hoping that whatever happens next in this crucial turning point can help the streaming industry right the ship, making sure that investments are made properly, and that everyone is paid fairly.

We’re just days away from Obi-Wan Kenobi premiering on Disney+, but some Star Wars fans may already be looking further ahead into the franchise’s future. While we’re still a ways off from more Star Wars movies coming out, there’ll be plenty more TV content to enjoy set in a galaxy far, far away, including Andor, which reunites us with Diego Luna’s Rogue One character. And unlike Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Book of Boba Fett, which are one-and-done affairs (for now), Andor is already has a second season in development, and Tony Gilroy, the show’s creator, explained why another batch of episodes was necessary

Taking place five years before the events of Rogue One, Andor Season 1 will consist of 12 episodes, and there’ll be just as many in Season 2. After telling Vanity Fair that Alan Tudyk’s K-2SO will not be in Andor, or at least “not yet, anyway,” Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote Rogue One (with his additions including the Darth Vader hallway scene, which was the last thing shot), said the following about how the second Andor season will distinguish itself from the first one:

When we met Cassian Andor in Rogue One, he was already an operative for the Rebellion and was willing to do whatever it took to help topple the Empire, including murdering an informant so that important information wouldn’t make it into the Imperials’ hands. But when we meet the character in his younger years at the start of Andor, “he doesn’t see any further than himself” and “couldn’t give a shit” about the Rebellion or even right and wrong at first, as Tony Gilroy put it. He added:

So as Tony Gilroy broke it down, Andor Season 1 will follow Cassian Andor evolving from someone who’s chiefly interested in looking after himself to someone who’s willing to put their life on their line for the greater good. Then when Andor Season 2 rolls around, that’s when we’ll see him embark down the path that ultimately take him down the path to meeting Felicity Jones’ Jyn Erso. While we know that both Cassian and Jyn will die on Scarif after transmitting the schematics to the first Death Star to their Rebel allies, at least the Andor series will flesh out the former character in a major way.

Along with Diego Luna reprising Cassian Andor, this live-action Star Wars show will also feature the return of Genevieve O'Reilly as Mon Mother and Forest Whitaker as Saw Gerrera, and the lineup of actors cast in undisclosed roles include  Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Fiona Shaw, Denise Gough and Kyle Soller. Tony Gilroy mentioned that there are 211 speaking parts in Andor, and of the 75 people “who really matter,” there are “at least a dozen seriously important characters” who will be back for Season 2. Gilroy also said that in addition to pleasing hardcore Star Wars fans, this series is also looking to expand its audience to people who aren’t deeply entrenched in what happens within this fictional universe.

It hasn’t been announced yet when Andor will premiere for Disney+ subscribers, but we’ll pass that along one that’s reveled, along with any other major news concerning upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows.

Star Wars is coming to the small screen in brand new ways courtesy of Disney+, where a number of live-action shows will debut to expand that galaxy far, far away. A Cassian Andor-centric series set in the years prior to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was one of the first announced, but not the quickest off the ground. Now, the show has experienced a shake-up behind-the-scenes, although there is still plenty of good news.

Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote and co-edited Rogue One before signing on as showrunner for the Cassian Andor series, has dropped out of directing the first three episodes, which is a considerable change as the show evidently heads back toward production. That said, Gilroy giving up directing duties doesn't necessarily mean that more delays are on the way. Deadline reports that the show has already found Gilroy's replacement in the form of Toby Haynes, who has helmed episodes of Utopia, Sherlock, and of course an unforgettable episode of Black Mirror.

The switch from Tony Gilroy to Toby Haynes reportedly has nothing to do with Gilroy's vision for the first three episodes, but is rather due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rogue One spinoff is slated to film in the United Kingdom, while Gilroy lives in New York. He decided that staying in New York and handing directing those first three episodes over to Haynes was the best move. Haynes was already in the U.K., and he was reportedly already on the list of potential directors to helm episodes of the show down the line.

Toby Haynes taking over the directing duties for the first three episodes is a big deal, insofar as those episodes will launch a high-profile Star Wars series starring characters from a super successful Star Wars film, following the smash hit that is The Mandalorian. Still, the show itself likely won't be too seriously impacted by the switch. Tony Gilroy remains on board as showrunner and executive producer.

Tony Gilroy, who once stated that he "had no reverence" for Star Wars when the time came for Rogue One reshoots, is actually the second showrunner attached to the Cassian Andor series. Stephen Schiff of The Americans fame was announced as the original showrunner in late 2018. Gilroy as his replacement was announced back in April 2020.

The Rogue One prequel spinoff apparently made it four weeks into production before having to shut down due to the pandemic, and star Diego Luna previously revealed that he was in no rush to start filming. With news of Toby Haynes taking over as director of the first three episodes due to his location, all signs point toward the show getting closer and closer to filming.

A big question now is whether or not the Cassian Andor series will be the first live-action Star Wars series ready to premiere on Disney+ following the groundbreaking (and Emmy-winning) Mandalorian. Ewan McGregor's upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi show already has a plan to start filming in spring 2021, and that will be a limited series rather than a potentially ongoing spy thriller like Diego Luna's show.

A fourth live-action series has also been ordered, but details are scarce enough on that front that my money is on either the Cassian show or the Obi-Wan limited series debuting next, and I give the edge to Cassian. For now, you can look forward to The Mandalorian Season 2 hitting Disney+ on October 30, with plenty of additional Star Wars options also available on the streamer. For some upcoming viewing options set elsewhere than the galaxy far, far away, check out our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule.

The upcoming Rogue One prequel series will center on Diego Luna's Cassian Andor, who both debuted and died in the first Star Wars spinoff movie. Now, another Rogue One star has joined Luna in reprising their role on the small screen, and this casting doesn't mark the only Rogue One addition to the series.

Genevieve O'Reilly will be back as Mon Mothma, a.k.a. a Rebel leader in the early days of the organized fight against the Empire, according to THR. Mon Mothma of course made her Star Wars debut in Return of the Jedi back in 1983, but Genevieve O'Reilly took up the role to play a younger Mon Mothma first in Revenge of the Sith in 2005 and then of course Rogue One in 2016.

Genevieve O'Reilly also reprised the role for several episodes of the Star Wars Rebels animated series as it approached the original trilogy in the Star wars timeline. While she wasn't the first actress to tackle the role, she is the most prolific among Star Wars projects, and she'll lend another familiar face to the Disney+ series.

The other Rogue One alum said to be on board the prequel series in a big way was pivotal to the film, but his contributions were behind-the-scenes.

Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote Rogue One and hasn't minced words about what kind of reshoots happened for the finished product, is reportedly now serving as showrunner as well as a writer for the TV series. He replaces Stephen Schiff of The Americans, who had been announced as the original showrunner back in late 2018. While Schiff was an impressive pick for the Cassian Andor series, the man who helped bring Rogue One to the big screen could be the ideal replacement when it comes to the prequel.

Interestingly, Tony Gilroy stated back in April 2018 on The Moment with Brian Koppelman podcast that he "had no reverence" for Star Wars when it came to Rogue One reshoots because he had "never been interested in Star Wars, ever." Gilroy will reportedly direct the pilot of the Rogue One prequel and potentially a second, but there is no start date for production at this point.

Genevieve O'Reilly isn't the only actor to join the likes of Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgard, and Kyle Soller on the series. Denise Gough of BBC's Paula is on board, but no details are currently available about her role. Since the Rogue One prequel clearly doesn't have the same qualms as The Mandalorian when it comes to bringing existing characters into the series, it's possible that she could play an earlier, later, or live-action version of a character already existing in the Star Wars saga, although we'll have to wait and see.

I for one have been hoping that Ahsoka Tano of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels would make an appearance, since Rebels fans know she was active with the Rebellion in this era. With Rosario Dawson now bringing Ahsoka to The Mandalorian, why not bring Ahsoka to the Rogue One prequel as well?

For now, The Mandalorian is the only live-action Star Wars series with a season that will be ready for premiere within the next year, but if you're in the mood to revisit the pre-original trilogy era in the Star Wars saga, you can find Rogue One and the full run of Star Wars Rebels streaming on Disney+ now, and The Clone Wars' Siege of Mandalore is worth watching to any Star Wars fan.

Once Disney got the rights to the Star Wars franchise, the House of Mouse started releasing new and exciting projects in quick succession. In addition to the main franchise, Star Wars recently introduced standalone movies, starting with Gareth Edwards' Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Rogue One made a ton of money when it hit theaters in 2016, although fans were nervous when reports of extensive reshoots began circulating.

Those reshoots were done largely by Tony Gilroy, who also co-wrote Rogue One. When speaking at a college event, Gilroy recently clarified what he focused on when helming the standalone film's reshoots, saying:

While Tony Gilroy hasn't spoken a ton about the process of shooting Rogue One's reshoots, this latest quote certainly clears things up. It seems that the motley crew of new characters weren't clearly defined, so new footage was needed to ensure that the audience cares for Jyn Erso's group of rebels. And considering how the movie ended, crafting the characters was very important.

Tony Gilroy's comments come from his recent appearance at Montclair State University (via NorthJersey.com), and help illuminate the mysterious reshoots that plagued Rogue One: A Star Wars Story before its highly anticipated release. While the Star Wars franchise is known for its iconography and cultural impact, the movies should still be about the characters-- preferably ones that are fully formed and fleshed out.

Rogue One was set in the time between the prequel trilogy and A New Hope, ultimately ending just moments before George Lucas' iconic first film began. Fans of the franchise could see the writing on the wall, and know that the group was essentially on a suicide squad to get the plans for the original Death Star. That's exactly how it goes down, with audiences left to watch in horror as each of the scrappy rebels fell.

Ultimately, Tony Gilroy's Rogue One reshoots did just that, because the blockbuster took time to highlight each member of the ill-fated crew. While Felicity Jones' Jyn Erso and Diego Luna's Cassian Andor are the clear leads, the rest of the crew get their moments to show both heart and humor. Because of this personal connection the new Star Wars characters, watching them die one by one is an emotional experience.

It's currently unclear if/when Star Wars will continue its standalone films, given the box office failure of Solo: A Star Wars Story. The next installment in the galaxy far, far away is J.J. Abrams' untitled Episode IX, which will arrive on December 20, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.

Reshoots have become a common step in the blockbuster filmmaking process, as often times it becomes necessary to regather months (or even a year) after principal photography to obtain extra footage. But sometimes reshoots are an especially big undertaking, and in the case of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, a significant portion of the movie was changed during that extra filming period, including some of the beginning and most of the third act. Michael Clayton writer and director Tony Gilroy was brought in to write new material for Rogue One and oversee the reshoots, and nearly a year and a half after the movie's release, he's bluntly explained just what kind of a situation the first of the Star Wars spinoffs was in when he came on board. As Gilroy put it:

Those who watched Rogue One's first teaser trailer and then compared it to later previews will remember that the movie went through a number of changes following the summer of 2016, from Saw Gerrera being given hair to Jyn Erso no longer having to face down a TIE Fighter. Although Godzilla's Gareth Edwards directed Rogue One during the main shoot, it was Tony Gilroy who spearheaded the reshoots, and judging by his comments during his appearance on The Moment with Brian Koppelman podcast, it was up to him to drag the movie out of a "swamp," so to speak. Edwards was ultimately credited as Rogue One's director, while Gilroy easily scored a screenplay credit, but make no mistake, without Gilroy's involvement, the movie would have looked a lot differently.

During the interview, Tony Gilroy also noted that the "gumption, the balls" of Disney, company CEO Bob Iger and everyone else at the Mouse House, involved to gamble on the movie the way they did was "astonishing," and because he came much later into the creative process and didn't have any strong attachment to the Star Wars franchise, he didn't stress as much about working on it as he would have on his other projects. Gilroy also talked about the movie's ending, specifically with all the main protagonists being killed off. including Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor, who actually survived in an alternate ending. Gilroy explained:

It's unlikely we'll ever see what the original version of Rogue One looked like, but Disney and Lucasfilm clearly made a good decision having Tony Gilroy make the changes that he did. The movie received a strong critical reception (it ranks at 85% on Rotten Tomatoes), and it made over $1 billion worldwide. However, don't expect Gilroy to work on another Star Wars movie, as the franchise still doesn't particularly appeal to him. The reason Rogue One worked for him is because he saw it more as a "Battle of Britain movie."

The Star Wars franchise continues next month with the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story on May 25, and Episode IX will conclude the current trilogy when it drops on December 20, 2019.

Following the release of J.J. Abrams' The Force Awakens, the Star Wars franchise arguably is as popular as it's ever been. But it also finds itself standing at a crossroads. In response to George Lucas' polarizing prequel trilogy, the sci-fi saga has worked to resurrect its original image and feel - and while that has meant a wonderful return to practical filmmaking and concise storytelling, it also led Abrams' movie to feel like an echo of A New Hope, the 1977 blockbuster that started it all. This has raised an important uncertainty amongst fans: can new Star Wars titles remain beholden to what made the classic films great, while simultaneously developing unique and special narratives? Gareth Edwards' Rogue One: A Star Wars Story proves that the answer to this question is an unequivocal "Yes."

Finding the balance between the old and new within Rogue One starts with its conceit and approach, magnifying a story audiences think they already know with an aesthetic that's fresh within this franchise. Expanding a single line from the opening crawl of A New Hope, Rogue One tells the tale of the rebel spies who stole the original plans for the Death Star, all while putting a much heavier emphasis on the "Wars" aspect of Star Wars and exploring a gritty, more realistic feel. The combination not only lends itself to a thrilling, fun and dark narrative that is full of legitimate surprises, but even allows the introduction of elements and details that actually make its predecessors stronger. It's a film that introduces exciting original characters, worlds and ideas while also managing to give us some of the best Darth Vader material that we've ever seen.

Instrumental in this is Rogue One's new ensemble of protagonists -- none of whom have any direct connections to previously established heroes (which is incredibly important within trying to open up the universe beyond the Skywalker clan). While Star Wars has notoriously always operated in black and white morality -- the Rebels purely representing good, and the Empire evil --the Rogue One script by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy introduces important grey areas that emerge naturally from the reality of the subject matter, and effectively add depth to the characters and the stakes of their mission.

At the head of this is Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), a young woman who has spent her life on the run from the Empire doing anything required in order to survive -- but it fully extends to her compatriots as well, from Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a Rebel spy whose commitment to the cause has taken him down some extremely dark roads; to Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed), an Imperial cargo pilot who defects in hopes of repentance. It can't be said that these characters wind up undergoing extreme arcs that make them different people by the time the movie is over, but each of them enhances the story being told, and they all have vital roles to play within it -- deepening themes of hope and sacrifice that have always been inherent to Star Wars.

All of this may seem to point to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story being an entirely bleak affair, but working to measure tone is actually yet another one of the movie's strengths. Audiences definitely won't be laughing whenever the Empire is flexing its muscles (or really during any scene featuring Ben Mendelsohn's intimidating Lt. Commander Orson Krennic), but it certainly does have a sense of humor that derives organically. While never being anything as reductive as "comic relief," the greatest assets the film has in this respect are unquestionably Donnie Yen's Chirrut Îmwe (a blind warrior monk with a deep faith in The Force), and Alan Tudyk's K-2SO (a reprogrammed Imperial droid that has a tendency to say exactly what's on its mind). Much more than just delivering quippy lines, their best moments really just come from their natural attitudes and interactions -- whether it's their individual contempt for authority, or fun relationships with the other members of their team (particularly Wen Jiang's heavy gun-toting Baze Malbus and Jyn Erso, respectively). This levity that not only prevents the blockbuster from feeling overly harsh and dreary, but endears you to the heroes and makes you root for their victory and survival that much more.

It's a similar balance that plays into Rogue One's style and action as well, somehow managing to be both unlike anything we've seen before from the franchise, while also being undeniably Star Wars. Gareth Edwards' on-the-ground approach during the movie's many bombastic and exciting action sequences makes you feel the dirt spray on your face, and actually experience the danger and consequences of the battles -- an element that hasn't been featured in these movies before. There is an incredible variety established within the set pieces as well, not only in setting, fighting style and weaponry, but also just from a creative aesthetic perspective -- with many new kinds of Stormtroopers featured and even a few new spaceships thrown into the mix. Most importantly, every bit of action is important and furthers the plot in a significant way, all leading to a third act and final climatic Rebels vs. Empire showdown that can be described with no other term than "perfect."

There are elements of Rogue One that do somewhat hold the film back -- such as a few underdeveloped plot elements, and a desire to see more of the relationship between Orson Krennic and Mads Mikkelson's Galen Erso (Jyn's father and the creator of the Death Star) -- but these are minor issues in the grand scheme. Much more significant is the specific vision of Gareth Edwards, the fantastic plot execution, and it's deep connection to what makes these movies great in the first place - all of which spell incredible things for the future of Star Wars. If the franchise can continually pull off blockbusters with the same level of creative energy and the proper amount of reverence as Rogue One does, there's every reason to expect greatness for years to come.

While buzz is only increasing for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as we get closer to its theatrical release, one of the main narratives surrounding the film continues to be the reshoots that the film underwent earlier this year. We've been hearing stories for months about the involvement of screenwriter Tony Gilroy, and director Gareth Edwards has even gone on record to explain what went down and what happened. A new piece of trivia that we recently picked up, however, is that the reshoots also allowed actor Alan Tudyk to have some creative input on the movie as well, given the opportunity to punch up some of K-2SO's scenes in the blockbuster.

Alan Tudyk himself told me about his work on the Rogue One reshoots earlier this month when I had the pleasure of sitting down with him for a one-on-one interview during the recent Star Wars press day in Los Angeles. During our conversation, I asked how both he and K-2SO were affected by the reshoots, and he explained that while there weren't massive changes made, he did get the chance to contribute to the process and write a few new lines for his character. Said Tudyk,

While many know Alan Tudyk for his work in front of the camera -- from Wash in Firefly to Steve The Pirate in Dodgeball - those who follow his work closely know that he has been doing some behind the scenes work in recent years. Specifically, he created his own show Con Man, which just started its second season on Comic-Con HQ last week. Because of this, it makes all the sense in the world that Gareth Edwards and company would trust him to write a few bits of dialogue for his new droid character.

Speaking to the Rogue One reshoots on a more macro level, Alan Tudyk also told me that some of the stuff that was done after principal photography wound up being some of the best material in the film -- with the actor/writer/director giving high praise to the work from Tony Gilroy. What makes it funny, however, is that he didn't know about all of the work that was done until recently when he had the chance to see the finished cut of the Star Wars movie for himself:

For now, the exact details of what went into the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story reshoots remain a mystery, but Alan Tudyk does certainly make it sound like all of the changes that were made for the betterment of the film. We'll have to wait and see if we ever get official word on precisely what went down -- but for now, be sure to stay tuned here on Cinema Blend for a whole lot more from our interviews with the cast and filmmakers behind the blockbuster, and get ready for the film's release this Friday, December 16th!

We must admit, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was the last movie we'd expect to undergo extensive re-shoots, or any sort of behind the scenes mayhem that would indicate any less than harmonious activity in its camp. And yet, in a world where Rogue One has turned from a run of the mill Star Wars project into one of the most closely watched films, it's actually turning out to be a less chaotic affair than previously thought.

The Hollywood Reporter revealed the further adventures of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which apparently involves major post-production involvement by editor / director Tony Gilroy. Supposedly Gilroy's involvement is something that's not only become a part of Rogue One's rather interesting production history, but it's also more collaborative and less conflicting than we've previously heard. In fact, sources have stated that Gilroy and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story's director Gareth Edwards are working on a cut of the film that both parties can agree on as the final product, from their shared editing room. Oddly enough, Tony Gilroy's assistance to Edwards isn't even a new factor in his career, as Gilroy's advice on Godzilla also proved invaluably helpful.

All of this comes after Gilroy was previously drafted for un-credited re-writes on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, a decision which stemmed from concerns Disney had over the tone and structure of the first Star Wars Story spinoff that the studio has planned. That information isn't new, but what is new is the fact that we're hearing the ending to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was one of the aspects that stuck out to the powers that be.

To understand the importance of the relationship between Tony Gilroy and Gareth Edwards is to understand why the reshoots to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story aren't the kiss of death to the production of the franchise's first spin-off. With the close, collaborative nature existing between the two contributors, and with Godzilla being the direct result of such collaboration, we're just as excited about Rogue One as we were when we first locked eyes with the trailer. Here's hoping that in the light of other stories involving studio mandated reshoots and alternate edits, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story stands out as an exception to the recent rules and benefits such time and care.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story steals a bit of history on December 16th.

There's a lot riding on The Bourne Legacy. The franchise turned Matt Damon into a certified action star and gave us a modern spy hero before Bond got his Casino Royale makeover. But, to continue the Bond comparisons for a moment, now their lead has decided to move on to other things, so what's a spy franchise to do? Recast, of course. Given how fast Jeremy Renner's star is rising, he'll probably be a great pick to take over the Bourne-less Bourne films. While Paul Greengrass is gone, longtime franchise writer Tony Gilroy is settling into the director's chair. All in all, Jason Bourne's legacy looks to be in good hands. But what can we actually expect from next summer's Bourne expansion? Well, I hope you weren't hoping for any hints from the newly released teaser poster...

The poster popped up on the Argentinean movie website Cine1. It was posted without any explanatory text, which is just as well, since I can't read Spanish. The "Prepare for the Unexpected" slogan is about as generic as it gets, and not particularly helpful. I'm guessing the odd designs in the background may be hinting at something, but damned if I can figure out what. What more is there to say? Nice font, I guess?

The Bourne Legacy opens in theaters on August 3rd. You can read more about it in our Blend Film Database.

Ever since it was announced that Matt Damon would not be returning for The Bourne Legacy, Universal Pictures has done its best to stress the fact that the lead character in the new film is NOT Jason Bourne. Instead, it will be a whole new character that is experiencing adventures in the same world as Bourne. The film is set to come out later this year with the always-awesome Jeremy Renner in the lead role and an amazing supporting cast that includes Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Joan Allen and Albert Finney (the last two should provide continuity with the three previous films). But while we've known all of this about the new action flick for months, one question has gone unanswered: what is the main character's name?

Empire has the answer. Sitting down to speak with Renner himself, the magazine was able to get a few details about The Bourne Legacy, including who the twice Oscar-nominated actor will be playing. "My character is called Aaron Cross, but he ends up having a bunch of different names," Renner said. He also promised that the new film will have the same thrills as the original trilogy, only with some alterations. Said Renner, "For fans of the franchise, [The Bourne Legacy] has that same ticking clock, but it's a new programme and new characters."

Adding to the Bourne Legacy news, USA Today has published our first look at Aaron Cross. You can scope it out below and see the full image over at the source.

The new film, due out on August 3rd, is written and directed by Tony Gilroy. To read more about it, head on over to our Blend Film Database.

We’ve known for quite some time that a fourth Bourne movie is happening, and that Matt Damon isn’t in it. Instead, actor Jeremy Renner (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) will be taking over the franchise in The Bourne Ultimatum as a new protagonist, with series screenwriter Tony Gilroy now also directing. Up until now, however, it has sounded like these changes were all cordial and mutual. Based on some comments Matt Damon made in a GQ cover story, however, that may not entirely be the case.

The trouble stems, apparently, from Damon and Gilroy’s last Bourne collaboration, The Bourne Ultimatum. Damon told GQ that Gilroy’s deal for the film only required him to write one draft of the script, no rewrites, because he was committed to making his directorial debut on Michael Clayton. Damon continued:

The script was thereafter rewritten by George Nolfi and Scott Z. Burns, but Damon said that Gilroy later petitioned the Writers Guild for sole credit on the script. He was denied, so Gilroy shares screenplay credit on the final film with Nolfi and Burns. Apparently, things behind the scenes of the Bourne franchise were a bit rockier than we knew. Damon also explained that the friction began when Paul Greengrass came on as director on the second film, The Bourne Supremacy, with Gilroy and Greengrass’ competing styles jarring against each other. “Tony does all the work before and delivers a finished script. Paul wants the script to be ever-evolving during shooting.”

Damon was quick to attempt to put his comments in perspective, however. In a new interview with THR, Damon explains that he was set on edge when the offices for The Bourne Legacy opened up in Vancouver, right next to his trailer on the set of Neil Blomkamp’s science fiction flick, Elysium. He told THR:

Hopefully this spat between Damon and Gilroy won’t come to blows. I once saw Damon kill a guy with a ballpoint pen (in a movie).

The Bourne Legacy is set to open on August 3rd, 2012. We’ll have to wait until March 1st, 2013 for Elysium.

The Bourne torch may have been passing to Jeremy Renner with next year's The Bourne Legacy, but that doesn't mean that Matt Damon is abandoning the possibility of eventually returning to the role that made him an action star. In an interview with Shortlist.com, Damon tossed more fuel on the fire for fans who would like to see him back in the role of amnesiac badass Jason Bourne:

Hardly stamping a release date on any future Damon/Greengrass Bourne flicks, but at least the door isn't totally closed. Of course, the question is: should Damon return to that well? It remains to be seen how The Bourne Legacy will shape up, but the existing Bourne films comprise one of the best action trilogies in decades, and culminate in a pretty damn perfect ending, as well. If Damon and/or Greengrass do eventually return to the franchise, here's hoping they do so because somebody has a really good idea about what to do with Jason Bourne, rather than just as a cash grab. If Legacy isn't a solid hit, I can totally see Universal trying to coerce Damon back to reinvigorate the brand.

Hopefully that won't be a concern, however. Tony Gilroy is both co-writing and directing Legacy, after having co-written the first three Bourne flicks, and Jeremy Renner is poised to blow up as the next big thing, with roles in the upcoming Avengers and Mission: Impossible movies on top of Legacy. If we have to get another Bourne flick without Damon, these are capable hands to leave the franchise in. Either way, we'll see if Renner can fill Damon's shoes next summer, when The Bourne Legacy opens in theaters.

What do you think? Are you excited about The Bourne Legacy? Would you like to see Damon eventually return to the franchise? Sound off over on Cinema Blend's Facebook fan page.

I understand why studios meddle in the productions of their blockbusters. After all, they are fronting hundreds of millions of dollars to get the movies made and it makes sense that they would want some assurance that they will be making a profit. What sucks is that studio interference can really get in the way of a director's vision. Take The Wolverine for example. Darren Aronofsky was set to make an movie that would make up for both X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but instead Fox wasn't willing to give him the control he desired, so he understandably bailed. Let's hope Universal doesn't keep pushing Tony Gilroy's buttons.

Before the news came out last week that Jeremy Renner was to be offered the lead in the Gilroy-directed The Bourne Legacy, Vulture had reported that Aussie actor Joel Edgerton was being heavily considered for the role. Now the site has has asked some questions to figure out what exactly happened, and apparently the answer was "a compromise." According to insiders, Gilroy wanted Edgerton for the lead role because he wouldn't "pull focus" from the character, which they will have to quickly establish in the Bourne timeline. On the other side, Universal wanted " to go younger and cooler," more interested in actors like Garrett Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch, Colin Farrell or Shia LaBeouf. Many of the higher profile actors were eliminated because they wouldn't do screentests, as their agents "feared they’ll have to audition for every role going forward." Fearing that the end of their movie rights given to them by the Robert Ludlum estate, Gilroy eventually let go of his Edgerton idea and the two parties agreed on Renner, who, while 40 years old has been nominated for an Oscar twice in two years.

I could be wrong here, but how is this a compromise that favors Gilroy in any way? By the time that The Bourne Legacy arrives on August 3, 2012, both Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and The Avengers will have both arrived and departed from theaters, making Renner an international superstar. Age isn't even really an excuse as Edgerton is 36. If Gilroy thinks that Universal actually threw him a bone with this one then he might be in denial.

Universal has Joel Edgerton as one of their stars in their forthcoming prequel to/remake of The Thing, coming this fall, but apparently they like him even more than that-- so much that they want him in not one but two of their upcoming tentpole films. According to Vulture director Tony Gilroy has set his sights on Edgerton to star in Bourne Legacy, but the studio also wants him to take over as the huntsman in Snow White and the Huntsman, a role recently vacated first by Viggo Mortensen and then Hugh Jackman.

The problem is that he can't star in both-- each of the films are gearing up for production fairly soon-- and also the studio isn't certain that Edgerton, whose most significant recent credit was in Animal Kingdom, is a big enough star to lead a new Bourne film all on his own. It's a reasonable question-- the studio has been looking at a lot of name-brand stars to revive the franchise started by Matt Damon, who was already a star in his own right before The Bourne Identity came out. No matter how talented is, the studio would seem to have little motivation to hand the franchise over to a relative newcomer. I mean, he was in two of the Star Wars prequels as Owen Lars, but so was Jimmy Smits, and you don't seen him leading franchises.

Vulture suggests that if Edgerton doesn't get the Bourne part he will likely play the Huntsman, and that James McAvoy or Shia LaBeouf also top the list of Bourne choices. Either way the winner in this scenario is Edgerton, a rising star with an entire studio that wants to make him richer and more famous.

A few weeks back it was reported that basically every young, white male actor in Hollywood with a recognizable name was being considered for the lead in The Bourne Legacy, Tony Gilroy's continuation of the franchise after the departure of Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass. All in all, a total of 15 names were shortlisted for the lead, which would be a Bourne like character living in the same universe as Bourne, that will make it possible for Damon to return somewhere down the line. Now it sounds as though that huge group is being whittled down as the first group of actors has started to screentest for the part.

Deadline reports that Joel Edgerton, Dominic Cooper (who actually wasn't one of the original 15), Garrett Hedlund and Luke Evans are now all scheduled to officially audition for the role of the character I like to call "Bourne Substitute." According to the site, the list isn't definitive - Logan Marshall-Green might also be a name in contention - but the above four will go out for the roles starting on the first week of April. The story also says that Shia LaBeouf is still in the mix, though may not be testing, and Taylor Kitsch has already met with Gilroy about the part.

There is some suggestion in Deadline's story that the studio isn't putting a lot of emphasis on the star, believing that the brand and Gilroy's writing will be enough to get people interested, but I have to disagree. Yes, the trilogy wouldn't exist without Gilroy's input, but Matt Damon is the face of this franchise. No matter how much they stress that this is a movie about a different character, people are still going to think that they re-cast and are going to reject it - that is, unless they find the right star.

Tony Gilroy has already spilled the beans on the most important detail of his new Bourne film-- Matt Damon won't be back and neither will the character, but the events of the first three films will serve as a jumping-off point for the plot of his new film. Now talking to Deadline Hollywood, Gilroy has dropped a few more details, not telling us much new but confirming a few things we may have just suspected thus far.

The focus of the story will be, once again, on Treadstone, the shadowy operation that spent the first three films trying to track Bourne down. The main character this time will be a spy with a similar background to Bourne or Clive Owen's character in the first film, an agent and probably a killer. Gilroy came up with the idea after what he calls a "courtesy meeting" with the Ludlum estate:

Gilroy is very, very careful to emphasize that Bourne will still be out there, somewhere, in the world of his next film, and that there's plenty of room for Damon to return in a fifth film if he so chooses. As much as a fourth Bourne without Bourne seems like a ridiculous idea, Gilroy seems to be going about it in precisely the right way, starting fresh without discounting everything that came before. Branding this new film as within the Bourne franchise is going to be awkward, of course, but if they don't try too hard to shoehorn in the old stories there seems to be some potential here. Losing Damon is hard, of course, but a fresh start seems to be exactly what this franchise needs post-Greengrass.