Andor’s Director Comes Close to Revealing Too Much About Rogue One’s Notoriously Secretive Recut

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During an interview for the second season of “Andor,” showrunner Tony Gilroy, who played a significant role in reshoots for “Rogue One,” hinted at some details about the original version of the Star Wars spinoff. While discussing his initial day on the set of “Rogue One” with star Diego Luna, Gilroy offered insights into the film’s condition before he joined the project, subtly revealing its state at that time. However, Gilroy was cautious in his responses and refrained from disclosing too many specifics to maintain discretion.

In simpler terms, Gilroy mentioned that the characters from “Rogue One” needed to be clarified and made more straightforward. He emphasized that they required a strong emotional drive or motivation, which he referred to as ‘need’. The cast was a delight for him because he had admired Diego’s acting skills for a long time, and he hoped that if Diego wasn’t difficult to work with, the movie would be excellent. However, he cautioned not to reveal too much!

Prior to its release in 2016, articles about the movie “Rogue One” frequently mentioned that it was going through script revisions and additional filming. Although cast members claimed these were typical production processes, it appeared there were considerable alterations happening with “Rogue One”. Specifically, the initial part of the story underwent significant changes, including the addition of scenes like Cassian’s debut where he shoots his informant. This adjustment led to further modifications throughout the movie.

The modifications implemented in Rogue One were indeed successful, as the film garnered universal acclaim and generated more than $1 billion at the global box office. Even now, almost a decade post-release, some Star Wars enthusiasts rank it as the top movie within the series. For his role in its success, Gilroy was compensated with $5 million. Later on, he revisited Lucasfilm to supervise the critically acclaimed production of Andor.

Gilroy suggests that during earlier edits of Rogue One, the characters may not have been fully developed, making it hard for viewers to connect emotionally with their journey. If this version was released, it could have significantly affected people’s opinions about the film and possibly diminished the impact of the characters’ sacrifices in the final act, which are central themes in Rogue One. As a war movie, Rogue One is meant to explore themes of sacrifice and heroism, so underdeveloped characters might have made it challenging for audiences to care about their lives being risked for the greater good. This would be particularly disappointing in a Star Wars movie, given its reputation for creating memorable characters.

Gilroy’s specific methods for enhancing character development in “Rogue One” aren’t fully disclosed, but the movie delivered a likable band of rebels that spectators could cheer for. Some characters had subplots that provided an emotional backbone (Jyn’s strained relationship with her father; Cassian wrestling with his morally gray deeds). Others added humor and intrigue to the film (Chirrut and Baze’s friendship; K-2SO’s blunt personality). All of these elements came together in a climactic, emotionally resonant battle at Scarif, giving the tale a fitting, moving conclusion. Given the success of “Rogue One”, it’s clear why Lucasfilm chose Gilroy for “Andor”.

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2025-04-10 04:43