Andor creator addresses Star Wars’ lack of risks and reported rift from The Mandalorian boss

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Tony Gilroy, the creator of the show Andor, recently spoke openly about criticisms leveled at the Star Wars franchise and addressed rumors that Dave Filoni, the new head of Lucasfilm, wasn’t a fan of his series.

The writer, famous for movies like the Bourne trilogy and the legal drama Michael Clayton, first entered the Star Wars universe with the 2016 film Rogue One. They then took charge of Disney’s highly praised prequel series.

I’ve been a big fan of Andor, and it’s great that critics and other fans seem to love it too. But it feels different from most other Star Wars stories lately. Things like The Mandalorian, with Grogu, and the upcoming Skeleton Crew are clearly aimed at a wider, more family-friendly audience, and Andor just doesn’t quite fit that mold. It really stands out, and honestly, I think that’s a good thing!

I’ve been hearing a lot of other fans wondering if Disney is playing it too safe lately. They seem to be leaning really heavily on things we already know and love, and it feels like they’re avoiding anything truly new. It’s a shame, especially when you hear about cool ideas that got dropped – like that pitch from Adam Driver and Steven Soderbergh for a Ben Solo story! Apparently, it was something really different, and it’s frustrating to think we might not ever see it.

The Hollywood Reporter questioned Gilroy about whether he felt let down that upcoming Star Wars projects might not continue the more realistic and complex style of storytelling seen in Andor.

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He said ‘disappointed’ wasn’t quite the right word for how he felt. He explained he wasn’t involved as an investor, didn’t share the financial responsibility, and wasn’t personally affected by the situation.

I’m not sure how I’d react if I were personally at risk with a significant amount of money involved. The difficulty is that producing these kinds of projects is always expensive.

Although he understood the concerns of Star Wars executives, Gilroy indicated he’d likely take more creative risks with the franchise, pointing to HBO’s successful approach with its Game of Thrones prequel, ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,’ as a good example.

He explained that if he were to take on that leadership role, he’d prefer to take bold chances and potentially fail spectacularly rather than play it safe. Despite living a generally cautious life, he thrives on creative risk-taking and doesn’t prioritize safety when making decisions. He believes in taking swings, even if they might not land.

Despite previously saying he wasn’t a huge Star Wars fan (according to ComicBookMovie.com), Gilroy ended up stating that he doesn’t care what happens with the franchise.

The screenwriter responded to reports, originally published by The Wrap, that Dave Filoni – now president of Lucasfilm and a producer on The Mandalorian – didn’t care for the show Andor. He said he found those claims confusing.

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Gilroy stated that they’ve always had a good relationship with the team and consistently admired their work. He emphasized that their show exists because of them, a sentiment they’ve always openly acknowledged.

Andor wouldn’t have been possible without The Mandalorian; it directly led to its creation. Because of that, our working relationship has always been positive and friendly, and I don’t have any information that hasn’t already been made public.

Gareth Edwards, known for his work on Star Wars, is moving on to a new film project. He’s directing a drama called Behemoth!, which will star Pedro Pascal, Olivia Wilde, and Eva Victor.

Andor is available to stream on Disney Plus. Sign-up to Disney Plus from £5.99 a month.

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Authors

David CraigSenior Drama Writer

David Craig writes about TV dramas and comedies for TopMob, keeping readers up-to-date on the best new shows and series. Before joining TopMob, he worked at Starburst Magazine, hosted the podcast ‘The Winter King’ for ITVX, and earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Sheffield.

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2026-02-21 17:06