‘Andor’ Creator Tony Gilroy Talks Luthen’s Good Day, That Post-Credit Scene and Season Two 

[This story contains spoilers for Andor season one.]

Now that Andor season one has come to a detailed, creator Tony Gilroy is already off and operating on season two.

The showrunner of the critically acclaimed Disney+ Star Wars collection is at the moment embarking on a shoot that may final by way of August 2023, however he nonetheless managed to carve out a while to reply a few of the lingering questions from the season one finale.

In “Rix Road,” the residents of Ferrix had been so impressed by Maarva’s (Fiona Shaw) parting phrases by way of hologram that they fought again in opposition to the Imperial forces that had been occupying their city for fairly a while. Cassian (Diego Luna), who couldn’t assist however return house for his adoptive mom’s funeral, managed to identify spymaster Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) within the crowd, and as soon as he freed Bix (Adria Arjona) from captivity and obtained her and the remainder of his associates out of Dodge, he then caught up with the shadowy Rebel on his ship. Knowing that Luthen was seeking to tie up free ends, Cassian made it straightforward by providing both his life or his loyalty to the Rebellion.

“It’s a big day for Luthen. When he’s listening to Maarva’s speech, it’s not pride of ownership on his part … but it’s another corner of the farm he’s trying to grow. So he’s very proud when he hears that,” Gilroy tells The Hollywood Reporter. “And my God, to finish up the day and have this new asset [Cassian] walk in [who] is now basically saying, ‘Alright, I’m in. Blood oath,’ that’s a pretty good day, I think.”

The episode additionally includes a uncommon Star Wars post-credit scene that confirms that Cassian and the opposite Narkina 5 prisoners had been actually constructing parts for the Death Star, the very weapon that will finally declare Andor’s life in Rogue One. Despite the reintroduction of Star Wars’ final weapon, Gilroy says it’ll nonetheless be an impending menace within the background of season two, and its development received’t tackle a extra energetic presence.

“It’ll still be the looming threat. Rogue One is all about discovering what it is. [Season two is] about who picks up the final breadcrumbs that lead to the beginning of Rogue One,” Gilroy says.

In a current dialog with THR, Gilroy additionally discusses why none of season one’s administrators are returning for season two. 

Well, bravo, Tony.

Thank you. I’m bowing down.

You’re a historical past buff, so was the funeral procession turned riot/assault loosely primarily based on something? 

The first comp is someplace between these epic Provisional IRA funerals. God, there’s footage of a few of them, and it’s simply unimaginable what these funerals flip into. And then the opposite comp is a New Orleans second line funeral procession, the enjoyment and soul of that. So these are the 2 comps. There’s additionally the thought of civic organizations just like the Daughters of Ferrix and a group orchestra of aspirational musicians. For anyone who pays consideration, there’s a health care provider named Dr. Mullmoy [Matt Dunkley], and he’s the lead trumpet participant within the band. So you see completely different individuals within the city. But that’s the place all of it got here from.

I’d been questioning why we hadn’t seen Fiona Shaw’s Maarva in a short while and why she died off display, however you answered these questions in one of the best ways.

Were you shocked when she got here again within the hologram?

I used to be! Because a lot occurred off display, I initially thought that you simply faked her demise so she may then lead the shock assault.

I heard that concept! I heard that concept, and I used to be like, “Oh my God, that’s a legit idea.” I used to be like, “Wow, they snuck the body out and they did the whole thing,” so it’s a legit concept. But no, Maarva was completely useless.

Was Fiona Shaw nonetheless there on the day to provide her speech for the opposite actors to listen to?

No, we did that [speech] first.

The closing change between Cassian and Luthen exhibits that Cassian has reached some extent the place he’s keen to die to guard the individuals he loves. “Or take me in” additionally suggests he’s now able to take the Rebellion vow as effectively. So is Luthen’s smile certainly one of pleasure? 

Yeah, it’s a giant day for Luthen. When he’s listening to Maarva’s speech, it’s not pleasure of possession on his half. It is and it isn’t, nevertheless it’s one other nook of the farm he’s making an attempt to develop. So he’s very proud when he hears that. And my God, to complete up the day and have this new asset stroll in — who’s been by way of all these items and remains to be standing and also you managed to not kill — and he’s now mainly saying, “Alright, I’m in. Blood oath,” that’s a reasonably good day, I believe. 

When I spoke to Denise Gough and Kyle Soller about their first days on Andor, they each described the setting within the finale. So did you shoot the finale first, or was it simply the primary day for sure actors?

Well, we shot out every little thing in Ferrix first, so it’s potential [that the finale was their first day]. [Tracking] has at all times been the author’s job, and it’s at all times been my job on each film that I’ve been on. It’s a smaller job, nevertheless it’s nonetheless very sophisticated. You actually should be the one that can observe it throughout. You should be the one that is aware of the place you’re within the story always. It’s an enormous benefit for writer-directors. Even in the event that they don’t know how you can do the digicam or anything, they’ve an enormous leg up as a result of they’re the one one who actually is aware of the place you’re on a regular basis. And on a present like this, it’s actually sophisticated. And then have administrators are available for blocks, and justifiably so, they solely care about their shit that’s in entrance of them. Sometimes, they don’t take note of what’s earlier than or after. Sometimes, we’ve to do stuff like that. So certainly one of my jobs is that I’ve to ensure of these issues, however these actors are all superb at realizing how you can observe. They’re superb about trusting me and having conversations about the place they’re. So that was most likely the primary day for them, which is a tricky scene to shoot first, proper?

I’ll say.

When you shoot a [late-season] scene early, you don’t need the actor to return to you three months later and say, “Well, I really wish I’d known that. I would’ve done that differently.” So you don’t wish to hear that. I’ve heard that, and it hurts.

Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) fabricated a narrative that her husband’s playing is accountable for the lacking cash in her account.

You’re the primary one who’s introduced that up. I like that. Thank you.

Why does she nonetheless undergo with the Sculdun (Richard Dillane) household association if she already planted that gambling-related cowl story?

She’s simply making an attempt to cowl all of the tracks. Sculdun initially got here in and mentioned, “Oh, I know your husband.” So, in the long run, Sculdun most likely thinks that that is actually about her husband’s playing money owed. He doesn’t know what the actual functions are. But what I’m saying there may be that she’s simply protecting all of the bases. If anyone comes wanting, if anyone’s questioning why she may be borrowing cash or if Sculdun is questioning why she may be borrowing cash, she will be able to lay it off on poor Peerin [Alastair Mackenzie].

The post-credit scene confirms that Narkina 5 was really constructing parts for the Death Star. Will the Death Star’s development have a extra energetic presence in season two, or will it stay because the looming menace within the background? 

It’ll nonetheless be the looming menace. Rogue One is all about discovering what it’s. [Season two is] about who picks up the ultimate breadcrumbs that result in the start of Rogue One. In Rogue One, Cassian goes to the Ring of Kafrene to fulfill Tivik, who’s from Saw’s group, and he says, “Oh my God, it’s a planet killer.” Cassian is aware of some shit, however he’s in search of solutions. So we’ll [cover] the breadcrumbs that lead as much as that, positive. But we’ve a state of affairs the place Cassian won’t ever know that what he was constructing is definitely the machine that’s going to kill him.

Do you plan to create any new scenes that match inside Rogue One’s timeline, be it a brand new perspective on an current scene or a brand new in-between second? 

No, we’re going to go linearly into it. It’ll be him strolling out to get on the ship and go there. So we’re not going to enter Rogue One.

If cash was no object, would you’ve got proven the Kreegyr ambush?

Well, within the grammar of our present, I most likely wouldn’t. Our grammar is fairly rigorous. Without establishing Kreegyr as a talking character, as somebody that we’ve been with or another peripheral character who’s there or one thing, I most likely wouldn’t. We don’t ever go anyplace the place certainly one of our characters isn’t strolling us into it, [Death Star] Easter egg apart and some excessive circumstances like that. Even with our digicam, our grammar could be very rigorous about what we enable ourselves to do within the perspective we’re allowed to have. So, most likely not. I might take that Kreegyr cash that you simply’re giving me and put it someplace else. 

Did Bix reply the Anto Kreegyr/Axis query off display?

The scene ends earlier than something, however she’s simply actually breaking down there. She doesn’t have a solution for them. She doesn’t have something that they need.

Composer Nick Britell wrote that funeral march, proper?

That’s the very first thing that we did collectively. We didn’t actually even know one another. That’s the primary challenge we did earlier than we began taking pictures. We did that and a few of the Ferrix banging and stuff. And then we didn’t see one another for like six months, however we did that first, yeah. We fell in love doing that.

In season two, your three-episode arcs will apparently cowl a yr every, however how precisely will that work? Will there be time jumps between episodes or inside every episode?

They are literally tremendous condensed. They’re like three days, 4 days, two weeks, 4 days. They’re actually tight. It’s cool that manner. That’s what’s thrilling about it. You can go away for a yr, come again for Friday, Saturday and Sunday after which bounce a yr. So they received’t be unfold out. It received’t be like block two takes place over one other yr. So they’re very concentrated, which is enjoyable. And then you need to account for all of the unfavorable area and what occurred within the interim.

You started the collection with Cassian asking about his sister, after which Maarva later tried to discourage him from wanting any additional. So will that thread be pulled on once more in some unspecified time in the future?

That’s TBD. I don’t wish to get out in entrance of that query.

You didn’t convey any of season one’s administrators again regardless of stellar work on their half. Did you need extra of that new vitality that labored so effectively the primary go-round? [Writer’s Note: Ariel Kleiman, Janus Metz and Alonso Ruizpalacios will be directing on season two.]

Man, we tried actually arduous. Ben [Caron] didn’t wish to come again as a result of he had his film [Sharper] with Julianne Moore. He’s a giant characteristic director now, so he needs to see how his characteristic goes. We additionally needed Toby [Haynes] to return again actually badly, however he obtained jammed up on Black Mirror. So he couldn’t give us a choice in time, and we needed to pull the set off.

It’s very arduous getting administrators. There’s lots of people who’re buying for a similar individuals on a regular basis, and there’s solely a sure variety of individuals. It’s not straightforward to do that present. You can’t be taught on this job, and we are able to’t take huge possibilities with these blocks. People should be fairly skilled, and in order that’s a smaller group. There’s a billion exhibits and all people is scrounging for individuals. And lots of people have a psychological obstacle. They say, “Oh, I don’t want to do season two.” And we’re like, “This is not season two. It’s a whole other thing.” And so it’s plenty of work getting administrators. It was far more troublesome than I ever thought.

Once you wrap season two, do you assume you’ll be open to growing extra Star Wars tasks with out being the showrunner or level man?

I actually couldn’t even start to reply that. There’s no strategy to know that. It definitely doesn’t really feel that strategy to me. It looks as if on the finish of the 5 years, I’m going to wish to go do one thing else. I imply, I at all times love to do one thing else. I’ve by no means tried to do the identical factor once more, however I wouldn’t say by no means or no or something. But what I do know for positive is I don’t know.

What was the largest lesson you discovered from season one that you simply’ll apply to season two?

It’s realizing and feeling assured that the entire vitality and the insanely obsessive vibe we created can carry us for an additional season, by way of August. The second bounce out of the airplane is extra terrifying. The first time you do it, your naivete carries you thru, however what overcomes the fear of all of it is realizing that we’ve this actually nice group and vibe. Everybody’s a filmmaker, and these individuals simply reply once you give them room and simply sufficient cash to do their job and inform them how good they’re doing. Just put the shit on display and don’t waste any cash. So it’s a superb feeling to know that we’ve a group that works. 

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Andor is now streaming on Disney+. This interview was edited for size and readability.