A list of the writers for the new Disney+ Star Wars show Rogue One prequel series, the show will follow the exploits of one of the film's main characters, Cassian Andor, as he goes from thief to revolutionary as he s the Rebel Alliance. Diego Luna will be reprising the role of Andor alongside a cast that includes Killing Eve’s Fiona Shaw, Stellan Skarsgård, and Forest Whittaker, reprising the role of Saw Gerrera that he played in Rogue One.
The show was originally announced by Bob Iger in 2017 as one of many Star Wars shows in development for the embryonic Disney+, and it went through a lengthy production period. Tony Gilroy, who co-wrote Rogue One and oversaw its extensive re-shoots, was attached from the beginning as a director, but couldn’t travel to the UK for the shoot due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Toby Haynes took over that role. Instead, Gilroy would remain on as producer and showrunner. Originally, the show was slated to be 5 seasons long, but it has been significantly scaled down, and Andor season 2 will end the show at a total run of 24 episodes.
Now, the Writers Guild of America reveal that Gilroy’s involvement stretches beyond just managerial duties, as he is credited as the lead writer for Andor episodes 1-3. Alongside him, his brother Dan Gilroy, whose previous works include Nightcrawler and Kong: Skull Island, penned episodes 5 and 6. Lastly, the WGA announces that Stephen Schiff, who is mainly known for his work on The Americans, wrote Andor episode 7.
This is certainly an impressive line-up, and means that Andor will be written by some of the industry's most bankable working writers. Both Gilroys have both proven their considerable scriptwriting chops, with Tony winning an Academy Award for his Michael Clayton screenplay and Dan picking up a nomination for Nightcrawler, which he also directed. Schiff will be bringing considerable experience to the show as well - his work on The Americans landed him a Golden Globe, two WGA awards, a PGA award, and even a Peabody.
For Disney, this seems like a winning combination, and Andor should continue a trend of popular shows for Disney+. What remains to be seen is how the Gilroys and Schiff flesh out Cassian Andor as a character, whose paper-thin backstory was a criticism often levelled at Andor season 1's release date on August 31.
Source: WGA
