Is ‘Star Wars: Andor’ Season Two in Danger?

Andor had a really strong start, but Season 2 could be in danger due to real-world events.

Season One of Andor was a masterpiece. It was one of the best things Star Wars has done in the Disney era. The show is getting a much-deserved Season 2. It’s also going to be a final season, with the show leading directly into the events of Rogue One. However, real-world events have interfered and Season 2 might be in danger.

The Writers Strike is a Big Deal

On May 2nd, 2023 the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike. As of the publishing of this article, they remain on strike. The strike affects all of Hollywood. A huge number of shows and movies have been impacted by this major event. A large number of shows and movies have been delayed or put production on hold. Some have kept going despite the strike. Some shows or movies that were delayed may never get finished now. Now, the strike is a good thing, but for fans of shows or movies that are impacted, it can cause some worry. Andor is one of these shows.

Andor is Losing Writers and Showrunners

Disney has made the decision to move forward with Andor’s production. This means that any writers who were working on the show no longer can. If the strike ends then the writers can return. In addition, this has an extra large impact because showrunner Tony Gilroy is also a writer. Gilroy has been credited with being a huge part of why Season 1 was a success. However, if you look at it a showrunner is a major part of making or breaking a show.

Gilroy reportedly finished the writing for Andor Season 2 days before the strike. This may have partially influenced the decision to keep moving forward with production. Initially, Gilroy ceased any writer duties when the WGA strike began, but kept working on the show as a producer and showrunner. However, after facing criticism for this Gilroy announced a few days later that he was ceasing all work on Andor until the strike ends. This means the show has, for now, lost its head.

In Danger

The job of a writer doesn’t actually stop when the script is finished. There are often a lot of rewrites and additions done during filming and production. Whole sections might be added during production and reshoots might be needed. Because of this losing your writers while a season is in production, let alone just starting, is a big deal.

Similarly losing a showrunner, especially one with a really clear vision, can also have a huge impact. Season 1 was a major success and a near-perfect show. Season 2 has some really big shoes to fill. Many people had low expectations for Andor initially. Pretty much everyone is excepting great things from Andor Season 2. Losing its writers and showrunner is kind of a major deal.

We don’t yet know what effect it will have on the show. It’s almost certain to have some effect, yet this isn’t the kind of show we might joke about as being better without its writers. Andor would likely support the WGA strike, but we can’t help but worry that Disney’s decision to push forward with making Season 2 right now, has put it in some danger.

Let us know if you think filming on ‘Andor’ should have been delayed, down in the comments! 

Author: Abe Apfel

Abe is that rare thing, an Austin local born and raised here. Though he keeps on moving around, DC, Japan, ETC., he always seems to find his way back eventually. Abe has decades of experience with a wide range of tabletop and RPG games, from historicals, to Star Wars to D&D and 40K. He has been contributing to BOLS since almost the start, back when he worked at and then owned a local gaming store. He used to be big into the competitive Warhammer tournament scene but age has mellowed him and he now appreciates a good casual match. He currently covers 40K tactics and lore, as well as all things Star Wars, with occasional dabbling in other topics. Abe remains in mourning over the loss of WFB to this day.