In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, showrunner Tony Gilroy shared his thoughts on the uniqueness of Andor season two ahead of its premiere. According to Gilroy, a show like Andor “will never happen again” due to the significant risks taken by Lucasfilm in terms of long-form storytelling, which was made possible by the success of The Mandalorian. The success of The Mandalorian paved the way for the Star Wars canon to expand in ways that may not be feasible in the current television landscape.

Gilroy expressed his gratitude for the support Andor received from various parties, including Kathleen Kennedy, Lucasfilm, Bob Iger, and the audience. “No one’s ever gonna start a show on this scale again, and shoot it practically, and have the resources and the protection to do something like this,” he stated. “We were protected all the way down the line.”

Gilroy acknowledged the crucial role The Mandalorian played in Andor‘s creation, saying, “The success of The Mandalorian gave us the platform to jump off… Their success is what would fuel the whole thing. I mean, no Baby Yoda, no Andor. Seriously. Don’t think that we don’t know that.” He also appreciated the collaborators who contributed to the show’s success, including Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, who helped pave the way for Andor with their work on The Mandalorian.

Gilroy addressed the toxic faction of the Star Wars fanbase, stating, “Online, [people] try to drive a wedge all the time between us, and [Jon] Favreau and [Dave] Filoni… It’s horrible what people say; it’s terrible. And the truth is, we don’t have a show without them. They gave us the muscle to go.” He emphasized the importance of unity and support within the Star Wars community, highlighting that the franchise needs to belong to everyone in order to cater to the diverse preferences of its fans.

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