'Andor' showrunner explains why he isn't directing the series, 'It's a really poor use of my time'
At the time of writing, 'Andor' boasts of a solid 90% rating by critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score is a rung below, but still has a healthy 82% that will eventually rise over the course of the first season. Much of the hard work put in behind the scenes has culminated in the form of the spy thriller getting a positive response, but for creator Tony Gilroy, also the man behind 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story', the experience comes with challenges of its own.
The man behind the 'Bourne' trilogy was candid while talking to THR about why he never wanted to sit in the director's chair for Season 2. "I am not," he explained. "I can't. This job is just too huge. I don't have the time to spare. It's a really poor use of my time. [Director] Ari [Ariel] Kleiman is out in Pinewood. We start shooting in November. He started prepping three weeks ago. He's got his hands full out there just to get to November. There was some fantasy that I would end up doing the last block, but I just can't, to be honest with you.
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He detailed it even more in a separate interview with Rolling Stone, saying: "This show is just a maximally imaginative experience," Gilroy continued. "Every single thing we do has to be designed. Every environment that we go to -- and we're gonna go to a lot of different environments -- you gotta design the culture, their music. How do they eat? How do they dress?"
However, it does look like all the hard yards that were put in paid off as 'Andor' is currently one of the most-watched shows around. The official synopsis reads, "The Andor series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception, and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero."
'Andor Episodes 1-4 are streaming on Disney+