Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy revealed that he finished writing Andor season 2 before the WGA strike began, meaning production on the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story spin-off was able to begin as planned several months ago.
However, the Disney+ series just hit a major stumbling block which, while not guaranteed to cause a delay, may complicate things.
According to Deadline (via SFFGazette.com), Andor has been forced to temporarily pause its season 2 shoot as a result of the SAG-AFTRA strike. There are just weeks to go until filming was scheduled to wrap, but the trade has been able to confirm rumblings about work coming to a halt are, in fact, correct.
Lucasfilm has so far refused to comment, though it's believed at least part of Andor remains in production at Pinewood Studios without SAG-AFTRA cast members. The plan now is to continue shooting for as long as possible and then finish off when guild members are made available.
The actors still working on the Star Wars series are likely part of the British acting union Equity. They have not called for strike action and recently warned its members they risk being sued for breach of contract if they walk off set in solidarity with their American colleagues.
Unsurprisingly, there's currently no word on when Andor will be able to finish shooting. However, as it isn't expected to premiere on Disney+ until next August, we'd imagine there will be time to get season 2 on our screens with little risk of delay.
Gilroy was recently quoted as saying, "I think SAG and the Writers Guild are trying to preserve our industry. In such a strange way, we’ve become the creators and the interpreters, the creative community are becoming the protectors of this industry, this huge industry that people love."
Season 2 of Andor will play out across four three-episode blocks, with a year passing between each of them. Despite a slow start to the first season, it's since come to be regarded as the best Star Wars TV series, meaning there's a lot of excitement for the show's return.
Andor season 2 is currently set to premiere on Disney+ in August 2024.