Andor creator says 'forensic manifesto' he sent Lucasfilm unintentionally shaped the show's storyline

While his series might be set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Andor creator Tony Gilroy still wanted his upcoming Rogue One prequel to be very accessible and down-to-earth.

After discovering what Lucasfilm initially had in store for the upcoming Disney+ show, Gilroy — who was not yet attached to the project at the time — says he lightheartedly spitballed a "long, forensic manifesto" to the studio that featured an imaginative storyline, telling Variety that his idea was "so radical, so out there" that he had basically written it just for fun.

Des Willie/Lucasfilm Ltd. Diego Luna in 'Andor'

But roughly a year later, that very same note would become the basis for the show's storyline, EW has confirmed.

In its original version, the series was set up "in the vein of Cassian and K-2[SO] are like Butch and Sundance, and they're gonna storm the Citadel," Gilroy told Variety. While it worked, the showrunner said he thought the premise would be "very hard to sustain over a long haul."

Instead, Gilroy envisioned a tale that centered around grounded, everyday people living amid galactic turmoil instead of one that relied on the franchise's established character roster.

Lucasfilm Ltd. Raymond Anum and Diego Luna in 'Andor'

"They've made all this IP about the royal family, in essence. It's been great. But there's a billion, billion, billion other beings in the galaxy," he explained. "There's plumbers and cosmeticians. Journalists! What are their lives like? The revolution is affecting them just as much as anybody else. Why not use the Star Wars canon as a host organism for absolutely realistic, passionate, dramatic storytelling?"

Set five years before the events of Rogue One, the show features Diego Luna reprising his role as the titular hero. He is joined throughout his adventures by Genevieve O'Reilly, who will star as Mon Mothma, as well as Alex Ferns, Adria Arjona, and more.

The end result is something Gilroy thinks everyone can enjoy — even if they've never seen the original films or Disney+ series. "You should be able to watch the show and not give a s--- about Star Wars ever, or [have ever] seen any Star Wars," he said. "This show should work on its own."

Des Willie/Lucasfilm Ltd. Diego Luna as Cassian Andor in 'Andor'

However, Gilroy insists Andor will offer plenty of thrills. "We are an adventure story," he said. "The hope, the dream, is that the really hardcore Star Wars community will embrace the show in a new way — that they'll be thrilled to have someone come in and completely uncynically get down molecularly in their world and treat it like a real thing."

For interviews with the casts of Andor, Ahsoka, The Mandalorian, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, make sure to check out EW's new Star Wars podcast, Dagobah Dispatch.

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