The prequel Rogue One, which many people believe to be the best Star Wars film since the original trilogy, details how the Rebellion came into possession of the blueprints that allowed them to destroy the Death Star in A New Hope. Even though the movie introduces us to a number of interesting characters, the fact that they all die on the tropical planet Scarif makes it hard for them to have more adventures.
Unless there was a precursor to the prequel, which we now have thanks to the upcoming Disney+ series Andor, which premieres on September 21. In the five years leading up to the events of Rogue One, the show follows the exploits of intelligence officer Cassian Andor, and it gives Diego Luna’s, the show’s protagonist, the chance to give the character the kind of depth he’d pondered but never thought possible.
Cassian Andor, the Rebel spy who dies in the movie’s closing seconds while attempting to acquire the Empire’s Death Star blueprints at the start of A New Hope, did not meet his end in A Star Wars Story. The Disney+ series Andor will mark Diego Luna’s final appearance as Cassian or at least the final time the 42-year-old actor will portray one of the Rebellion’s most illustrious heroes. Luna reprises his role in the prequel to the prequel. Luna will be leaving a galaxy far, far away after a total of 24 episodes covering two seasons (the second of which won’t stream until 2024).
When asked if she had never considered it, Luna admittedly “would be lying” to EW’s Dagobah Dispatch Star Wars podcast. “Naturally, I did consider it, and on set, we cracked numerous jokes about the likelihood of my return. One was obviously going on a prequel, but I never considered it to be a real opportunity. “
The actor didn’t think much about it because he didn’t think dwelling on the possibilities was useful. Luna says, “I didn’t find it healthy.” “These new formats are bringing a trend that I don’t like, where people constantly expect more. When you are hired to work on a show, you are constantly thinking, “Oh, I hope there is a second season,” or “I hope there is part two.”
For the actor portraying Cassian, looking ahead means ignoring the present. “Life’s lessons have taught me that the key is to be in the moment. It’s important to take pleasure in your work. And for the benefit of my mental stability and clarity, I would say that in order for me to comprehend, appreciate, and love something, it must have a start and a finish. I can assure you that, up until this point, I have never started a project with the expectation that it would last longer or move in a different direction than what I have in front of me.”
Even when returning to a character, as he is on Andor, Luna prefers for all of his jobs to have distinct start and stop lines because he lives in a society where every piece of intellectual property is expected to have an infinite lifespan. “It was fairly obvious to me that I had to appreciate Rogue One from start to finish. I decided that, at the conclusion, I would promote it before returning to my life and carrying out my duties. Then it was over. And it’s fascinating because I was then offered Andor, which had the same premise but a different ending—Rogue One. There are just five years to tell the story after Tony Gilroy had the idea to go back five years.
Okay, so why couldn’t they simply keep moving backward? Star Wars fans adore the prequels. No, Luna replies, “impossible.” “Man, it had to be someone else. It would absolutely have to be someone else because I’m not getting any younger. “
Luna is adamant that these two seasons of Andor will mark his final appearance as the notoriously shoot-first, ask-questions-later rebel operative. “This is the end for me. Now that I have 24 episodes, or 24 shorter films, to tell the tale of Cassian’s origins and how he came to be the man we met in Rogue One, it’s been a beautiful journey.”
The actor is actually able to concentrate on the task at hand because of the finality. “It does have a start and a finish. As a result, I can comprehend it, enjoy the journey, and somewhat visualize our goal. If not, you would constantly be rushing to get somewhere else, in my opinion. That isn’t how I think. Imagine yourself in ten years, where you want to be, and say to all those people and coaches. Work toward that by projecting it. That is absurd. Worry about your current actions. Do it as effectively as you can. Enjoy the journey. Make sure you contribute everything you have and as much as you can. And if you do that, something great will happen. If not, the trip was still worthwhile. Consequently, the time is now. “
On Disney+, that moment will start on September 21.
