Since SAG-AFTRA united with the WGA on the picket line, Hollywood has effectively shut down across the board, withstars walking off red carpetsand writing rooms remaining empty. More and more film and television projects are shuttering in the wake of the ongoing strike, and now, per areport from Deadline, Disney’s popularStar WarsseriesAndorhas been forced to pull the plug on almost its entire shooting schedule mere weeks from completion. With no end to the strike in sight still, there’s no potential foresight on when the series will be able to completely finish its production.
Related:Andor Season 2 New Set Photos Confirm Return to Familiar Star Wars Location
Star Wars: Andor, otherwise known asAndor, is the latestStar Warsspin-off series from Disney and Lucasfilms, and the fourth in the franchise overall. At the helm is Tony Gilroy, who is known for his superb writing work on feature films likeThe Devil’s Advocate(1997), the entire Jason Bourne franchise, and of course more recentlyStar Wars: Rogue One(2016).
TheAndorseries, which kicked off its first season last year, is essentially a prequel series set five years before the events ofRogue Oneand alsoA New Hope(1977), and follows an ensemble cast of characters as the Rebel Alliance begins to form in opposition to the authoritarian Galactic Empire. At the forefront is a man named Cassian Andor, a thief turned revolutionary who eventually joins the Rebellion. The series has since received critical acclaim and praise fromStar Warsfans everywhere, and a second season was easily greenlit. Starring are Diego Luna (Wander Darkly) as Andor himself, along with Stellan Skarsgard (Dune: Part One), Kyle Soller (Fury), Adria Arjona (Morbius), Forest Whitaker (Big George Foreman),Harry Potteralum Fiona Shaw, and many more.
Andor’s Filming Situation in the UK
Filming for the second season began late last year, and was set to wrap in the coming weeks in the UK. However, with SAG-AFTRA now on the picket lines, all cast members belonging to the U.S-based union are off-set until the strike ends, whenever that may be. That accounts for a significant portion of the show’s cast, however, those belonging to the U.K. actor’s union known as Equity are to continue working. Equity union rules stipulate that an actor may be sued for a breach of contract if they choose to actively protest in solidarity with the union of another country, in this case SAG-AFTRA. Therefore, shooting forAndorwill continue in what ways it can with its British cast members at Pinewood Studios. Tony Gilroy, who is affiliated with the WGA, is picketing as well and commends the strike, saying in a previous interview with Deadline that mega-studios attempting to starve out the unions are being “recklessly careless”. He also added:
“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.”
Due to the shakeup on set, there is currently no release date set for season 2 of Disney’s Andor. As positive developments hopefully take root in the coming months between the unions and the studios, more details about the series will then follow.
