Andor's Tony Gilroy Respects Star Wars Canon But Says He Only Plays By His Own Rules

The discourse surrounding Star Wars canon in recent years has been aggressive and even toxic. Fans can be vocal and have particularly made their opinions known in the recent Star Wars Saga trilogy. But amid the screams of fan dissent, a true hero has arisen. "Rogue One" writer, Tony Gilroy, has a specific philosophy that he applies to one of the darker series in canon.

"I had been on 'Rogue One,' and that was a very clinical kind of experience. [The feedback] wasn't unknown to me, but man, I just ignored it. Just absolute flat out ignored it," Gilroy told The Hollywood Reporter in a showrunner roundtable. The 2016 film follows the events that set up the original Star Wars trilogy. Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) are integral to stealing the Death Star plans and stake their lives on it. Instead of the typical hero's journey, the film focuses on the moral and ethical sacrifices necessary to make a rebellion successful. Perhaps it is not the tone that Star Wars fans are accustomed to, but it led to the politically charged and critically acclaimed "Andor." Gilroy has a healthy outlook of not living and dying by fan displeasure. But he makes sure to stress that he doesn't dismiss viewers, either.

Tony Gilroy's spy world of "Andor" may be the darkest that Star Wars has to offer, but that doesn't stop it from being a LucasFilm property. The moral quandaries at the center of the series are exactly what the original trilogy is about. Though "A New Hope" was significantly more upbeat, George Lucas' aim was always to create an allegory about fascism and — most notably — Vietnam. Gilroy has taken these themes and run with them, still adhering to fan passion in one of the biggest media franchises.

"I respect it," Gilroy continued, speaking of Star Wars canon. "We just went and did the Star Wars Celebration in London two weeks ago, and it's really a pleasure to say to them, with all honesty, that they're investors in our show. It's their mad passion that forms the basic motor that gave Disney the economic guts to gamble on something as bizarrely different as what we did. So I pay attention to it." 

What makes "Andor" such a success is how Gilroy can balance the needs of his show. Of course, he values the world his stories are based in and doesn't want to contradict that. But he also prioritizes story, arguably what previous Star Wars iterations have failed to do. The showrunner concluded, saying: "It would be a crime against nature to take five years of your creative life and not really believe in the thing you're doing."