Star Wars: Andor Showrunner Says There’s No “Fan Service” in Series

With any massive franchise with a passionate following, audiences have been quick to point out that projects can include various degrees of “fan service,” which are essentially moments in which references, cameos, or Easter eggs appear arbitrarily in hopes of delighting longtime viewers as opposed to being earned moments. Star Wars: Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy recently recalled that the new series doesn’t feature any such “fan service,” and that the inclusion of any elements that could be confused with such tributes are entirely necessary to the overall narrative as opposed to merely hoping to delight fans. Star Wars: Andor premieres on Disney+ on September 21st.

Audiences already know that figures like Mon Mothma and Saw Gerrera will appear in the show, though Gilroy confirmed to Variety that the inclusion of any legacy characters is “never fan service.”

“It’s never cynical,” he added. “It’s always meant to be there. It’s always protein; it’s never icing.”

The new series marks a bit of a new direction for the galaxy far, far away, as it revives the much more grounded spirit of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and how that narrative focused more on the regular people from around the galaxy as opposed to the Skywalker family. That emphasis on civilians and how the Galactic Empire impacted that will continue to be the focus of this new story. 

“I wanted to do it about real people,” the showrunner explained. “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. 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?”

The Andor series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception, and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.  

Star Wars: Andor premieres on Disney+ on September 21st.

Are you looking forward to the new series? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!