Summary
When season one of theStar Warsspinoff seriesAndorwas released on Disney+ back in 2022, it was hailed as abreath of fresh airfor a franchise that had struggled to recapture some of its early magic. The sequel trilogy, while earning solid reviews, was divisive among the fanbase. The streamer’s other serialized offerings were a bit of a mixed bag, with shows likeThe Book of Boba FettandObi-Wan Kenobigarnering a mixed response from viewers.Andorbrought a much-needed look at theStar Warsuniverse from a ground level, offering a different perspective on the resistance on a more intimate, human scale.
Fast-forward three years, and anticipation is high forAndor’ssecond season, which will premiere on June 13, 2025. In the intervening years, Disney’sStar WarsTV slate has suffered a couple more setbacks. The lukewarm reception forThe Mandalorianseason three and theperceived failure of 2024’sThe Acolyte(due in part to an anti-“woke” backlash campaign) putseven more pressure onAndor’sreturn. Depending on how the second season fares with critics and fans, it has the potential to make or break Disney’s continued investment inStar Warsspinoffs.
Why Disney+‘sStar WarsSeries Are In a Tough Spot
It should be said right away thatStar Warsremains a very lucrative property for Disney, and it’s unlikely they’re going to stop making new content for the franchise any time soon. However, it does seem to be in something of a transitional period right now. There are plenty of new projects in development, but it seems that Disney might be pivoting away from further TV series after many of its recent offerings underperformed. As of now, the only otherStar WarsTV project confirmed to be in active development isAhsokaseason two. Afeature film follow-up toThe Mandalorianseems to have taked the place of a new season. There’s also been no word yet on the future of thebetter-receivedSkeleton Crew,which recently wrapped its first season.
Star Warsseems to be going through some of the same growing pains as Disney’s other big property, Marvel, which has struggled to find a way forward after its own string of disappointments. With its main saga seemingly concluded, many of Disney’s upcomingStar Warsprojects seem to be focused on exploring one-off stories set in other corners of the galaxy. But it seems that, much like with Marvel’s recent struggles, some fatigue is setting in among fans.
Andorremains a bright spot in the franchise, one that has genuine anticipation built in that many of the other projects don’t. There are plenty ofStar Warsfans who will check out pretty much anything the franchise has to offer. However, it’s hard to get too excited about many of the in-development properties, especially since very little is known about them.
Going in,Andor’sfirst season wasn’t a surefire success, focusing on a character from a one-off prequel movie. But it quickly proved its worth with a complex, multifaceted story that stands as one of the saga’s best. Season two has the same creative team, including showrunner Tony Gilroy, so there’s no reason to think it won’t be able to build on season one’s surprise success. If season two does manage to stick the landing, it may show Disney that there are stillStar Warsstories worth telling in an episodic format, particularly ones that offer more narrative complexity.
AndorSeason Two Has a Big Advantage
While there’s plenty of reason to be hopeful forAndorseason two, there’s some cause for concern as well. The nearly three-year delay between seasons was largely caused by forces outside of Disney’s control, particularly the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Even the best series canstruggle to recapture the momentumlost by such delays, both creatively and with audiences. While an extended break might allow the writers to fine-tune the story, it might also lead to changes that don’t help the series, or may make the studio primed to take fewer risks.
Luckily,Andorhas one major creative advantage over other series: its built-in expiration date. Season two is also set to be the series’ final outing, as it leads intothe events ofRogue One.This gives it the opportunity to bring its story to a conclusion in ways that many ongoing series don’t have. This was built into the plan from the beginning, so Gilroy and his fellow writers were able to conceive of a two-season arc without having to worry about how to continue the story if Disney wanted more seasons. This shortened life span means thatAndoris less likely to wear out its welcome or become bogged down with the larger mythology, like what happened toThe Mandalorianin season three.
Disney took a sizable risk greenlightingAndor’sfirst season, and that risk paid off creatively and commercially. If season two is able to bring the story to a satisfying conclusion (and bring the fans along with it), it may prove there’s still some value inStar Wars’TV slate.
