Andor First Footage Revealed at D23 as Beloved Villain Confirmed to Return

It has now been confirmed that Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’sBen Mendelsohn will return as the villainous Orson Krennic in the upcoming second season of Andor, as the first footage was shown at D23. During the panel, it was revealed that a “bigger, more intense story” is coming in Season 2, with Diego Luna saying:

“This second part will follow Cassian over the period of four years as he grows into the hero we see make the ultimate sacrifice in Rogue One.”

Luna added that the “stakes are greater” this time around, as the events of the Disney+ series slowly catch up to the all-out rebellion in Rogue One, with the cast teasing “so much growth and so much destruction to these characters.” You can check out some footage from the Andor panel at D23 below courtesy of Deadline.

The first season of Andor debuted back in 2022 and picks up five years before the events of 2016’s Rogue One and 1977’s Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. The spinoff follows an ensemble cast of characters during the time that a Rebel Alliance is forming in opposition to the Galactic Empire. One such character is Cassian Andor, played once again by Rogue One star Diego Luna, a thief who becomes a revolutionary and eventually joins the Rebellion.

“A story about revolution, Andor focuses on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make in the galaxy. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how diverse peoples and worlds became involved. It is an era filled with danger, deception and intrigue where Cassian embarks on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.”

The first season of Andor was a critical smash hit upon release and is now considered one of the best Star Wars projects to be released under the Disney umbrella. Season 1 currently holds a ‘fresh’ rating of 96% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising the grittiness and “ground perspective” as well as the mature political themes.

Andor Season 2 Will Lead Directly Into Rogue One

The second season will build on the foundations of the first, leading up to the events of Rogue One, with lead star Diego Luna teasing recently that “Rogue One is coming.”

“I can tell you, Rogue One is coming, so there will be characters there that you will recognize. There will be cool stuff. For those who love Rogue One, this season is going to be very special. And it’s going to be fascinating to go straight to Rogue One after watching this second season, because you will see Rogue One from a different perspective. I promise you that.”

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The creator behind Andor, Tony Gilroy, has teased the series catching up with Rogue One even further, revealing that the last few episodes of Andor Season 2 will cover “the last three days before Rogue One,” meaning that the Disney+ show will take audiences right up to the point where we first meet the title character.

Starring Diego Luna, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, Stellan Skarsgård, Fiona Shaw, Genevieve O’Reilly, Denise Gough, Faye Marsay, and Varada Sethu, Andor Season 2 is expected to land on Disney+ in 2025.