In a feature from Rolling Stone on the making of “Andor,” Diego Luna recalled the initial deal made with Lucasfilm to return to the role for a five-season series. Luna attributed his return to a realization of “how much [he] missed this job and missed this character.” Cassian Andor had been one of the more interesting aspects of the ensemble of “Rogue One,” as a morally ambiguous spy fully dedicated to the cause of the Rebellion. “Andor” exemplifies the themes and motivations of the character, delving into the psyche of Cassian and other like-minded characters, making the series a natural continuation that keeps the film’s gritty aesthetic.
However, the passion for the world of the series and bringing it to life would prove to be a massive undertaking. In fact, halfway through production on the first season of the show, Diego Luna (who is also credited as an executive producer on the show) and Tony Gilroy had agreed that the number of seasons needed to be reduced. Gilroy would detail how, from a practical standpoint, many years of making “Andor” was not plausible:
“It was just like, ‘We can’t possibly do this.’ It’s a massive, massive undertaking, and Diego wouldn’t be able to play a younger man over the next 15 years. We wouldn’t be able to physically do it. And we were like, ‘Oh, my God, what are we gonna do?’ So at first, it was desperation, and then a very lucky, elegant solution presented itself.”