Another new “Star Wars” series is arriving imminently, but “Andor” is unlike anything we’ve seen before. Set years before the events of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” this new series is devoid of Jedi, Sith or bounty hunters and instead focuses on the regular, working-class people who are sparked to ignite a rebellion in the lead-up to the events of George Lucas’ iconic “A New Hope.”
But how soon can you watch it? What time does “Andor” come out on Disney+? The series premieres at 12 a.m. PT/ 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday, September 21.
The first three episodes of the 12-episode first season will be streaming at that time, and each one runs about an hour in length, so if you want to binge-watch you’ll be staying up very late (or getting up very early, depending on your coast). And judging by the positive early reviews, you’re definitely going to want to watch this one.
Diego Luna leads the cast as his “Rogue One” character Cassian Andor, but he starts this series in a very different place. He’s a part-time machinist living on the scrapper planet of Fennix, and really has no interest in joining any kind of rebellion. He’s a cynic, and is searching for his long-lost sister after their homeworld was destroyed years ago.
But a run-in with two guards puts Cassian on a collision course with the Empire in surprising ways, and the series chronicles his journey first to survive, and then to become part of a movement.
“Andor” is run by Oscar-nominated writer Tony Gilroy, who notably came in and spearheaded reshoots on “Rogue One.” This is also the first live-action “Star Wars” series not to use the StageCraft “Volume” technology that provides CG backgrounds and environments to shows like “The Mandalorian” and “Obi-Wan Kenobi.”
But perhaps most excitingly, “Andor” is a a close-ended story. A 12-episode second season starts production in November, which will conclude just before the events of “Rogue One” begin, so we’ll chart Cassian’s entire journey up to his fateful last few days helping to steal the Death Star plans.
New episodes of “Andor” will release weekly on Disney+ on Thursdays, with the season finale airing on Nov. 23 – just in time for Thanksgiving.
