In a galaxy far, far away—specifically inside the halls of Lucasfilm—a quiet storm is brewing. Dave Filoni, the cowboy-hat-wearing protégé of George Lucas, has officially ascended to the role of Co-President of Lucasfilm. For many, this was the ultimate victory: a “true fan” and lore-master finally steering the ship.
However, that honeymoon phase is hitting a serious asteroid field. Recent reports have surfaced suggesting that Filoni isn’t exactly a fan of Andor, the gritty spy thriller that many critics and “prestige TV” fans consider the single greatest creative triumph of the Disney era.
This isn’t just a matter of personal taste. As Filoni takes the reins, fans are left wondering: is there room for the mature, grounded storytelling of Andor in Filoni’s lore-heavy, nostalgia-driven future?
The ‘Andor’ Anomaly: Why It Mattered
To understand the concern, we first have to look at what Andor achieved. In a landscape of “lukewarm” Star Wars projects—where The Acolyte faced cancellation and Obi-Wan Kenobi divided the fanbase—Andor was a beacon of narrative discipline.
Created by Tony Gilroy, the series took a hard left turn away from lightsabers and Skywalkers. It gave us:
Grounded Political Tension: The slow-burn mechanics of how an Empire actually functions.
Moral Ambiguity: Characters like Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) weren’t mythic heroes; they were desperate people making ugly compromises.
Mature Themes: Surveillance, radicalization, and the grinding gears of bureaucracy.
For an audience that had grown weary of “interconnected spectacles” and constant cameos, Andor felt like Star Wars finally growing up.
The Rumor That Shook the Fandom
The current controversy stems from a recent report citing an individual who worked inside Lucasfilm. According to the source, Filoni reportedly disliked the series. While Filoni has not publicly slammed the show, the mere suggestion that he wasn’t “on board” with its direction has ignited a firestorm on social media. Fans on X (formerly Twitter) were quick to voice their fears:
“So the best thing that they’ve put out in the past 10 years they will make sure never happens again?” wrote one user.
Another pointed to Filoni’s penchant for drawing from the Expanded Universe (EU), claiming, “Of course, it didn’t take an old EU novel and [mess] all over it. That’s Filoni’s favorite way of writing ‘Star Wars.'”
The critique is clear: fans of Andor fear that Filoni prefers “Star Wars for children” over the sophisticated, adult-skewing drama that Gilroy delivered.
The Roadmap: What a Filoni-Led Future Looks Like
With Filoni at the helm, the upcoming slate is leaning heavily into the “MandoVerse” and legacy connections. Here is a look at what we know is on the horizon for 2026 and beyond:
The Big Screen Pivot
The Mandalorian & Grogu: Directed by Jon Favreau and overseen by Filoni, this film will bring Din Djarin and “Baby Yoda” to theaters. It is rumored to be the “grand finale” of the MandoVerse.
Star Wars: Starfighter: A standalone adventure from Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine) set five years after The Rise of Skywalker.
The Return of Rey and the Dawn of the Jedi
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey Film: Daisy Ridley returns to rebuild the Jedi Order.
James Mangold’s “Dawn of the Jedi”: A project set 25,000 years in the past. While the script is finished, Kathleen Kennedy recently confirmed the project is currently on hold.
The Standalones
Donald Glover’s Lando Film: A draft has reportedly been submitted for a standalone gambler’s tale.
Taika Waititi’s Project: Still in the works, with a script described as “hilarious.”
Is There Room for Two Visions?
The tragedy of the “Filoni vs. Gilroy” debate is that it frames Star Wars as a zero-sum game.
Dave Filoni is a master of the mythic. He understands the Force, the hero’s journey, and the visual language of George Lucas better than almost anyone. Tony Gilroy is a master of the human. He understands power, sacrifice, and the “banality of evil.”
Without a third season of Andor on the table—a decision made by Gilroy and Luna to preserve the show’s “rigor”—there is a void in the “adult” side of the franchise. As Diego Luna told The Hollywood Reporter, keeping up that level of detail for five seasons would have been impossible. They chose to go out on top.
Final Thoughts: The Balancing Act
As Co-President, Filoni’s job isn’t just to write his own stories; it’s to foster the best stories from all creators. If he truly wants to usher in a “proactive era” for Lucasfilm, he will need to embrace the variety that Andor proved the audience craves.
Whether he liked the show or not, the box office and critical metrics for “mature” Star Wars are hard to ignore. We can only hope that the “Cowboy” and the “Spy” can find a way to coexist in the same galaxy.
