The series follows thief-turned-rebel spy Cassian Andor during the five years that lead to the events of the two films, exploring how he becomes radicalized against the Galactic Empire and how the wider Rebel Alliance is formed.

The series also stars Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, Stellan Skarsgård, Fiona Shaw, Genevieve O'Reilly, Denise Gough, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, and Elizabeth Dulau.

The second season covers the next four years leading up to Rogue One; it was filmed from November 2022 to February 2024, with breaks and delays due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes.

Beginning five years before the events of Rogue One (2016) and A New Hope (1977), the series follows an ensemble cast of characters during the time that a Rebel Alliance is forming in opposition to the Galactic Empire.

Ben Bailey Smith, Robert Emms, Michael Jenn and Lucy Russell portray Imperial Security supervisors Blevin, Lonni Jung, Lagret and Grandi, respectively.

Christopher Fairbank, Clemens Schick, Brian Bovell, Tom Reed, Josef Davies, Rasaq Kukoyi and Mensah Bediako appear as Ulaf, Ham, Jemboc, Taga, Xaul, Birnok and Zinska, respectively, all of whom are prison inmates on Narkina 5.

The Keredian brothers Dewi and Freedi Pamular are performed by Matt Lyons and Liam Cook, and voiced by Mike Quinn and Damian Farrell respectively.

[30] Tony Gilroy, who was credited as a co-writer on Rogue One and oversaw extensive reshoots for the film,[31] joined the series by early 2019 when he discussed the first story details with Luna.

[4] Gilroy had received an earlier version of the script, who compared Andor's relationship with K-2SO to that of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and felt it was "totally limited and claustrophobic".

[7][25] Gilroy urged his writing team to put aside their personal reverence and nostalgia for Star Wars, fearing that such an attitude could change their behavior and work.

[5] Luna said the series was about the building of a revolution,[38] and said it was important to explore "the revolutionary we can become to change things, to stop war, to make this world a livable place" which he felt was relevant to real-world issues.

[49] Gilroy had not intentionally written the show to create political commentary and rejected the notion of being influenced by contemporary events, but said that it had come "instinctively", as his primary priority was characterization and serving the story.

The writing team had used history as a "catalog" for the story with Gilroy further explaining that people can interpret the characters however they wish, but the main intention was for the audience to connect to them.

[53] Meanwhile, Gough has stated that her character arc in the series deals with gender politics, while Gilroy explained that "We have a very, very, very deep dive into the Imperial side of the story".

[38] Luna, Skarsgård, O'Reilly, Soller, Arjona, Gough, Marsay, Sethu, Dulau, McArdle, and Bhaier reprise their roles in the second season.

[66] By late January 2021, a large village set had been built on the grounds of a former quarry in Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire, not far from Pinewood Studios, with filming expected to last there until April.

[69] Filming in April also took place at the Coryton Refinery in Corringham, Essex,[70] and in East London at Canary Wharf[71] where the plaza under the bridge to the Elizabeth line station served as the entrance to the Imperial Security Bureau on Coruscant.

[26] In March 2023 Season 2 was revealed to be filming in Xàtiva and Valencia with director Metz among the cast and crew including actor Benjamin Bratt indicating he had joined the series.

[90] A sizzle reel featuring behind-the-scenes footage of pre-production and filming was released during Disney's Investors Day presentation in December 2020, when the series' title and cast was officially announced by Kennedy.

[92] Daniel Chin of The Ringer felt the series had a unique identity in the Star Wars franchise, with a darker tone, and said the teaser "paints a picture of the formative years of the rebellion against the Empire".

[97] The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd enjoyed Andor's increased screen-time in the trailer compared to the teaser, and felt the series was a "welcome scenic change from the company's previous Star Wars shows".

[106] The second season will also consist of 12 episodes and was expected to be released in August 2024,[43][84] but because of delays in production due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes,[107] it is scheduled to premiere on April 22, 2025.

[109] JustWatch, a guide to streaming content with access to data from more than 20 million users around the world, reported that Andor was the most-streamed series in the U.S. for the week of September 25.

[122][123][124][125][126][127] Nielsen Media Research, which records streaming viewership on U.S. television screens, estimated that the series was watched for 356 million minutes from October 3–9, 2022.

Time attributed this to factors such as "franchise fatigue," insufficient fan service, competition from other fantasy and sci-fi shows, and the "lackluster Obi-Wan Kenobi" miniseries.

[132][133] Parrot Analytics later announced that Andor was the most in-demand United States breakout television series, referring to shows that have premiered in the past 100 days, from November 12–18, 2022.

The website's critics consensus reads, "A gritty adventure told from the ground perspective of the Empire's reign, Andor is an exceptionally mature and political entry into the Star Wars mythos – and one of the best yet.

[141] Caroline Framke of Variety was positive towards Andor's departure from other Star Wars projects with a "story of people who have nothing to do with Solos, Skywalkers or Palpatines, but whose lives matter nonetheless".

[142] Similarly, Nicholas Quah of the Vulture called the show "a breath of fresh air" and praised the "utter confidence of its storytelling", "richness of its political ideas", score, production design and dialogue.

[145] Andor was critically acclaimed and consistently ranked first in the top ten on numerous publications' "Best of 2022" lists for television series, including that of IGN, Polygon, USA Today, Vulture, and Empire, among others.