When the first season of Andor hit Disney+ in 2022, it was clear that there’d never been a Star Wars story like it before – a gritty, grounded, morally and politically complex espionage thriller that just happened to be set in the galaxy far, far away. The show, headed up by Tony Gilroy, dug its fingers into the true ideologies of the Empire; the experiences of the galaxy’s oppressed people; the cost involved for those orchestrating the fight back. And among it all came some of the most nail-biting setpieces in the entire saga, from the Ferrix uprising, to the Narkina 5 prison break – and, of course, the pulse-pounding Aldhani raid. In a brand new featurette from the upcoming 4K steelbook release of the series, Diego Luna looks back on the making of the Aldhani arc. Give it a watch here:
It’s always fascinating seeing how these sequences come together – especially hearing here how the Aldhani cast (including Alex Lawther, Faye Marsay, Sule Rimi, Varada Sethu, and Marvel’s new The Thing, Ebon Moss-Bachrach) were kept separate from Luna himself before shooting, to increase the discomfort of him joining their rebel cell. And it hammers home, too, how much of Andor was shot on location, making the most of those sweeping British landscapes to keep that Earthy feel amid all the galactic trappings.
The wait for Andor Season 2 continues (it’s expected to arrive in 2025), but in the meantime you can revisit Season 1 on 4K Ultra-HD and Blu-ray courtesy of the limited edition steelbook release – available to US customers from 30 April, and in the UK from 1 July. Plus, there are steelbook releases also on the way for Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Marvel series Moon Knight and The Falcon And The Winter Soldier. Bring on the physical media rebellion.