Toby Haynes Takes Up ‘Cassian Andor ‘ Directing Duties From Tony Gilroy
by Erik Amaya
Star Wars is finally feeling the effects of COVID-19.
Deadline reports director Toby Haynes will helm the pilot and several episodes of the upcoming Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) series instead of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story writer Tony Gilroy. For his part, Gilroy will remain as showrunner and executive producer. And though his participation in the Star Wars galaxy often makes for headlines — he famously supervised Rogue One‘s extensive rewrites and reshoots — Gilroy’s reasons to avoid the set are personal and understandable. According to the site, Gilroy elected to remain in New York due to travel concerns stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.
Haynes’s work will be familiar to fans of Black Mirror — particularly the episode called “U.S.S. Callister.”
The as-yet-untitled Star Wars series will focus on Luna’s rebel spy sometime before the events of Rogue One. Along for the “spy thriller” are Alan Tudyk, reprising his Rogue One role as K-2SO, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Stellan Skarsgard, and Kyle Soller. Genevieve O’Reilly will also appear as Rebel leader Mon Mothma, a character she first portrayed in Rogue One. Production is expected to begin in October.
