Star Wars Weekly: Next Time (12/05/25 to 18/05/25)

Looking back at Andor and ahead at the future...

Unlike most other major franchises, Star Wars doesn’t usually move forward in the timeline from one instalment to the next. Even in this modern era, Lucasfilm has remained true to George Lucas’ funny way of releasing stories in a non-traditional order.

For the most part, I love this. We can go from The Acolyte to Skeleton Crew to Andor, and not be restricted by the timeline. From before The Phantom Menace to after The Rise of Skywalker, everything is fair game for storytellers. If there’s a good story, then now is the right time to tell it, regardless of whether it’s set before, after, or during the project released just before it.

The one downside of this, however, is that it can sometimes feel tough for the stories to build momentum off the others. Andor ends and leads right into Rogue One, which leads right into A New Hope. Neither of which has anything to do with the next instalment to be released in the real world, The Mandalorian & Grogu. (And that’s if we’re sticking to the canon, since the next two releases are actually the non-canonical Star Wars Visions Volume 3 and Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy 2).

The excitement for what comes next in the story and what comes next in the real world are unrelated. And some fans have even expressed that they feel a sense of whiplash jumping around the timeline between projects as often as we do.

Though it may feel more pronounced now with TV as the main medium for Star Wars stories, it’s nothing new. Back in the sequel trilogy days, when we would have a stand-alone film released in the off-years between main Episodes, I often wondered if general audiences might get confused or experience similar feelings of whiplash.

We spent a lot of time on The Star Wars Underworld Podcast speculating about how they might tackle these timeline jumps in the marketing for the films. The answer turned out to be, for the most part, they didn’t.

In hindsight, this makes perfect sense. Why focus on the most confusing aspect of the movies in the marketing? Just focus on the awesome stuff to get people in the door, and they’ll figure it out—either from the movies or because their hard-core-fan friends will explain it to them.

The reason we focused on this was that, at the time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was firing on all cylinders, and they were making great use of post-credits scenes to promote the next movie up. They could do this because, for the most part, MCU movies come out in chronological order. You could promote the next Captain America movie at the end of Ant-Man because that was the next movie people would see. We wondered if there was a way Star Wars could do something similar without having the movies come out in order.

They didn’t do it then, and they’ve largely resisted the urge to do something similar with the streaming shows. Yes, they did have a brief flirtation with post-credits scenes in The Mandalorian, stealing the MCU’s gimmick to set up The Book of Boba Fett at the end of season two. But since The Book of Boba Fett’s mid-credits scene has gone nowhere, they’ve largely dropped the concept.

I found myself thinking about this again during the Andor finale because there’s one moment that could be construed as a tease for the next live-action Star Wars TV season. When ISB agents are investigating Luthen’s gallery in “Make It Stop,” a shot lingers on the tablet featuring the hands of the Mortis Gods. It’s a brief moment, almost blink and you miss it, but it’s there.

Could this just be a fun nod to fans of The Clone Wars and Rebels who recognize the tablet for what it is? Sure. And, really, that’s probably all it was meant to be since it was also featured in the gallery back in season one. But since Ahsoka season two is going to delve into the mysteries surrounding Mortis, I can’t help but wonder if its close-up was more intentional than any of the shots of other artifacts.

It reminds those in the know that Mortis is a thing. And, if you want to know more, you need to tune in next year for Ahsoka season two, the next time there will be a live-action Star Wars series. (A more cynical read could be: don’t you dare unsubscribe, nerds, no matter how much we jack up the price!)

I’m not saying I think Tony Gilroy and co. were actively thinking about promoting the next series, nor do I think they were forced to include this shot. But maybe there was a moment when editing the episode, someone at Lucasfilm suggested lingering on the Mortis tablet, knowing the thoughts it sparks in fans’ minds.

Whether intentional or not, it worked for me because it doesn’t hit you over with anything. There’s no blatant signs screaming at you to watch Ahsoka, but it does serve to remind us that the two series take place in the same universe. And the mysteries that exist in one are present in the other, even if they’re not at the forefront.

That is part of the joy of Star Wars, after all. It’s one big galaxy with lots of room for lots of different stories.

Top Story

Tony Gilroy Comments On The Andor Finale

With Andor coming to a close last week, showrunner Tony Gilroy has no more secrets to keep. After the final three episodes were released last Tuesday, various outlets published interviews with Gilroy about some of the finale’s biggest moments.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he spoke about the final shot of the series. “More than anything, I wanted to end on hope,” Gilroy said of the moment with Bix and her young child. “I really want to be hopeful at the end of it. It's a very rigorous ride. We've done all kinds of things in this show all the way through, but it would be a crime against nature to not finish with something hopeful, because what else do we have? I mean, we have to have that. And as long as it's not cheesy and not some corny thing, it felt like it was really earned and legit.”

The ending is hopeful, to be sure, but Gilroy isn’t locking in any details about Cassian and Bix’s child. He told Screenrant, “I don’t know the sex of the child, or the name of the child, or anything.”

On the topic of a much less hopeful ending, Gilroy spoke about Dedra Meero’s fate, winding up in a Narkina prison. He said he feels just a little sorry for the ex-ISB supervisor. “She's actually figured everything out,” he told EW, “but she’s inadvertently messed up everything by her ambition.”

Bringing back the Narkina set also required Gilroy to plan ahead during the first season. “We don’t save a lot of sets. They’re very carnivorous over there. They destroy everything,” he explained to Vanity Fair. “So I remember telling Luke Hull, the show’s production designer, ‘Oh man, save a piece of Narkina. Save me a shot of that cell, because I think we’ll probably use it.’ I mean, it’s the fitting result of her monkey business, isn’t it, really?”

Gilroy also revealed that, at one point, he considered putting Princess Leia in a scene with Mon Mothma in season two. Leia would have been 16 in the scene, which took place during Investiture week at the Imperial Senate. Ultimately, the idea was dropped when it was determined to be a distraction from the main storyline.

“There were some nutrients for a scene between her and Mothma,” he explained to Screenrant. “If she was going there at 16 and Mothma had gone to the Senate when she was 16, there was some basic cool things for a scene, but it never got past that, and it never went to the casting stage, or it never got more real than that. I remember talking to Kathy [Kennedy] about it and talking to Pablo [Hidalgo] about it, but it never got traction, and then it became a distraction.”

As much as I’ll miss Andor, I’ll also miss having Tony Gilroy be part of Star Wars. He elevated the level of storytelling we expect from Star Wars, and he was also so willing to speak openly about the process and inspiration for crafting the episodes. He was a breath of fresh air, and I hope more Star Wars creatives follow his lead when it comes to telling meaningful stories and being open with sharing the behind-the-scenes secrets.

Headlines

John Boyega Reflects On The Sequel Trilogy on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast

Finn himself, John Boyega, appeared on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast with Josh Horowitz at C2E2 last weekend in Chicago. He reflected on his time making the Star Wars sequel trilogy, including what it was like being cast in The Force Awakens, meeting Harrison Ford, and how it feels to be the face of Star Wars for a younger generation.

He also touched on some more controversial subjects, including his feelings on the direction the story took in The Last Jedi, as well as what he really thinks of Reylo. That said, even when he was being critical, he remained his usual upbeat and positive self with the audience, having fun the whole time.

The question of the future of Finn did come up. He shared his excitement for Daisy Ridley’s upcoming “New Jedi Order” film, saying he was excited for her to get to be a full Jedi Knight, though he never addressed whether or not he might be in it. He did say he liked the idea of Finn and Jannah building a crew of ex-Stormtroopers.

Speaking of which…

Cover for Star Wars: The Last Order Revealed

Last week, we learned that Kwame Mbalia is writing a new YA novel about Finn and Jannah set after The Rise of Skywalker. This week, Collider revealed the cover for the film, as well as some new details about the story.

The cover features Finn and Jannah in their First Order stormtrooper armour in front of a red backdrop with some yellow flowers. “I don't know if this is a spoiler, but there are these beautiful flowers on the cover that are framing these two characters, these stormtroopers, in their armour, their helmets off,” Mbalia told Collider. “You have these flowers framing them, and these flowers are integral to the story.”

The author also revealed that while the story would be set after Episode IX, it will also feature flashbacks to their days as troopers. Mbalia said, “We get to see Finn and Jannah immediately after Episode 9, and then we also get to delve into that backstory and learn who they are, the choices they made, and why they became what they became.”

Star Wars: The Last Order hits shelves on October 21, 2025.

Ryan Phillipe Reveals He Was Nearly Cast As Anakin In Attack of the Clones

While Star Wars fans have come to know and love Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker in the second and third prequel movies, the part nearly went to someone else.

While promoting his new series Motorheads, Ryan Phillipe revealed to Variety that he was cast as the Chosen One in 2002 but lost out on the part. One of the main reasons, apparently, was concerns over the age difference between him and Natalie Portman. Phillipe is seven years older than Portman, who was 19 when filming began on Episode II back in June 2000. Christensen, for his part, is the same age as Portman (both were born in 1981, while Phillipe was born in 1974).

“Being a kid born in the ’70s, I was like, ‘What a dream that would’ve been,’” he told Variety, reflecting on missing out on the role. “But I think things happen for a reason and it’s easy to make peace with that. Part of what we have to develop as actors is that thick skin that comes along with rejection or maybe things not going the way you wanted in a particular project or potential job. So there’s an element of being able to let go and release and not spend too much time thinking about those things.”

From The Archives

George Lucas Was Born May 14th, 1944

Belated Happy Birthday to the Maker!

George Lucas celebrated his 81st birthday this past week. The legendary filmmaker was born in 1944 in Modesto, California, to parents Dorothy Ellinore Lucas and George Walton Lucas Sr. His first love was car racing, but a crash in 1962 led him to pursue other career opportunities. This path ultimately led him to the USC film school and the rest, as they say, is history.

His first feature film, THX-1138, was released in 1971 to a tepid response. He followed it up in 1973 with American Graffiti, a bona fide hit. He took that success and used it to get his next film off the ground, a science fiction epic called Star Wars.

If you’re reading this, presumably, Star Wars has had a significant impact on your life. The best thing about George’s creation is how it brings people together, and he deserves our gratitude, in addition to the countless hours of entertainment he has provided us with.

Happy Birthday, George! I hope you had an amazing day!

In Other News

New Trailer For Mark Hamill’s Next Movie, The Long Walk, Released

Lionsgate has released the new trailer for Mark Hamill’s next movie, The Long Walk, hitting cinemas in September. The film is an adaptation of Stephen King's novel of the same name.

Set in a dystopian future, the story follows the participants of an annual walking contest where they must walk exactly 3 miles per hour. If they fall behind the required speed, they will be killed. The winner is the last man standing.

Hamill plays the villainous major who oversees the contest. He is seen in the trailer, and his voice-over carries most of the action in the preview.

Podcast Corner

We had a great discussion about the Andor series finale on The Star Wars Underworld Podcast this week. We discussed how each of the storylines wrapped up and how the film tied into Rogue One. Plus, there’s an extended Ben’s Connection Corner to make up for the fact that we skipped it last week!

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch above on YouTube!

And Game Over: Toronto. The second round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers wrapped up last night. We had great episodes breaking down the Leafs’ embarrassing Game Five loss, their Game Six win and Game Seven.

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch below on YouTube!

Coming Soon

Always in motion is the future, but here’s a look ahead at what we can expect in Star Wars over the next seven days:

• Hitting shelves on May 20th, we have the trade paperback collection of Volume Three of The High Republic Adventures (2023) by Daniel Jose Older.

• And on the 21st, three new comic book issues are being released: Legacy of Vader #4 by Charles Soule, The High Republic: Fear of the Jedi #4 by Cavan Scott, and The High Republic Adventures (2023) #18 by Daniel Jose Older.

“None of the films I've done was designed for a mass audience, except for Indiana Jones. Nobody in their right mind thought American Graffiti or Star Wars would work.”—George Lucas (2005)