Lucasfilm Denies Report That Dave Filoni Hates Andor

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Lucasfilm is addressing more controversy, and this time the focus is on Dave Filoni and the show Andor. There’s been ongoing speculation that Andor overcame challenges with Lucasfilm’s creative leadership, rather than benefiting from it.

After a report in The Wrap suggested Dave Filoni wasn’t a big fan of the series Andor, Lucasfilm and its supporters quickly highlighted Filoni’s previous positive comments about the show. The quick response seems suspicious to many, appearing more like an attempt to limit negative publicity than a sincere effort to set the record straight.

The Rumor That Won’t Die: Filoni Hates Andor

For a while now, people in the entertainment industry have been saying that Andor was different from other recent Star Wars shows. Unlike most projects, it seems the show’s creator, Tony Gilroy, had a lot of freedom and wasn’t heavily controlled by the studio’s usual creative team (like Filoni).

Rumors suggest Gilroy bypassed Dave Filoni and worked closely with Kathleen Kennedy, then president of Lucasfilm, to maintain the realistic, mature, and politically relevant direction of the show. He also revised an important scene featuring Mon Mothma, drawing inspiration from, but ultimately differing from, its original appearance in Filoni’s animated series, Rebels, and which later appeared in Andor.

It became obvious that Andor didn’t align with the direction recent Star Wars projects under Disney have taken – a focus on established storylines, familiar characters, and a lot of references to the past.

And if those rumors are even partially true, they explain a lot.

Andor was different from other Star Wars shows. Critics loved it for its unique tone and the fact that it felt like a carefully crafted story, separate from the usual franchise approach. It felt like a deliberate artistic vision, almost unaffected by Lucasfilm’s overall plans.

Filoni’s Praise — Conveniently Rediscovered

Following a recent article in The Wrap, people are now looking back at comments Dave Filoni made in the past where he spoke highly of the show Andor. Initially, this seems like a straightforward way to counter claims made in the article.

In a recent podcast interview, Dave Filoni praised the series Andor, highlighting its quality and the team’s excellent work. He also pointed out that there’s a definite audience for Star Wars stories that are realistic and focus on characters.

But context matters.

Dave Filoni’s positive comments about the show – including recognizing its quality and the importance of telling diverse stories – weren’t surprising. He made them after Andor had already been praised by both critics and fans, so it was a safe and well-deserved compliment for Lucasfilm to offer.

What’s different now is Filoni’s position.

Now that Kennedy is leaving and Filoni is taking over as head of Lucasfilm, the future of Andor feels more significant. There’s concern that the new leader might not have fully supported—or even liked—the show, which has been praised by critics, and that doesn’t look good for the series.

Fan reaction has been strongly mixed, particularly regarding recent Star Wars shows like Ahsoka (written and directed by Filoni) and The Acolyte (where he was a consultant), as well as other connected Disney+ series.

Two Visions of Star Wars

At the heart of this controversy is a philosophical divide.

Andor offers a different take on Star Wars – it’s realistic, focuses on politics and well-developed characters, and doesn’t rely on nostalgia or catering to fan expectations. The show respects viewers by presenting a complex story instead of simply checking off familiar elements from the Star Wars universe.

As a lifelong movie and TV fan, what really strikes me about Filoni’s work is how much he focuses on building everything from what came before. He’s all about keeping things consistent with established stories, drawing heavily from the animated series, and really digging into the details of the universe. It feels like a very carefully managed creative world, where the focus is on characters and stories we already know and love, and expanding on a rich history.

The talk that Tony Gilroy required direct support from Kennedy implies that Lucasfilm was aware of internal disagreements and decided to allow Andor to develop separately from Dave Filoni’s usual projects.

If Dave Filoni had always been fully on board with Andor, we wouldn’t be having these discussions. The fact that the question keeps coming up speaks for itself.

Why This Feels Like Damage Control

Lucasfilm quickly pointing out Dave Filoni’s positive comments about Andor feels less like setting the record straight and more like trying to control the story being told.

Things are definitely changing at the studio, and it’s clear they’re building everything around Dave Filoni for the future of Star Wars. Honestly, that future has to embrace – not reject – Andor. That show proved Disney could still make a genuinely great Star Wars project that people loved, without just relying on old characters and storylines. It’d be a huge mistake to alienate that kind of success.

We may never know for sure if Dave Filoni actually dislikes the show Andor. However, Lucasfilm’s quick attempts to downplay any potential issues hint that they’re feeling uneasy – and definitely not confident – about the situation.

For a brand already having trouble being seen as trustworthy, how people think about it is almost as important as what’s actually true.

The Bigger Question

The real issue isn’t whether Dave Filoni likes Andor.

The big question is whether future Star Wars projects can explore complex, character-driven stories like Andor, or if that level of creative independence left with Tony Gilroy.

If this latest round of commentary is meant to reassure fans, it may have done the opposite.

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2026-01-18 19:59