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Disney has a new television series for the "Star Wars" universe that is already getting thumbs up from fans and critics alike.
On Wednesday, the company released "Andor," a prequel show to the commercially successful 2016 film "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," on the Disney+ streaming service. The story focus on the journey of Cassian Andor, portrayed by Diego Luna, who also executive produces the series.
Set five years before the events of "Rogue One," the show focuses on the transition of Cassian from petty thief to the rebel hero we see in the film. The actor believes the show will provide fans with an "intimate" perspective of what life was like under the rule of the Galactic Empire.
"There has to be action and adventure and that like big scope of science fiction that you expect from 'Star Wars,' but at the same time, we can allow ourselves to be different," Luna said in an interview with Reuters.
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Diego Luna reprised his role as Cassian Andor for the prequel series released Wednesday on Disney+. (Getty Images for Disney)
"What was the life like for people to be willing to sacrifice everything for a cause, you know? I don't think we've seen that," He told the news service.
Luna noted, "I don't think we've been in the most intimate life of the people that were having to live under the control of the Empire. What was those dark times, you know? In terms of the every day life, now we're going to realize that."
The creator of the show, Tony Gilroy, previously worked with Luna as a co-writer of the original film and hopes fans will enjoy the realism portrayed in "Andor."
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"I think the key thing is that we try to make this all real," Gilroy told Reuters. "We want to make everything real - real emotions, real stakes, real threats, real fear, real betrayal, real love, real desperation, real families, real domestic drama, real adventure."
The show will run for two seasons, 12 episodes a season, and will be Luna's final "Star Wars" project for the foreseeable future. According to Luna, filming for the second season is expected to start in November.
"Andor" has received favorable reviews from television critics but also "Star Wars" fans, with an average rating of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes.
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