Andor has been widely described as a different kind of Star Wars show — a grittier, more complicated affair that isn’t as beholden to nostalgia and Easter Eggs as the others. What else would you expect from Tony Gilroy, the guy who made Michael Clayton? But it’s done more than get strong reviews. It’s also convinced another major talent to think way outside the box.
In a new interview with Inverse (as caught by /Film), Armando Iannucci — the co-creator of Steve Coogan’s Alan Partridge and the creator of The Thick of It and Veep (plus the films In the Loop and The Death of Stalin, and much else besides) — says he’s been watching the new prequel show following Diego Luna’s Rogue One character Cassian Andor, and it left him feeling inspired.
“It’s really interesting. It’s very different,” Iannucci explained. “Even the music is different than usual Star Wars music. I like that idea of just starting fresh and not being obsessed with the Death Star.”
When asked, point blank, if there could ever be “an Armando Iannucci comedy about politics in the Empire,” he responded, also point blank, “Absolutely.” He recently completed doing his very own Spider-Man comic, so it’s not like venturing over to George Lucas territory is that much of a leap.
Still, this is all very larval stage at the moment. Iannucci said that “whatever it is, as long as it’s an interesting new development rather than more of the same is how I see it. Andor is interesting in that it’s decided to just park everything else.”
As it happens, Iannucci has also stretched out into the world of sci-fi as well. His HBO show Avenue 5, which just started its second season, finds an all-star cast trapped on an interplanetary cruise ship knocked off-course, leading to much amusing chaos. Besides, the Star Wars-verse needs more jokes. Disney+, make this happen.