Alan Tudyk reveals he will not reprise his Star Wars character K-2SO on Andor season 1. The droid was one of the highlights of Rogue One, becoming a fan-favorite thanks to his dry sense of humor. A converted Imperial security droid, K-2SO was close friends with Cassian Andor, and the two had a nice rapport that was displayed multiple times throughout the film. Alongside the rest of the Rogue One team, they both perished during the mission to Scarif. Of course, Cassian is returning for prequel series Andor, which premieres on Disney+ in 2022.
Due to Cassian's relationship with K-2SO, it was widely assumed the dynamic duo would be back in action together on Andor. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy seemed to confirm as much back in 2019, when she stated Tudyk would be returning as K-2SO for the show. But now that the cameras are rolling, it appears the droid will not be back (for now, at least).
Speaking with Collider while promoting Resident Alien, Tudyk addressed his future with the Star Wars franchise, suggesting K-2SO will be featured in later Andor seasons:
“They're shooting it right now, I'm not in it. But, if it stays on the air, stories keep getting told, I'll end up in there.
“I'm going to be in the show. It's just that the story that Tony [Gilroy] is telling doesn't involve K-2SO until later on... I can't be too specific, but I can definitely say that I'm not going to be in the first season.”
Much like the Rogue One movie, Andor experienced turmoil behind the scenes. The show was actually in danger of being cancelled before Tony Gilroy (who oversaw the Rogue One reshoots) came in to be on the creative team. It's worth pointing out that development happened months after Kennedy's initial announcement at Star Wars Celebration 2019, meaning it's possible K-2SO was part of the original plans for Andor before things changed. This bit of news will likely be disappointing for viewers, since K-2SO and Cassian had a fun dynamic many were looking forward to seeing again. For now, anyway, it sounds like Andor will explore Cassian's time before he crossed paths with his faithful companion. This means supporting cast such as Adria Arjona, Stellan Skarsgård, and others could have larger roles than anticipated.
What is encouraging is Tudyk is optimistic K-2SO will be back later on in Andor's run. It's interesting that it sounds like the show will have multiple seasons, as many had assumed it would be a limited miniseries a la Obi-Wan Kenobi. Apparently, Gilroy cracked a longer story, and it'll be fascinating to see what he came up with. A Star Wars spy thriller certainly has the potential for a multi-season run, and even though the show's narrative ground has a shelf life (considering the events of Rogue One), it would be great to see Cassian and the early Rebellion fleshed out even further. Hopefully Andor doesn't disappoint and warrants future seasons.
Source: Collider