The Rogue One prequel TV show's place in the official Star Wars timeline is confirmed. One of the many live-action TV shows Lucasfilm is developing for Disney+ centers around Rebel intelligence officer Cassian Andor, a character first introduced in the Rogue One movie. Diego Luna is reprising his role from the hit spinoff, co-starring alongside Alan Tudyk's K-2SO. Like many of the Star Wars projects made in the Disney era, the Rogue One TV show encountered some problems behind the scenes, but things seem to be running smoothly now.
Though Hollywood is currently shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic (delaying release dates and postponing production schedules), creatives are attempting to complete any work they can from home so they don't fall too far behind. In Rogue One's case, the show recently added Stellan Skarsgård and Kyle Soller to the cast. Now, as more names join the series' ensemble, fans have learned another major piece of information: when exactly the Rogue One show is set.
In StarWars.com's official announcement regarding Mon Mothma actress Genevieve O'Reilly and Denise Gough being cast, the studio revealed the Rogue One prequel show takes place 5 years before the events of the movie. This means it's set 5 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin), since the Rogue One film leads directly into A New Hope.
When the Rogue One TV show picks up, the Empire will have been in power for roughly 14 years (Revenge of the Sith is set 19 BBY), giving fans a chance to see the Imperials at the height of their rein and a fledgling Rebellion trying their best to survive. It should be interesting to see the earliest days of the Alliance, something that hasn't really been depicted in live-action before (animated series Star Wars Rebels explored the topic during its run, however). The Rogue One movie makes multiple allusions to Cassian's dark past, indicating he's done actions he isn't proud of in the name of the Rebellion. Since the prequel show is aiming to be an espionage thriller, viewers will most assuredly see Cassian and K2 go on some morally ambiguous missions, painting the Rebels in a darker light than the films. It has the potential to be a truly compelling story that makes Rogue One an even better movie.
The five-year gap between the Rogue One show and movie also gives Lucasfilm a bit of a cushion should they want to make more seasons. Similar to Clone Wars and Rebels, the Cassian prequel definitely has a short shelf life, though with this timeline in mind, it doesn't have to be a limited series that only lasts for a single season. Disney has no shortage of Star Wars content coming to Disney+ (a show set in a new Star Wars era is reportedly in the works), but if the Rogue One show is a hit with viewers, the studio would likely be interested in continuing it if possible. Rogue One is the rare modern Star Wars movie to not be hit with intense backlash, so as long as fans like the show, they'll probably want to see more too.
Source: StarWars.com