While we’re still waiting for an update on Season 2 of Andor, Lucasfilm reminds us that it is indeed coming with a physical media release of Season 1. As part of the second wave of Disney+ original series to receive a disc release, collectors can now add the first season to their Star Wars collection, just in time for Star Wars Day. As one of the lengthier series greenlights, it also marks the first 3-disc set in Disney’s SteelBook series of streaming releases.
(Lucasfilm)
The Galactic Empire is in power, but a Rebel Alliance has begun to form. Set five years before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Season 1 of Andor documents a full year of Cassian Andor’s life as events lead him to join the rebellion. An accidental murder makes Cassian a wanted man, leading him to learn firsthand the cruelty of the Empire, making what will follow feel deeply personal.
Accompanying these twelve episodes is an assortment of featurettes branded as “Andor: Declassified” that focuses on the series’ key locations, their designs, and the pivotal story moments that are set there. Allowing fans to ensure that they always have access to the series with consistent picture and audio quality, the Blu-Ray and 4K Ultra-HD release of Andor is a win for diehard fans. Each disc was created with Lucasfilm’s usual commitment to quality.
Bonus Features
Disc 1
- Ferrix Part 1: Imperial Occupation (8:18) – Tony Gilroy, Kathleen Kennedy and Diego Luna discuss the series’ origins.
- Aldhani: Rebel Heist (7:42) – Join the shoot in Scotland with character spotlights, rebel training, stunts, a VFX breakdown and more.
- Coruscant: Whispers of Rebellion (8:44) – Explore the stories of ISB agent Dedra, Senator Mon Mothma and spymaster Luthen Rael.
- Narkina 5: One Way Out (7:30) – Uncover the Empire’s penal system and the prison’s stark look, get to know Kino Loy, and view VFX breakdowns.
- Ferrix Part 2: Fight the Empire (7:35) – Tony Gilroy, Diego Luna, cast and crew reveal the making of the season finale.
Video
The gritty world of Andor looks better than ever on 4K Ultra-HD. With so much detail, it becomes crisp and clear here. In particular, the contrast between light and dark sequences is very eye-popping.
Audio
The standard audio mix is in Dolby Atmos, maximizing your home theater system’s configurations. The sound field for the series is as immersive as any Star Wars film, giving your subwoofer a nice workout during some of the biggest action sequences. Additional audio options are a stereo descriptive audio mix, and plush French and Spanish 5.1.
Packaging & Design
Andor comes home in SteelBook packaging with artwork by Attila Szarka, giving the release uniformity with the other Star Wars series with a physical media release (the first two seasons of The Mandalorian and Obi-Wan Kenobi). Discs are a mustard color, with negative space creating imagery from the series (Cassian Andor on Disc 1, B2EMO on Disc 2, and a Tie Fighter on Disc 3). Two discs are housed on the right-side of the interior, while one is on the left-side. As a result, the case is missing the clips that would otherwise hold the packaged art cards in place, making them float loosely inside the case.
Final Thoughts
Season 1 of Andor looks and sounds great on 4K Ultra-HD, and the physical media release adds incentive to purchase with the first in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the series (Disney+ has yet to release a documentary about it, presumably being held for after Season 2 concludes). The spine of the case features a number 1, optimistically hinting that Season 2 could get a disc release (hopefully keeping the uniform packaging under Disney’s upcoming deal with Sony, who will handle physical media releases for Disney in the near future).
Purchase Options
(Please note this article contains affiliate links. Your purchase will support LaughingPlace by providing us a small commission, but will not affect your pricing or user experience. Thank you.)
l