When does Andor release in Australia?

Ever since The Mandalorian and the wee Baby Yoda graced our screens back in 2019, no other live-action Star Wars TV show has come close to recapturing the magic, not even the highly-anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi series. But if early reactions are to be believed, the underdog in the lineup, Andor, may just be the one to watch with some calling it the best Star Wars TV series to date.

The first three episodes of Andor will be available from 5:00pm AEST on Wednesday the 21st of September. After the triple-episode premiere, new episodes will be released every Wednesday night at the same time (5:00pm AEST or 12:00am PT in the US). 

• Disney+ exclusive

As an original Star Wars series, Andor will be exclusive to Disney+ worldwide when it launches. 

Unlike many streaming services, Disney+ doesn't actually offer a free trial. Instead, it offers a 15% saving on an annual plan if you pay $139.99 upfront for a full 12 months. You're roughly saving yourself two months of Disney+ if you pay for the whole year. 

All up there will be 12 episodes in Andor Season 1. The first three episodes premiere on Wednesday the 21st of September, with the remaining nine episodes will release week-by-week every Wednesday after:

• Episode 1, 2 and 3: 21/09/22
• Episode 4: 28/09/22
• Episode 5: 5/10/22
• Episode 6: 12/10/22
• Episode 7: 19/10/22
• Episode 8: 26/10/22
• Episode 9: 2/11/22
• Episode 10: 9/11/22
• Episode 11: 16/11/22
• Episode 12: 23/11/22

While Andor has only been confirmed for a single season, Disney's marketing around the show explicitly refers to it as the the first season of Andor. Obi-Wan Kenobi, on the other hand, was explicitly marketed as a Limited Series. We'll update this article if and when a second season is confirmed.

Following on from the themes of Rogue One, Andor follows the exploits of one thieving rebel scum (Diego Luna returning as the titular Cassian Andor) as he navigates the murky ethics of a desperate and fledgling resistance under the oppressive rule of the Galactic Empire. 

In addition to Diego Luna's return, Forest Whittaker and Genevieve O'Reilly return as two opposites sides of the Rebellion coin: the Saw Gerrerra, the radical Clone Wars Veteran, and Mon Mothma, the senator who secretly supports the Rebel Alliance.  

The Andor TV series is a prequel to 2016's Rogue One which itself is a direct prequel to 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV - A  New Hope, the movie that kicked off the multi-decade global phenomenon.

Andor starts five years before the events of Rogue One and roughly four years after the events of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series. 

That also places the events of Andor at the exact same time as fan-favourite animated series Rebels (also available on Disney+). 

If you haven't already heard about it, Disney+ is the company's crack at the whole streaming thing. It's been quite the crack too, thanks  to breakout hits like The Mandalorian, Only Murder in the Building, Wandavision and more. Since it launched, the service's popularity has skyrocketed worldwide, including here in Australia. As of August 2022, Disney+ claimed it had over 150 million subscribers.

For Australians, the depth of the catalogue and hype attached to prestigious franchises like Star Wars and Marvel make it one of the more compelling streaming services available. However, even if it's destined to be a must-have for some audiences, it's far from the only flavour in the mix.

Take a look at the table below for a comparison of streaming services available in Australia.