On Screens This Week's Picks | 39th Edition

Synopsis: Rife with political intrigue, danger, tension, and high stakes, “Andor” is a prequel to “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story", which portrayed a heroic band of rebels who steal the plans to the Empire’s weapon of mass destruction: The Death Star, setting the stage for the events of the original 1977 film. “Andor” sets the clock back five years from the events of “Rogue One” to tell the story of the film’s hero, Cassian Andor, and his transformation from disinterested, cynical nobody into a rebel hero on his way to an epic destiny. Andor Season 2 will see the characters and their relationships intensify as the horizon of war draws near and Cassian becomes a key player in the Rebel Alliance. Everyone will be tested and, as the stakes rise, the betrayals, sacrifices and conflicting agendas will become profound.

Writers: Tony Gilroy, Beau Willimon, Dan Gilroy & Tom Bissell

Cast: Diego Luna, Stellan Skarsgard, Genevieve O’Reilly, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, Elizabeth Dulau, Alan Tudyk, with Ben Mendelsohn & Forest Whitaker

Cine-graphers: Damian Garcia, Adriano Goldman, Christophe Nuyens, Frank Lamm & Mark Patten

Costume Design: Michael Wilkinson

Production Designer: Luke Hull

Producers: David Meanti, Kate Hazell, Kathleen Kennedy, John Gilroy, John Hampian, Michael A. Garcia & Ally O’Leary

Editors: John Gilroy, Yan Miles, Matthew Cannings, Tim Porter, Dan Roberts, Simon Smith, Hazel Baillie, Frances Parker, Craig Ferreira & Morten Hojbjerg

Directors: Ariel Kleiman, Janus Metz & Alonso Ruizpalacios

Release Date: 23 April 2025

Streaming On: Disney+

Production Location: UK

Production Country: US

Cert: TV-14

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE4wxt70aUM&t=1s

Synopsis: An urgent phone call comes in to the bullet train general control centre. The caller says that a bomb has been planted on the Hayabusa No. 60 bullet train heading toward Tokyo, and that it will explode as soon as its speed goes below 100 kilometres per hour. The criminal demands 100 billion yen in exchange for deactivating the bomb, forcing the railway workers into a desperate race against time as they struggle to prevent an explosion.

Writers: Kazuhiro Nakagawa & Norichika Oba

Cast: Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Kanata Hosoda, Non, Jun Kaname, Machiko Ono, Hana Toyoshima, Daisuke Kuroda, Satoru Matsuo, Suzuka Ohgo, Takumi Saitoh

Cine-grapher: Yusuke Ichitsubo & Keizo Suzuki

Costume Design: Daisuke Iga

Production Designer: Takuro Kato & Eri Sakushima

Producers: Kota Ishizuka, Kensei Mori & Yoshihiro Sato

Editors: Atsuki Sato & Kaori Umewaki

Director: Shinji Higuchi

Release Date: 23 April

Streaming On: Netflix

Language: Japanese (Subtitles & Dubs)

Production Location: Tokyo, Japan

Production Country: Japan

Cert: 12

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYopWaT8Sr0