She’s no Jedi. But she’s also not the only star of her 2023 Disney+ series, Ahsoka.
When Rosario Dawson brought Ahsoka Tano into live-action in The Mandalorian, her mission was made clear: she’s on the hunt for Grand Admiral Thrawn and likely Ezra Bridger as well.
Since it’s confirmed that Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren would be joining the Disney+ cast, it appears that Dave Filoni’s Ahsoka is shaping up to be a Star Wars: Rebels live-action reunion. But ever since Dawson’s Ahsoka namedropped Thrawn, the question has been who Lucasfilm will cast to play the iconic antagonist.
Despite the fact Ahsoka is currently filming, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni kept Thrawn’s casting under wraps throughout Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo.
It’ll take more than sand to stop Darth Vader. Even if he doesn’t like it.
Recent issues of Marvel’s Star Wars: Darth Vader have pitted the titular Sith Lord against the corrupt Governor Tauntaza, a Crimson Dawn operative. In starwars.com’s exclusive first look at Darth Vader #27, Tauntaza returns, seeking to eliminate everything in the path of her sandstorm-creating fortress — including her new rival. Vader, however, is more than ready…
Check out new trailers and details for Lucasfilm’s next major releases.
starwars.com Team
Today at D23 Expo 2022, Disney’s official fan event — the first since 2019 — Lucasfilm revealed new looks at several of its next releases, along with premiere dates, never-before-seen images, and more. In a special showcase led by Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, fans were treated to sneak peeks at everything from Andor to the fifth installment of Indiana Jones, with appearances from cast and creators, as well as a few surprises. There’s a lot to look forward to; see below for a rundown of all the big reveals!
Andor
Following a special in-room recap video and chat about the series, Andor star Diego Luna revealed a new trailer for the highly-anticipated show, arriving September 21 on Disney+ with a three-episode premiere.
Willow
The cast of Willow, including the titular wizard himself, Warwick Davis, gathered for a discussion about the fresh new take in the upcoming Disney+ series, with some significant reveals. Davis and company debuted the official poster and trailer — and in a surprise that delighted those in attendance, the legendary Christian Slater joined the panel, confirming his participation in Willow.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Clone Force 99 is back. Executive producer Dave Filoni confirmed that the second season of the animated series will arrive January 4, 2023, with a two-episode premiere on Disney+.
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi
Announced at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi is a six-part animated short series coming to Disney+. Dave Filoni confirmed at D23 that the series will arrive October 26, 2022, and debuted its first trailer, featuring looks at young Ahsoka Tano, an early Qui-Gon Jinn tale, and more.
Ahsoka
Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau treated fans in attendance to select early, in-production images from Ahsoka, the upcoming Disney+ series starring Rosario Dawson as the wandering former Jedi. Ahsoka is set to arrive in 2023.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Currently in production, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew will center around a group of children lost in space, and be set in the New Republic timeframe. Creators Jon Watts and Chris Ford joined Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni to present an in-room only first look at star Jude Law in the show — and also welcomed the actor onstage.
The Mandalorian
Our favorite clan of two will return! The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau, executive producer Dave Filoni, star Pedro Pascal, and more talked about the Disney+ series, premiering a teaser trailer for the long-awaited Season 3, premiering in 2023.
Indiana Jones
Grab your fedora and whip. The fifth Indiana Jones film arrives June 30, 2023, exclusively in theaters, and director James Mangold was joined by stars Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge to debut an in-room only sizzle reel.
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TAGS: ahsoka, Andor, D23, Disney+, Indiana Jones, Lucasfilm, Skeleton Crew, Star Wars: Tales Of The Jedi, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, The Mandalorian, Willow
The last time Diego Luna was seen in a Star Wars project was in Rogue One—where, by the end of the film, his character had died. When Lucasfilm announced its plans for a spin-off series chronicling Andor’s life prior to those events, there was confusion, to say the least. Why focus a whole show on him?
However, despite that initial feedback, what has been shown to the world from Andor has undoubtedly garnered a lot more excitement than many may have expected. That, on top of the intense confidence the studio seems to have regarding the show, really paints a good picture when it comes to what the quality of the piece may be.
Lucasfilm even has a two-season plan set in place, with this first season covering fives years before Rogue One and the sophomore run of episodes spanning the next four years. Its upcoming set of episodes will also be the longest season for any Star Wars Disney+ project yet.
Now, in a new interview, star Diego Luna has revealed how he actually considered leaving the role early on—and it’s likely not for the reason that one would think….
Besides Cassian and Mon Mothma, and a few cameos (see Saw Gerrera), Andor will include mostly new characters. One of them is Cassian’s childhood friend and love interest, Bix Caleen, played by Adria Arjona. Bix and Cassian are both living in his adopted homeworld, Ferrix, right before the Empire arrives. Bix has appeared in a few scenes of the trailers, but we’ve always seen her in the same setting (Ferrix), which led to speculation that she might not make it out alive of the first three episodes. Apparently, that might not be the case.
In a new interview with Collider, Arjona confirmed that her character will indeed return for the second season of the show, and said she has already discussed some details with showrunner Tony Gilroy…
Under the leadership of Star Wars guru Dave Filoni, Lucasfilm is in preparations for the latest addition to the Disney+ universe with Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka.
With this new series following up on the former Jedi’s journey from both The Clone Wars and Rebels, Lucasfilm will give fans their first live-action variations of a couple of widely popular heroes on Disney+. One of those comes with a fan-favorite Mandalorian, Sabine Wren, played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo as she and Ahsoka reunite for the first time away from the animated sphere.
Although she initially had no idea that she was auditioning for such an important role, Bordizzo prepared heavily for her introduction to the Mandoverse, with Filoni praising her work ethic and her fit in the role.
Now, Filoni has doubled down on that praise, sharing exactly why the young woman playing Sabine Wren is the right pick for the job….
John Boyega’s issues with the Star Wars franchise are well documented. The actor has previously voiced his frustration with Lucasfilm, at one point specifically noting how “they gave all the nuance to Adam Driver… [and] Daisy Ridley,” but not his own character of Finn.
Of course, that’s far from the only thing the actor has said on the record. In an Instagram post, the actor commented, “lol no thank you,” in response to a commenter who suggested another appearance in Star Wars, even further declaring that “[he’s] moved on.”
All of his negative comments regarding his time in the franchise even drew the attention of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy. According to Boyega, the two had a “really nice, transparent, honest conversation,” where she “verbally showed support.”
But as nice as that sounds, does it increase the chances the actor may return to his role of Finn at any point in the future?:…
Make your own salvage droid out of salvaged materials, based on the new character from Andor. Kelly Knox
It’s time for a new school year and new adventures! This fall also brings new Star Wars adventures in the form of Andor, an action-packed series beginning September 21 on Disney+, following the life of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hero Cassian Andor.
The Andor family owns an old and hardy droid, B2EMO, or simply Bee-two. The groundtech salvage assist unit tows scrap and salvage. Craft your own Bee-Two with the scraps in your recycling bin! Old cardboard, paint, and glue can transform into a droid with this helpful how-to. This Bee is just as useful as any droid, holding your pencils, pens, and whatever else you might want handy…
Fans of the classic Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic RPG series received some bad news recently when it was reported that the upcoming remake of the original 2003 game had been delayed indefinitely. The series’ short-term prospects have started to look up with the news that another studio has taken over the remake’s development, but the last month has been a rough ride for KOTOR devotees nonetheless.
Thankfully, Limited Run Games is forging ahead with its physical re-releases of old Star Wars gaming hits, and has opened pre-orders for Obsidian’s beloved Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, which was recently touched up by Aspyr. From now until 11:59 PM Eastern Time on October 2, 2022, you can place a pre-order for either a PC or Nintendo Switch copy of the acclaimed sequel….
The comics in the Star Wars canon often fly under the radar due to the higher profile of the films and shows. However, some of the biggest developments in the franchise have come through Marvel’s illustrated stories, including unaired episodes of The Clone Wars and a look at how Kylo Ren came to be. With the ongoing runs currently set after The Empire Strikes Back, an unforeseen resurgence of Crimson Dawn has overtaken the era.
At the forefront of the action is Qi’ra, the Emilia Clarke-portrayed lieutenant who made her shocking return in the War of the Bounty Hunters. Having stolen the frozen Han Solo as means of getting her crime syndicate back into the galactic fold, the femme fatale takes on Darth Vader and establishes a shaky alliance with Leia. As readers have come to learn, she has her hands all across the board, boasting Crimson Dawn loyalists within both the Empire and Rebellion.
War of the Bounty Hunters and Crimson Reign serve as the first two parts in Charles Soule’s trilogy of miniseries following Qi’ra. Having trained under Maul following the events of Solo, the outlaw is one of a few who knows that Emperor Palpatine is actually Darth Sidious. Her hatred for the Sith runs deep, and every move made in the previous series has been done to get Qi’ra one step closer to fulfilling her ultimate goal: destroying the Emperor….
Total Film Magazine had the chance to talk briefly with Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy about the plans for season 2, and with Diego Luna, who is over the moon about the show. In addition, the magazine also released two new images from the first season, which will debut its first three episodes September 21st on Disney Plus.
First, Gilroy reiterated what he said at Star Wars Celebration about the overall structure of the show. Andor will be two seasons, the first season covering the year 5 BBY, that is, five years before the events of Rogue One, and the second season covering the 4 years in between season 1 and the movie. As Gilroy told Total Film, the second season will be structured in blocks of three episodes, each one covering each of those four years:
“We have four blocks of three [episodes] coming up [for season 2]. And each block will move you one year closer to Rogue One. And because it’s a year [each time], we can do something really fascinating narratively that you would never have the chance to do in a film. It’s exciting.”…
Ming-Na Wen is hopeful for another season of The Book of Boba Fett, although she does not appear to have heard anything about one being in development.
At Fan Expo Boston, the actress was asked about her long career, from voice-over work in 1998’s Mulan to a leading role in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., before the conversation naturally shifted over to her work in the realm of Star Wars. Wen appeared to be optimistic about her Star Wars future, responding enthusiastically about where fans will see her next:
“Second season of The Book of Boba Fett, I hope! …I never count my chickens before they hatch, because in this business, you just never know. But, knock on wood, they’ll be announcing that soon.”
The wording on that seems ambiguous, as the statement implies that she does not know if more The Book of Boba Fett is on the horizon, though some might interpret it as a sign that they could announce another season….
L0-LA59 from Obi-Wan Kenobi, Cal Kestis’ lightsaber from Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and more have been honored. starwars.com Team
Young Leia Organa’s faithful droid from the Obi-Wan Kenobi limited series and the Jedi Knight Cal Kestis’ legacy lightsaber have been named among Star Wars products as finalists in this year’s Toy of the Year Awards!
Today, the Toy Association unveiled three Star Wars toys among this year’s top picks across 17 categories.
Action Figure of the Year: Star Wars L0-LA59 (Lola) Animatronic Edition (Hasbro)
Grown Up Toy of the Year: Cal Kestis Legacy Lightsaber Hilt (Disney Consumer Products)
Game of the Year: Star Wars Villainous Board Game (Ravensburger)
Cast your ballot now through September 2, 2022 to vote. Winners will be presented at the Toy of the Year Awards Ceremony on September 20 in Dallas, Texas….
Loth-cats, porgs, and more await aboard the Disney Wish. Jenn Fujikawa
A Loth-cat dozes in the corner, its body gently moving with every breath, while a wide-eyed porg beckons you over with its soft coos, all while Chewbacca fiddles with buttons across the room. This isn’t a scene from a movie; it’s a real life experience for kids at Star Wars: Cargo Bay on the Disney Wish — which starwars.com recently explored on the cruise ship’s christening voyage.
In Disney’s Oceaneer Club, kids ages three to 12 will get to experience Star Wars like never before by becoming animal handlers in Star Wars: Creature Challenge. They’ll get to feed and care for creatures from across the galaxy using augmented reality-enabled datapads to track and study each specimen. A simple scan on each creature’s tag will give them information and set them on a series of special assignments. As with all missions, challenges arise and Rey and Chewbacca will make an appearance to assist, channel the Force, and even rescue the ship from destruction.Walking into the space is like being on a ship within a ship. The low ceilings provide a cozy feel, just the right height for younglings but spacious enough for adults. The dark room is punched with brightly lit buttons, and wall panels become beacons for interactivity, each knob and switch begging to be pushed and pulled as if you’re on a working vessel…
Lucasfilm is currently in development on multiple new Star Wars series for Disney+, including The Acolyte. Coming from executive producer Leslye Headland, The Acolyte is set to explore the waning days of the franchise’s High Republic era as the Dark Side of the Force begins to grow stronger.
Beyond that, not much is known about the streaming show. Its assumed that the Acolyte in the title will refer to a character who follows, or is being taught, the ways of the Sith. This seems especially likely given the sinister-looking red lettering that makes up the series’ logo.
In July, however, fans got that much closer to understanding the scope of the series when Lucasfilm officially announced that The Hunger Games star Amandla Stenberg was boarding the show as its lead actor. And now, it would seem as though the studio’s list of potential stars for The Acolyte wasn’t especially lengthy.
Legendary screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan was recently a guest on Entertainment Weekly‘s Star Wars podcast Dagobah Dispatch (you can check out the episode here), to promote his documentary series Light & Magic. This is a six-part event, now available on Disney Plus, that recollects and documents the history of Industrial Light and Magic, the company that George Lucas founded back in 1975 to bring the visual effects he needed for Star Wars to life. Here are some interesting bits from the interview.
Kasdan started explaining how he was first contacted by Steven Spielberg to do the script for Raiders of the LostArk, even before he got the job for Empire StrikesBack. But then, when he handed the first draft to George Lucas, Lucas asked him to help him out on Empire — even before he read a single page of Raiders. Here’s how Kasdan explained it:
“It had taken me seven years to sell two scripts that I had written, two spec scripts. And the second one was purchased by Steven Spielberg. And the day I met Steven Spielberg, he said, ‘I’m going to do a movie with George Lucas and I want you to meet him. Are you okay with that?’ I said, ‘Yes, I’m very okay with that.’
And we walked over and we saw George, and he gave the bare bones of what Raiders would be. And I wrote Raiders before. And when I finished it after about six months, I took it to George and before he read it, he said, ‘I’m having trouble with the sequel to Star Wars. Will you help me with that?’ And I said, ‘Well, don’t you want to read the [Raiders] script first?’ And he said, ‘I’m going to read it tonight. If I don’t like it, I’m calling you up tomorrow, I’m taking back this offer.’ I thought that was perfectly fair, but he did like it. And so I found myself unexpectedly writing first Raiders and then Empire in quick succession. And I was in heaven.”…
Over at TheDIRECT, in which I feel they give the article a title that could be misinterpreted as if it was going to be critical (for what reason, I don’t know), actor John Boyega gives his opinion on the Disney+ show Obi-Wan Kenobi:
Boyega has spoken often about his time playing FN-2187/Finn in the sequel trilogy, shining a light on the positives of being part of the Star Wars universe as well as some of the negatives. Even having largely felt misutilized in the last couple of theatrical releases, there may be a chance that he returns to the role in the future, but he’s admitted that it would have to be alongside co-stars Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac.
Regardless of what his future holds in terms of playing Finn for Disney and Lucasfilm again, Boyega remains up to date with everything that Lucasfilm continues to develop within the Star Wars narrative. Recently, he even shared his thoughts on the franchise’s newest release, Obi-Wan Kenobi, giving fans his honest review of Ewan McGregor’s return to the galaxy far, far away…
Emmy nominations were announced today and Star Wars has one nomination to celebrate. Last year’s animated series of anime shorts Star Wars: Visions scored a nomination for Outstanding Short Form Animation Program. This is an animated anthology of shorts made by Japanese studios that told unconnected stories set outside of Star Wars canon, where creators were given carte blanche to turn their wildest dreams into reality.
Disney had already submitted one of the shorts, “The Village Bride”, for Oscar consideration in the category of Best Animated Short Film, though it ultimately didn’t earn a spot. Another short, “The Duel”, did get a nomination at the Annie Awards, but lost to an episode of Arcane. The series is now being recognized as a whole by the Television Academy, and will go up against Netflix’s Love, Death and Robots, HBO Max’s Robot Chicken, Amazon’s The Boys Presents: Diabolical, and Disney’s When Billie Met Lisa. The 2022 Emmys ceremony will take place on Monday, September 12.
Star Wars: Visions was received rather well by the audience and critics alike, and Lucasfilm was satisfied enough with its numbers to greenlight a second season. This was officially announced at StarWars Celebration in May 2022, where they said that Volume 2 would be released in spring 2023….
