Right now, a lot of the Star Wars universe stories are being told in the series on Disney+, and Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 (SWCE 2023) offered updates on Andor, Skeleton Crew, Tales of the Jedi, and more.
Here is the rundown of what we’ve learned…but first, a recap of the panel from Lucasfilm:
The Acolyte
The Acolyte will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.
A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes but discovers the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy was joined onstage by show creator and showrunner Leslye Headland, along with stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, and Dean-Charles Chapman.
We learned that Star Wars veteran Joonas Suotamo, who played Chewbacca in the last Star Wars trilogy (Episodes VII-IX), as well as Solo: A Star Wars Story, will be joining The Acolyte as a Wookiee Jedi Master named Kelnacca.
“I’m so beyond excited,” Suotamo said,” because ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a Jedi.”
Headland named her inspirations for the series as samurai and martial arts films, with a focus on relationships, from master and apprentice to siblings. “We went back to a lot of films that inspired George [Lucas],” she said.
The audience then got a sneak peek at the series, which also stars Carrie-Anne Moss and Margarita Levieva and is currently in production for a 2024 release on Disney+.
It began with younglings in a meditative exercise, as Lee Jung-jae’s Jedi offers words of wisdom: “Close your eyes. Your eyes can deceive you. We must not trust them. The Force is powerful. It is power we must respect.” Mysterious imagery and fast-moving combat filled the clip, including a battle between Moss’ Jedi character and a blade-wielding assailant, and it ended with several Jedi igniting their lightsabers before an unseen foe.
In a separate panel on the High Republic era, it was revealed that Vernestra Rwoh, a precocious young Jedi Knight who once apprenticed to Stellan Gios in the High Republic books and comics, would be appearing in The Acolyte, played by Rebecca Henderson (Russian Doll).
Ahsoka
Not only did the teaser trailer for Ahsoka debut at SWCE 2023, but in a separate panel for the show, it was confirmed that Lars Mikkelsen, who voiced Grand Admiral Thrawn in the Star Wars Rebels series, would be reprising the role for Ahsoka in person.
Also reprising his character from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, David Tennant will voice the droid Huyang.
The list of directors for the series was also confirmed to include Dave Filoni, Steph Green (Watchmen), Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Mandalorian), Jennifer Getzinger (Westworld, Jessica Jones), Geeta Patel (House of the Dragon) and Rick Famuyiwa (The Mandalorian).
The eight-episode season one will debut on Disney+ in August 2023.
Andor
Andor creator Tony Gilroy was joined onstage by the majority of the show’s cast including Diego Luna, Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, Genevieve O’Reilly, Andy Serkis, Muhannad Bahair, and Joplin Sibtain, who was accompanied by droid B2EMO.
They talked about the first season, and then the audience was treated to a short peek at the upcoming second season, which was met with enthusiastic cheers.
“We started shooting in November. We’re halfway. We will finish shooting in August, a year on post, and we’ll come out in the following August,” Gilroy said.
That puts the return of Andor on Disney+ in August 2024.
The Mandalorian
No news was revealed about The Mandalorian, which is currently airing season 3 on Disney+, but the series’ executive producers, Disney Legend Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, along with fellow executive producer Rick Famuyiwa, were joined onstage by most of the cast including Giancarlo Esposito, Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers, and Emily Swallow to discuss the show.
The executive producers discussed the impact of working together and with other creators across series. “There are so many exciting things from different points of view,” Filoni said. “And that’s making Star Wars stronger.”
Pedro Pascal appeared via a video greeting, and the audience saw a clip of next week’s episode. Sackhoff then filmed a greeting for the show’s fans:
Skeleton Crew
Skeleton Crew star Jude Law took to the stage to officially introduce his young co-stars Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Kyriana Kratter, and Robert Timothy Smith. The series also stars Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Tunde Adebimpe, and Kerry Condon who were unable to attend.
“I was like six years old when this galaxy gripped me,” Law said. “I’ve been in preparation ever since.”
The series follows the journey of four kids who make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Finding their way home, and meeting unlikely allies and enemies along the way, will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.
Kennedy said that the approach to the series is similar to the tone of ‘80s Amblin movies (like The Goonies) — Skeleton Crew may star kids, but it’s not just for kids.
Episode directors for the series include Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, David Lowery, Oscar-winners the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Lee Isaac Chung.
Skeleton Crew, set in the post-Return of the Jedi time period, will stream on Disney+ later in 2023.
Tales of the Jedi
At the end of a panel celebrating the 15th anniversary of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, creator Dave Filoni dropped the announcement that Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi will return for a second season on Disney+.
“Tales of the Jedi was so fun the first time, I decided to do some more,” he said.
The first season of the animated series debuted October 22, 2022, and featured six episodes, with a split focus on Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku. No word on the who the second season will spotlight or when it will air.
Which of these Star Wars series are you looking forward to seeing? Let us know in the comments.
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