Star Wars Celebration 2023 kicks off in London this weekend, and the opening day event this morning featured a whole bunch of reveals including the announcement of three new films, a new trailer for Ahsoka, and plenty more details regarding the future of the Star Wars universe.
Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy unveiled that three feature films are currently in development that will explore the past, present, and future of Star Wars. The first film will take place 15 years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and will see the return of Daisy Ridley as Ray. Directed by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, the film will tell the story of rebuilding the New Jedi Order and the powers that rise to tear it down. James Mangold was revealed to be the director of a film that will take Star Wars into the past, exploring the first Jedi to wield the Force and harness it as a liberating power in an era of chaos and oppression. As for the present, Dave Filoni has been tapped with bringing together many of the current threads in the Star Wars universe such as The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, etc. to show the escalating war between the Imperial Remnant and the fledgling New Republic.
Speaking of Ahsoka, a new trailer debuted during Celebration giving fans the first look at Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren and Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla. The trailer also revealed the series’ villain, Grand Admiral Thrawn, although who is playing him is still being kept under wraps. Ahsoka will stream on Disney+ in August 2023. Check out the trailer below:
More details were also given for upcoming Disney+ series Star Wars: The Acolyte and Skeleton Crew. The Acolyte is being described as “Frozen meets Kill Bill” and will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era where 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. Amandla Stenberg is playing the Padawan with Lee Jung-jae playing her Jedi Master. In addition, Chewbacca actor Joonas Suotamo has been cast as a Wookie Jedi named Kelnacca. The Acolyte will be released on Disney+ in 2024.
Joining Jude Law as part of the cast of Skeleton Crew are Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Kyriana Kratter, Robert Timothy Smith, and Ryan Kiera Armstrong. 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—will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined. Jon Watts, Christopher Ford, David Lowery, the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard and Lee Isaac Chung have all been confirmed to direct episodes. Skeleton Crew will be released on Disney+ in 2023.
Star Wars Celebration runs through the rest of the weekend. Be sure to head over to the official Star Wars YouTube page to watch LIVE and catch up on all previous announcements and reveals.
