Star Wars Celebration 2023 News

Makuhari Messe, Japan April 18-20.

Yep, Japan. Ugh, this was my big disappointment from this years Celebration. I totally understand it going to Japan, the rest of the world deserves to have the opportunity to attend a Star Wars Celebration, but, even knowing that and understanding it, I was still hoping it would be in Orlando, FL. If I were rich then yeah, I would totally be going to Celebration in Japan, but I’m not and because of that fact, unless I win the lotto or I get the ability to fly (like a superhero or in my own ship), then I won’t be going to Japan.

Now time for the news that came from Celebration 2023, the good, the bad, and the unsure of just yet. I’ll start with what I think would be considered the biggest of the news and then work down from there. I’ll leave it to you fanboys/fangirls to decide on which of the news is the good, the bad, and the unsure of.

First up is the announcement of there being 3 new movies that will be coming out. Now before you get all excited thinking a new trilogy is going to be given to us, it’s not, or at least from what I gather from the news, it’s not a new trilogy. Instead, these are 3 stand alone films that will each have their own stories and directors. The director of, “Logan” and the newest upcoming installment of Indiana Jones, “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”, James Mangold will give us a story that, “will go back to the dawn of the Jedi”. Hmm, sounds cool, but exactly what is their definition of the dawn of? Will it be the first person that says, hey I have this power and want to use it for good and I shall call myself a Jedi? Or, will it be set after years of many people using the force and calling themselves Jedi but are unknown as a whole until suddenly something big happens that has the group of force users calling themselves Jedi helps out and because of this they are now known throughout the galaxy, making it the dawn of the Jedi?

The second film will be directed by who many love, Dave Filoni. The man who gave us the Clone Wars and Rebels and Ahsoka, will be directing a feature length movie that will tie all his stories up. All the animated shows and live action shows will all be leading to this one film that Filoni will direct and I’m going to bet, write also.

For the third film, we will get a new movie that will feature Rey directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. This story will be after Episode 9, Rise of Skywalker, and will be about Rey trying to build a new Jedi Order. Being that all three of these are still years away from screen time and was just announced a few days ago, news and plots in detail will be very sparse for right now.

Next up in the news, which was basically something that was known was going to happen or expected, we where given confirmation on it. Thrawn! In the trailer for Ahsoka, yes, that’s going to be the next talking point after this one, but in the trailer Thrawn is shown. Granted it wasn’t much of him, just his back from the mid chest level up, but we knew that Ahsoka has been looking for him, we hear is name, and now we see his back. I really hope that he is as good on the screen in live action as he is from the books and the animation Rebels. Which, if you haven’t watched Rebels, you should, it’s a good show but it will also get you up to date on what you need to know with some of the characters that will be in Ahsoka and possibly some of the plots going on in the upcoming show.

Speaking of Ahsoka show, the first trailer for the show was given and there is a lot to unpack from that trailer. I won’t go into full detail about the breakdown of the trailer but I will hit on the highlights that makes the show look so exciting. First of these highlights are the live action shots of Hera and Sebine. Both characters from the Star Wars Rebels show by Dave Filoni who played big roles in getting the rebellion started. They also worked with Ahsoka, who went by the name of Fulcrum in the show, and helped Hera and her team with information about Imperial targets. Getting to see these characters live will be really exciting and can tie into other shows like The Mandalorian, which had a Rebels cameo already. We also got a shot of the droid, Chopper in the trailer, another Rebels character.

One of the cool things that look to be a location in the trailer, is a possible Jedi temple. It was in ruins but still, it looks like it could a old temple. Then again, what if it was a old Sith temple? Why would I say it could be a Sith temple? Because, we see 2 new characters that are using orange lightsabers. Could these be new Sith, a different faction of the Inquisitors, or a whole different of Force users? One of these new characters goes by Baylan Skoll, he is clad in black and has the orange lightsaber and faces off again Ahsoka in a room that looks like the World between Worlds in Rebels, but, well, maybe it’s a star map room.

The other is one named Shin who is storming a new Republic ship but does that make her a Sith? She also has an orange lightsaber so she could be working with Byalan Skoll or a part of the same order of whatever faction he is a part of but what reason would she have to storm the ship? Maybe looking for Ahsoka or just attacking the New Republic?

Another lighsaber user fighting Ahsoka is what looks like a Inquisitor. It looks like it could be the 8^th brother but hmm.

And lastly is the droid Huyang who is from the Clone Wars show. This droid helped the younglings get their lightsabers, so, wonder why and how he is able to be in this trailer and what he plans on doing?