May 28, 2022

'Star Wars' Celebration Ends With New Trailers, Casting Announcements, And More!

DISNEY+ shares photos from MANDO+ STAR WARS CELEBRATION panel. There was also an Ahsoka cast announcement, sneak peeks, and special guests.

Disney+ shared photos from Mando+: A Conversation with Jon Favreau & Dave Filoni, a STAR WARS CELEBRATION panel that was moderated by Ash Crossan, host of Screenrant. Favreau and Filoni were joined by Pedro Pascal, Brendan Wayne, Lateef Crowder, Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, Carl Weathers, Temuera Morrison, Katee Sackhoff, Rick Famuyiwa, Rosario Dawson, and Natasha Liu Bordizzo, with special guests Grogu from The Mandalorian and Chopper, a very special droid that will be featured in Ahsoka. This was Grogu’s and Chopper’s first STAR WARS CELEBRATION appearance.

Natasha Liu Bordizzo was announced as joining the cast of Ahsoka as fan-favorite character Sabine Wren, and fans were treated to early footage from the series, which stars Rosario Dawson. In addition to his directing duties, it was announced that Rick Famuyiwa will also executive produce The Mandalorian, Season 3. The enthusiastic audience was also shown an extended sneak peek of the upcoming season.

Both Ahsoka and The Mandalorian, Season 3 will stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2023.

Disney+ also debuted the teaser trailer for season 2 of STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH at STAR WARS CELEBRATION! The second season is streaming exclusively on Disney+ this fall.

Disney+ released the teaser trailer and logo for STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH, Season 2, which was featured today at Star Wars Celebration in a panel that included filmmakers Brad Rau, supervising director/executive producer; Jennifer Corbett, head writer/executive producer; and Matt Michnovetz, story editor. They were joined by actors Dee Bradley Baker, who voices all the Bad Batch characters, and Michelle Ang, the voice of Omega.

Months have passed since the events on Kamino and the Bad Batch continue their journey navigating the Empire after the fall of the Republic. They will cross paths with friends and foes, both new and familiar, as they take on a variety of thrilling mercenary missions that will take them to unexpected and dangerous new places. The second season of STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH consists of 16 episodes, and is set to premiere this fall exclusively on Disney+.

For even more announcements from STAR WARS CELEBRATION, click here.

The fun and excitement continued for fans over the long weekend at STAR WARS CELEBRATION in Anaheim, where Lucasfilm unveiled two new animated series, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi and Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, and a new special, LEGO® Star Wars Summer Vacation. Lucasfilm also announced that the animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch will return this Fall and Star Wars: Visions will return in 2023.

Mando+: A Conversation with Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni shone a spotlight on The Mandalorian and Ahsoka with cast appearances and announcements, and the Light & Magic panel gave fans an informative look at the new documentary about Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light & Magic.

One of the highlights of STAR WARS CELEBRATION was the surprise premiere of Obi-Wan Kenobi last Thursday night, attended by stars Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Moses Ingram, Bonnie Piesse, Rupert Friend, Indira Varma, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Simone Kessell, Benny Safdie, Jimmy Smits, and Vivien Lyra Blair. Director/executive producer Deborah Chow and executive producers Michelle Rejwan and Joby Harold were also in attendance for the event, which featured the first two episodes of the highly anticipated limited series.

Now streaming exclusively on Disney+, Obi-Wan Kenobi is the most-watched Disney+ Original series premiere globally to date, based on hours streamed in an opening weekend. Additionally, immediately following the Obi-Wan Kenobi series premiere launch, Star Wars title viewership on Disney+ tripled in hours-watched during opening weekend. In celebration of the launch, a new character poster is now available.

LIGHT & MAGIC

ABC News’ Chris Connelly played host to filmmakers Lawrence Kasdan and Ron Howard, alongside VFX luminaries Joe Johnston, Phil Tippett, Dennis Muren, Rose Duignan, and Lynwen Brennan as they engaged in a spirited and informative conversation about the groundbreaking history of Industrial Light & Magic, featured in the upcoming six-part documentary series.

Granted unparalleled access, Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan takes viewers on an adventure behind the curtains of Industrial Light & Magic, the special visual effects, animation and virtual production division of Lucasfilm. Learn what inspired some of the most legendary filmmakers in Hollywood history, and follow their stories from their earliest personal films to bringing George Lucas’ vision to life.

Imagine Documentaries is producing the series, which Lawrence Kasdan directs. The executive producers are Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Justin Wilkes, Lawrence Kasdan, Kathleen Kennedy, and Michelle Rejwan.

All episodes of Light & Magic premiere on July 27, exclusively on Disney+.

Getty images for Disney

LEGO® STAR WARS SUMMER VACATION

The Summer of LEGO Star Wars panelists Jill Wilfert, Jason Cosler, and Jens Kronvold Frederiksen of LEGO, and Douglas Reilly, Josh Rimes, Leland Chee, David Shayne and Chris Gollaher of Lucasfilm, who represented Consumer Products, Games and Animation, were led in a panel discussion by host Yvette Nicole Brown. The presentation showcased an exciting array of new LEGO products bound to keep everyone busy this summer.

During the panel, LEGO® Star Wars Summer Vacation, an all-new animated special, was announced. Premiering August 5, 2022, exclusively on Disney+, the special stars “Weird Al” Yankovic and the panel’s host Yvette Nicole Brown, and other returning cast members from previous LEGO® Star Wars specials. The crowd was delighted to receive LEGO® Star Wars Summer Vacation beach balls to carry home.

Following the success of The LEGO® Star Wars Holiday Special in 2020 and LEGO® Star Wars Terrifying Tales in 2021, the popular signature branded cross-saga storytelling continues with this seasonal special. LEGO® Star Wars Summer Vacation is set shortly after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Looking for a much-needed break from stormtroopers and TIE fighters, Finn arranges a surprise vacation for his friends Rey, Poe, Rose, Chewie, BB-8, R2-D2, and C-3PO, aboard the ultra-luxurious Galactic Starcruiser, the Halcyon. But Finn’s plan to have one last hurrah together quickly goes awry when he’s separated from the group.

David Shayne is writer and executive producer, and the director is Ken Cunningham. James Waugh, Josh Rimes, Jacqui Lopez, Jill Wilfert, Keith Malone, Jennifer Twiner Mccarron, and Jason Cosler are executive producers. Produced in collaboration with Atomic Cartoons.

(L to R) Hayden Christensen, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Ewan McGregor / Getty images for Disney

STAR WARS: YOUNG JEDI ADVENTURES

Host Anthony Carboni led panelists executive producer James Waugh, supervising director Elliot Bour, executive producer/showrunner Michael Olson and consulting producer Lamont Magee in a discussion of Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures.

Set during The High Republic era, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures will follow Younglings as they learn valuable skills needed to study the ways of the Force and become Jedi: compassion, self-discipline, teamwork, patience, and friendship. The series is set to premiere Spring 2023 on Disney+ and Disney Junior

STAR WARS: TALES OF THE JEDI

Host Amy Radcliffe conversed with special guest Dave Filoni who announced that “Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi,” an anthology of six, all-new, animated shorts, will premiere Fall 2022, exclusively on Disney+. Filoni told the audience that the anthology will feature Jedi from the prequel era, including Ahsoka and Count Dooku. To the audience’s delight, Filoni showed a teaser trailer and the premiere short in the series, showcasing a very young Ahsoka Tano and her mother. Janina Gavankar, who voices Ahsoka’s mother in the short, made an appearance and joined the discussion.

A LOOK BACK AT STAR WARS: VISIONS

Team members from Lucasfilm and Qubic Pictures took the stage before an audience of excited anime fans to discuss Star Wars: Visions. Hosted by longtime anime and Star Wars fan Chastity Vicencio, panelists James Waugh, Josh Rimes, Jacqui Lopez and Justin Leach shared highlights from the production of the first season and talked about working with Kamikaze Douga, Studio Colorido, Geno Studio, TRIGGER, Kinema citrus Co., Production I.G, and Science SARU to bring Star Wars: Visions to life.

The fans were treated to never-before-seen concept artwork, but that was just the beginning. English language dub actors Hiromi Dames, Andrew Kishino, Keone Young, Christopher Sean, Bobby Moynihan, and Brian Tee made surprise appearances, and then, via a map on-screen with regions highlighted, the panel also announced that Volume 2 of the celebrated animated shorts anthology will showcase various animation styles and talents from countries around the world, including studios from Japan, India, U.K., Ireland, Spain, Chile, France, South Africa and the United States (California).

The panel attendees also watched a very special thank-you video recorded just for Star Wars Celebration by the Japanese studios who created Visions.

Star Wars: Visions stretches beyond any one form of animation and serves as a broader framework for celebratory expressions of Star Wars storytelling. Volume 2 will showcase that potential as the shorts go on a global tour, celebrating the incredible animation happening across countries and cultures, through the mythos of Star Wars.

The new season of Star Wars: Visions launches exclusively on Disney+ Spring 2023.

ABOUT DISNEY+

Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The Simpsons and much more. In select international markets, it also includes the new general entertainment content brand, Star. The flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ is part of the Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution segment. The service offers commercial-free streaming alongside an ever-growing collection of exclusive originals, including feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series, and short-form content. With unprecedented access to Disney’s long history of incredible film and television entertainment, Disney+ is also the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as a standalone streaming service or as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected TV devices.