Star Wars Celebration 2023 day 2 is officially starting in London, and we’re curious how today’s panels will compare to yesterday’s HUGE news. Host Chris Hughes is handling the first panel of the day, which will highlight upcoming “Star Wars” series “Ahsoka.”
We’ll be updating live, so follow along!
If you missed the official teaser reveal from yesterday, you can check that out here.
Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau are in the house! “I knew part of Dave’s plan as he started dipping his toe in live-action…was bringing his characters to live-action,” Favreau says.
Filoni shares the original designs of Ahsoka Tano while discussing the process of bringing animated characters to live action.
Rosario Dawson, who plays Ahsoka Tano, has come on stage with C1-10P, aka Chopper!
Dawson says she’s thankful for “the work” original voice actress Ashley Eckstein did building the Ahsoka character in the animated series. While speaking about Thrawn, Dawson said “[Ahsoka] recognizes a threat that no one else is seeing” in the Chiss.
“Makeup technology has improved” since we first saw the character enter the live-action world. Apparently, the star of the show used to spend an hour and a half to two hours in the makeup chair now, when it was originally 3. Filoni and Dawson say they “heard” fans’ comments about the length of Ahsoka’s Lekku.
“I don’t think it would be possible to do this show if it wasn’t for having Dave on set every single day,” Dawson says of working with Filoni, who admits he’s taken Ahsoka’s lightsabers home. Favreau says he just takes his drawings.
Natasha Liu Bordizzo and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who play Sabine Wren and Hera Syndulla, have joined the stage.
Winstead, who’s married to “Star Wars” alum Ewan McGregor, prepared for the role by watching all of “Rebels.”
A new photo of Sabine in her armor is shared!
That was indeed David Tennant as Huyang in the teaser!
Apparently, that epic fight between Ahsoka and Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) from “The Mandalorian” took more than 17 hours to film. George Lucas was on set for it. Inosanto says we’ll get more backstory for Morgan Elsbeth, and her loyalty to “Grand Admiral Thrawn.” *gasp* Does that mean…we get our casting reveal?!
Ray Stevenson (“Rome,” “Thor“) will play villain Baylan Skoll. We saw him welding a red lightsaber and looking every bit a Sith lord in yesterday’s teaser. “Everything’s a spoiler from here on,” Filoni jokes. Ivanna Sakhno will play Force-sensitive villain Shin Hati.
The lineup of directors for the series was revealed, including Filoni, Steph Green, Peter Ramsey, Jennifer Gerstenblatt, Geeta Patel, and Rick Famuyiwa. It will be 8 episodes.
Kevin Kiner, who scored “Star Wars The Clone Wars” animated series has been named as series composer! He also has done “The Bad Batch,” and “Tales of the Jedi.
And, drumroll please…
Lars Mikkelsen IS playing Grand Admiral Thrawn! Mikkelsen says he’s never been on a set with so much passion, “He doesn’t have the Force and it doesn’t matter. He will outsmart you.” Filoni describes Thrawn as like Moriarty. “He doesn’t have the force but it doesn’t matter,” Filoni says.
When asked what makes Thrawn so compelling, Filoni responded it “all starts with Tim Zahn‘s books.”
There was another trailer shown, but this one probably won’t be seen for a few months.
Annnnd thats a wrap on the panel! Reminder that “Ahsoka” will hit Disney+ sometime in August of 2023.
