Star Wars Celebration Wrap-Up/Summary

Lucasfilm’s Disney+ Original Series—Both Live-Action and Animated—

Took Center Stage at Weekend Convention  

New Details Revealed about the Return of ‘Star Wars’ to the Big Screen  

STAR WARS Celebration concluded its weekend long run at ExCel London Convention Center Monday after four exciting days that saw Lucasfilm shock and surprise fans with major announcements about upcoming theatrical releases. Additionally, the company revealed early looks at some of its most highly anticipated productions, including this August’s Disney+ original series “Star Wars: Ahsoka,” and showcased a robust slate of exciting animated projects. 

 

Highlights from Disney+ Original Live Action Series 

The cast and creators of the highly acclaimed Disney+ original series “Star Wars: Andor” were on hand to treat fans to an exclusive first look at the second and final season, which is currently in production and chronicles the next steps in Andor’s journey as he fights to assemble a fledgling resistance. Kathleen Kennedy, Tony Gilroy, Sanne Wohlenberg, Diego Luna and Luke Hull are executive producing the upcoming season, which stars Luna, Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, Genevieve O’Reilly, Andy Serkis, Muhannad Bahair and Joplin Sibtain 

 

Leslye Headland, creator and showrunner of “Star Wars: The Acolyte,” received a warm Celebration welcome as she and the cast shared a sneak peek at the new mystery-thriller coming exclusively to Disney+ in 2024. “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 with the story of former Padawan who reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes but discovers the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated. 

 

“The Acolyte” stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Carrie-Anne Moss, Margarita Levieva and Joonas Suotamo. In addition to writing and directing, Headland serves as an executive producer with Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King and Jason Micallef. Rayne Roberts and Damian Anderson produce. 

 

“Star Wars: The Mandalorian” series creators Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, along with executive producer Rick Famuyiwa and stars Giancarlo Esposito, Katee Sackhoff, Carl Weathers and Emily Swallow, treated fans to a special sneak-peek screening of Episode 7, “The Spies,” that took place Friday evening. Favreau, Filoni and members of the cast introduced the screening. 

 

In “The Mandalorian” Season 3, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), once a lone bounty hunter, has reunited with Grogu. Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian crosses paths with old allies and makes new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together. Directors for the series include Famuyiwa, Rachel Morrison, Lee Isaac Chung, Carl Weathers, Peter Ramsey and Bryce Dallas Howard. Favreau is the head writer and executive produces along with Filoni, Famuyiwa, Kennedy and Colin Wilson. Co-executive producers are Karen Gilchrist and Carrie Beck. 

 

Jude Law, star of the upcoming Disney+ original series “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,” and three of his young co-stars, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Kyriana Kratter and Robert Timothy Smith, shared a sneak peak of the series, which is currently in production. “Skeleton Crew” 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. 

 

The series stars Law, Cabot-Conyers, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kratter, Smith, Tunde Adebimpe and Kerry Condon. Jon Watts and Christopher Ford are showrunners and executive produce along with Favreau, Filoni, Kennedy and Wilson. Chris Buongiomo, Gilchrist and Beck serve as co-executive producers. John Bartnicki and Susan McNamara are producers. Directors include Watts, David Lowery, the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Jake Schreier, Bryce Dallas Howard and Lee Isaac Chung. “Skeleton Crew” will stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2023. 

 

The subject of two separate panels, this August’s highly anticipated “Star Wars” series “Ahsoka,” starring Rosario Dawson in the title role, delighted fans with a new trailer and poster and unveiled new cast and directors for the series over the course of the two sessions. Set after the fall of the Empire, “Ahsoka” follows the former Jedi knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy. The series stars Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla, Diana Lee Inosanto as Morgan Elsbeth, Ivanna Sakhno as Shin Hati, Ray Stevenson as Baylan Skoll, David Tennant as Huyang, Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn, with Eman Esfandi appearing as Ezra Bridger. Kevin Kiner was announced as the series’ composer. 

 

“Ahoska” is written by executive producer Filoni, alongside executive producers Favreau, Kennedy, Wilson, and Beck. Gilchrist is co-executive producer. The series’ directors include Filoni, Steph Green, Peter Ramsey, Jennifer Getzinger, Geeta Vasant Patel and Rick Famuyiwa. 

 

Three New Feature Films Announced 

Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy revealed plans for three new theatrical films that take place throughout the “Star Wars” timeline. “Star Wars” will head into the future, with a new film directed by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy set 15 years after the last events of the Skywalker Saga. The film will star Daisy Ridley reprising her beloved role as Rey and tells the story of rebuilding the New Jedi Order and the powers that rise to tear it down. 

 

James Mangold will take audiences deep into the past, telling the tale of the first Jedi to wield the Force and harness it as a liberating power in an era of chaos and oppression. 

 

Expanding upon “Star Wars” storytelling in the present, Dave Filoni will orchestrate the escalating war between the Imperial Remnant and the fledgling New Republic. Alongside producer Jon Favreau, they will bring together many of the threads of the “Star Wars” original series in a cinematic event. 

 

Rounding out the theatrical announcements, stars and filmmakers of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” shared a never-before-seen trailer, an extensive look at the film and a brand new poster. The film, which will be Harrison Ford’s final Indiana Jones adventure, premieres at the Cannes Film Festival on May 18 and opens in theaters on June 30. 

 

In Lucasfilm’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” Harrison Ford returns as the legendary hero archaeologist, starring along with Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”), Antonio Banderas (“Pain and Glory”), John Rhys-Davies (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”), Toby Jones (“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”), Boyd Holbrook (“Logan”), Ethann Isidore (“Mortel”) and Mads Mikkelsen (“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”). Directed by Mangold, the film is produced by Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Simon Emanuel, with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas serving as executive producers. John Williams, who has scored each Indy adventure since the original “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in 1981, has once again composed the score. 

 

Animation Series & Shorts, exclusively for Disney+ 

Fans of all ages attended a special screening of “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures,” hosted by Krystina Arielle, with executive producer James Waugh, showrunner Michael Olsen and star Dee Bradley Baker, the voice of a youngling named Nubs, on hand to introduce two episodes of the new series, which debuts on Disney+ and Disney Junior, where available, on May 4th. 

 

Set 200 years before “The Phantom Menace,” during the High Republic era, the animated series follows Jedi younglings as they study the ways of the Force, explore the galaxy, help citizens and creatures in need and learn valuable skills needed to become Jedi along the way. Produced by Lucasfilm in collaboration with Wild Canary for Disney+ and Disney Junior, “Young Jedi Adventures” is executive produced by Lucasfilm’s James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez and Josh Rimes. Michael Olson (“Puppy Dog Pals”) is showrunner and executive producer. 

 

“Young Jedi Adventures” stars Jamaal Avery, Jr. as Kai Brightstar, Juliet Donenfeld as Lys Solay, Dee Bradley Baker as Nubs, Emma Berman as Nash Durango, Jonathan Lipow as RJ-83, Piotr Michael as Master Yoda, Trey Murphy as Taborr Val Dorn and Nasim Pedrad as Master Zia. 

 

During a celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Emmy® award winning series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” executive producer Dave Filoni, announced that he had so much fun creating the first season of “Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi,” a second season is currently in production and is set to arrive in 2024.

 

“Star Wars: The Bad Batch” executive producer and supervising director Brad Rau, executive producer and head writer Jennifer Corbett, VP Animation Lucasfilm Animation Athena Portillo, and actors Dee Bradley Baker and Michelle Ang were on hand to discuss highlights from the second season as the Bad Batch continued their journey navigating the aftermath of Order 66 and the rise of the Empire. Fans were treated to a special Season 3 teaser, sharing a sneak peek at what is to come in the final season, including the return of Ming-Na Wen’s fan-favorite bounty hunter, Fennec Shand. Season 3 will premiere in 2024.

 

The “Star Wars: Visions” Volume 2 panel was filled with an abundance of reveals ahead of the series’ May 4th release– including first story details for all nine shorts, casting, the trailer and key art. 

 

Executive producers of the Emmy®-nominated series, Josh Rimes, James Waugh and Jacqui Lopez discussed the success of the show’s first season and how Volume 2 will continue to push the boundaries of “Star Wars” storytelling, with nine new shorts from nine studios from around the globe, employing the most captivating animation styles from a variety of countries and cultures and offering a dynamic new perspective on the storied mythos of “Star Wars.” 

 

Along with the debut of the trailer and key art, filmmakers from each studio shared how they incorporated their country’s history and culture into their stories and created original characters that fit into the “Star Wars” galaxy. Fans were then treated to a surprise early screening of Aardman’s short “I Am Your Mother.” 

 

“Star Wars: Visions” Volume 2 includes El Guiri’s “Sith,” Cartoon’s Saloon’s “Screecher’s Reach,” Punkrobot’s “In the Stars,” Aardman’s “I Am Your Mother,” Studio Mir’s “Journey to the Dark Head,” Studio La Cachette’s “The Spy Dancer,” 88 Pictures’ “The Bandits of Golak,” D’ART Shtajio, with Lucasfilm’s “The Pit,” and Triggerfish’s “Aau’s Song.” 

 

More information about all the announcements out of Star Wars Celebration can be found at StarWars.com.