Following her live-action debut in the Star Wars universe, the Ahsoka Disney+ series is coming with Rosario Dawson playing the titular lead. The Togruta Jedi Ahsoka Tano was Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan during the Clone Wars and has been a key figure in the animated Star Wars TV shows, first appearing in the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Fans not familiar with the animated side of Star Wars were likely first introduced to Ahsoka in The Mandalorian season 2 where she appeared in the episode, “The Jedi.” With that successful live-action debut, Ahsoka is ready for her own Disney+ show.
Ahsoka was Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan, and one of the few Jedi to survive Palpatine’s Order 66. In The Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tano met Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu and helped Grogu connect with his inner Jedi. This came full circle when Rosario Dawson’s live-action Ahsoka appeared in The Book Of Boba Fett, training Grogu along with Luke Skywalker before Grogu decided to return to Din. While The Mandalorian season 3 is the next Star Wars adventure, there are plenty of exciting developments with the Ahsoka Disney+ show.
Ahsoka Latest News
The biggest news from the Ahsoka Disney+ show in recent months is another exciting casting announcement for the series. Eman Esfandi has signed on to play yet another fan-favorite role from Star Wars: Rebels as Ezra Bridger (via The Hollywood Reporter). Yet another character from the animated world of Star Wars coming to live-action is exciting enough, but Ezra’s inclusion in the show also hints at aspects of the storyline. Beyond the casting, the arrival of The Mandalorian season 3 suggests the possibility of Ahsoka making another appearance, but there is no confirmation.
Ahsoka Release Date
The Ahsoka Disney+ series is on its way and is set to premiere late in 2023. When Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy appeared at Disney Investor Day 2020 to talk about the future of Star Wars and other projects in development from the studio, she discussed 10 new projects based on Star Wars alone. While Ahsoka was announced alongside shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Acolyte, no official release date was confirmed. Jon Favreau recently confirmed the show was in post-production.
Ahsoka Cast
Of all the details surrounding the Ahsoka Disney+ show, it’s the cast that’s been revealed with the most detail. Rosario Dawson was of course confirmed as Ahsoka and there’s been a steady stream of castings revealed. Natasha Liu Bordizzo will play Sabine Wren from Star Wars Rebels, and Hayden Christensen is reprising his role as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. In what capacity Ahsoka’s former master appears is unknown. Christensen could only be appearing in flashbacks, or he could have a more direct role similar to Obi-Wan Kenobi despite being dead (an Anakin Skywalker Force Ghost isn’t an impossibility, after all).
Ray Stevenson has been cast as an unnamed villain who’s an Imperial Admiral, although there’s a lot of speculation around Grand Admiral Thrawn, reports suggest Stevenson will not be filling that role. Stevenson voiced Gar Saxon, a Mandalorian and Imperial Commando, in Star Wars Rebels, although since Saxon died in that show, it’s unlikely he’ll return here. Ivanna Sakhno and Mary Elizabeth Winstead are also involved in undisclosed Ahsoka roles. The latest casting news suggests more connections with Star Wars: Rebels with Eman Esfandi taking the role of Ezra Bridger. Ezra was last seen in Rebels jumping into hyperspace aboard Thrawn’s ship, hinting at why Ahsoka is searching for Thrawn.
Ahsoka Story Details
It’s worth noting that the Ahsoka Disney+ series was long-rumored before Ahsoka’s The Mandalorian appearance. Given her extensive history as a survivor of the Clone Wars and Order 66, and living through the entire Galactic Civil War, there was a lot the show could tackle. However, it’s now known that, as expected, Ahsoka will be set around the same time as Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett and will likely take place after The Mandalorian season 3 in the Star Wars timeline, as the Disney+ Star Wars shows set after Return of the Jedi have all followed on from one another (aside from Andor).
Ahsoka will also feature characters from the animated series Star Wars Rebels, including Hera, Zeb, and the Ghost’s trusted droid, Chopper, as they continue their endeavor to locate the missing Ezra Bridger. This tracks, given that the last chronological appearance of Ahsoka before she encountered Din and Grogu in The Mandalorian was on Star Wars Rebels. Plus, since Ahsoka herself was a character that started in an animated show but found her way to live-action, using Ahsoka as a vehicle for Star Wars Rebels characters to do the same makes sense.
Ahsoka Tano’s Star Wars Rebels link also feeds into the other reason many fans are notably excited by Ahsoka. Her The Mandalorian appearance confirmed she is hunting for Grand Admiral Thrawn, who jumped to hyperspace with Ezra at the end of Star Wars Rebels. Since Ahsoka will be set around the same time as The Mandalorian, its narrative will more likely revolve around her pursuit of the infamous Chiss tactician. Perhaps no character from the Star Wars Legends lore has been demanded for a live-action canon appearance more than Thrawn, and carrying on his and Ahsoka’s rivalry from Rebels has huge implications for Star Wars.
