This week, you may have heard a lot of excited screaming from Star Wars fans, as an entire galaxy’s worth of new TV shows and films were announced via a Disney investors call. There’s a heap of big news to take in – Hayden Christensen will return as Darth Vader! Ahsoka Tano will get her own show!
There were so many announcements that you’d be forgiven for missing one or two, so in the interests of getting you up to speed, we present you with a list of all the new Star Wars projects that were announced this week, as well as a few new juicy tidbits about current ones.
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
In what is definitely one of the more intriguing bits of info to come out of this, Disney has officially confirmed that Wonder Woman 1984 director Patty Jenkins will take on what she promises will be “the greatest fighter pilot movie ever.”
Per the official synopsis: “The story will introduce a new generation of starfighter pilots as they earn their wings and risk their lives in a boundary-pushing, high-speed thrill-ride, and move the saga into the future era of the galaxy.”
The film is due for release in 2023.
— Patty Jenkins (@PattyJenks) December 10, 2020
Untitled Taika Waititi Project
Very little is known about this one as yet, but it’s still very exciting to have conformation that our eccentric dad Taika Waititi will be directing a film in the Star Wars universe. Disney is keeping its cards close to its chest, but Kathleen Kennedy has promised a “fresh”, “unexpected” and humorous take on the series, and an “unforgettable ride.”
Rumour has it this one will be out in 2025 or 2027 so there’s still a while to wait, sorry folks.
A brand-new Star Wars feature with acclaimed filmmaker @TaikaWaititi is in development. Get ready for an unforgettable ride! 🌟
— Star Wars (@starwars) December 10, 2020
Rangers Of The New Republic
This upcoming series, from executive producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, will take place in the same timeline as The Mandalorian. There have been few details confirmed as yet, but Disney says the plot “will intersect with future stories and culminate into a climactic story event”.
It is expected that Gina Carano‘s character Cara Dune, who appeared in the current series of Mandalorian, will feature in this one.
Rangers of the New Republic, a new Original Series set within the timeline of @TheMandalorian, is coming to @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/EMzFuiqdOs
— Star Wars (@starwars) December 10, 2020
Ahsoka
The news that had fans really truly losing their shit was the announcement of a new Disney+ show starring Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano. The former Jedi Padawan made her live action debut in the current season of The Mandalorian, and it seems her story will continue in that timeline.
Once again, plot details are being kept to a minimum, but we’re extremely keen for this one.
Ahsoka, a new Original Series, starring @RosarioDawson and set within the timeline of @TheMandalorian, is coming to @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/jD8byvNvDP
— Star Wars (@starwars) December 10, 2020
Andor
A bit of an interesting one here, with what is being billed a prequel series to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Diego Luna will reprise his role as rebel spy Cassian Andor, while Alan Tudyk will play the role of droid K-2SO.
The series, coming to Disney+ in 2021,has been described as “a rousing spy thriller will explore tales filled with espionage and daring missions to restore hope to a galaxy in the grip of a ruthless Empire.” Stellan Skarsgård also stars.
“Everything I did, I did for the Rebellion.” Andor, an Original Series set in the Star Wars universe, is streaming in 2022 on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/q2IT2qzEeR
— Star Wars (@starwars) December 10, 2020
The Bad Batch
This animated series, a spin-off of The Clone Wars, is coming to Disney+ with a tentative release date of 2021. Per the synopsis, the show:
“… follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War. Members of Bad Batch – a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army – each possess a singular exceptional skill which makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew. In the post-Clone War era, they will take on daring mercenary missions as they struggle to stay afloat and find new purpose.”
A sneak peek at Star Wars: The Bad Batch, an all-new animated Original Series from Lucasfilm Animation, coming soon to #DisneyPlus pic.twitter.com/V0jQc4XNIe
— Star Wars (@starwars) December 10, 2020
Lando
This series, which is in the early stages of development, will centre on the galaxy’s favourite dashing scoundrel Lando Calrissian. Justin Simien is set to act as showrunner, although it’s unclear at this stage whether Donald Glover will reprise the role. Just throw some money at him and get it done, okay?
The galaxy’s favorite scoundrel, Lando Calrissian, will return in Lando, a brand-new event series for @DisneyPlus. Justin Simien (@JSim07) is in the early stages of developing the project.
— Star Wars (@starwars) December 10, 2020
Star Wars: Visions
Another one out of left-field, this project is a series of short films from some of the world’s foremost anime creators. Disney have said: “The anthology collection will bring 10 fantastic visions from several of the leading Japanese anime studios, offering a fresh and diverse cultural perspective to Star Wars.”
Star Wars: Visions, an Original Series of animated short films, celebrates the @StarWars galaxy through the lens of the world’s best Japanese anime creators. Coming in 2021 to @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/lmCZGSHEhY
— Star Wars (@starwars) December 10, 2020
The Acolyte
The Acolyte is “female-centric” Star Wars series from Leslye Headland, co-creator of Russian Doll, so you know there’s probably going to be some high-level mind-fuckery at play. Unlike the various other shows, which take place within the timeline of the movies, this one goes waaaaaaaay back.
“The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era,” reads the official synopsis. This means the show will be set roughly 350 years before The Phantom Menace, and it will be the first time this period has been explored on screen.
Leslye Headland brings a new @StarWars series to @DisneyPlus with The Acolyte. “The Acolyte” is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.
— Star Wars (@starwars) December 10, 2020
A Droid Story
Whew, they just keep coming! Lucasfilm Animation and visual effects team Industrial Light & Magic have teamed up for an animated movie for Disney+. Per the plot summary: “This epic journey will introduce us to a new hero, guided by legendary duo R2-D2 and C-3PO.”
The release date is still unknown.
Lucasfilm Animation is teaming up with Lucasfilm’s visual effects team, Industrial Light & Magic, to develop a special @StarWars adventure film for @DisneyPlus, A Droid Story. This epic journey will introduce us to a new hero guided by R2-D2 and C-3PO.
— Star Wars (@starwars) December 10, 2020
Obi-Wan Kenobi
We’ve known about this one for a while, but this week came the exciting news that prequel trilogy star Ewan McGregor will be joined by his former co-star Hayden Christensen, who’ll be playing the role of Darth Vader! The former friends-turned-rivals will “come to blows” in the show, which takes place ten years after Revenge Of The Sith.
McGregor said:
“The most beautiful thing of all is that it’s brought me back together with Hayden. It’ll be amazing to bring those characters back together again, very unexpectedly. Having another swing at each other might be quite satisfying for everybody. We hope that you enjoy it as much as we’re going to enjoy making it.”
Hayden Christensen returns as Darth Vader, joining Ewan McGregor in OBI-WAN KENOBI. The Original Series begins 10 years after the dramatic events of Revenge of the Sith, and is coming to #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/9WR2npRUkk
— Star Wars (@starwars) December 10, 2020
