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Stay on target because Star Wars Celebration is finally here, kicking off what will end up being a weekend long remembered. Fans from all corners of the galaxy converged on the Anaheim Convention Center, being some of the first to learn about some of the Star Wars universe’s best kept secrets, exciting updates, and more unforgettable moments than you can shake a gaffi stick at! Though the day was a bit wild, which included a building wide evacuation, it was a perfect way to kick off the fun at Celebration!
The fun began with the Lucasfilm Studio Showcase, bringing the latest scoop on Star Wars content yet to come across all platforms big screen and small. Let’s take a closer look into all the exciting reveals and exclusive details shared below!
Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen kicked off the festivities with a surprise visit, welcomed by a full chorus of “Duel of the Fates”, sharing with fans that they will be the first to see the new six part series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, in a special advanced screening after the con ends.
Shortly after, fans were treated to a visit from Diego Luna to discuss the new series, Andor. It was revealed the series will take place a few years before the events of Rogue One and will be split into a two-part series, with the first 12 episodes debuting with a two-episode premiere this August. Diego Luna will star in the series as Cassian Andor, the ruthless rebel operative who first appeared in Rogue One.
Curiously, Cassian is barely in the trailer for the show that shares his name. But there’s a real sense of paranoia and danger as the Empire expands. There are also fleeting glimpses of the show’s supporting cast, including Genevieve O’Reilly, Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, and Kyle Soller. Filming will begin for the second half of the series Fall Of 2022
Ahsoka was also teased, with creators Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni revealing that the show will release in 2023, with a surprise video message from Ahsoka herself, Rosario Dawson. Along with the third season of the hit show, The Mandalorian, 2023 is full of exciting new Star Wars content. The Mandalorian will bring back veteran cast members including Pedro Pascal, Carl Rivers, and Clone Wars alum, Katee Sackhoff.
A new series was teased as well, coming from the creative mind of MCU Spider-Man director Jon Watts’. Skeleton Crew, as the series was dubbed, will take place in the same time frame as The Mandalorian. While the primary story will follow young children in the Star Wars universe, a big-name actor has already signed on to headline the show: Jude Law. More details are bound to come later.
Yet, Star Wars wasn’t the only thing talked about at Celebration today, as new details were revealed for the follow up series, Willow, starring Warwick Davis.
Erin Kellyman also stars in the series as Jade, with Ellie Bamber as Dove, Ruby Cruz as Kit, and Amer Chadha-Patel as Boorman. Together, they are are on journey to rescue Kit’s brother from the forces of evil. Willow will premiere on Disney+ on November 30.
If you think Celebration is done with the exclusive reveals, you have another thing coming, as fans came together to celebrate the 90th birthday of legendary composer, John Williams. The Maestro himself paid a visit, playing hit songs from the Star Wars catalogue, as well as a fun surprise, The “Raiders March” from Indiana Jones.
To fans surprise, Harrison Ford arrived at the scene and dropped the release details for the highly anticipated, Indiana Jones 5. Teary eyed and proud, Harrison was met with cheers and thunderous applause.
Venturing into the outer rim of the convention hall, we had the chance to visit some of Celebration’s other panels, including a special behind-the-scenes look at the iconic music from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
The film celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2022, making it the perfect time to revisit the musical majesty of the maestro himself, John Williams. Lucasfilm veteran, David Collins, led the discussion and shared some little known secrets behind Williams’ creative stylings. The panel also acts as a follow up to the Collins’ panel at Star Wars Celebration Chicago 2019, in which fans got a fun look at the music of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
Royalty made an appearance as well, when Ian McDiarmid took the stage for some Q&A about his portrayal of the infamous Emperor Palpatine. While he did not give any hopes for the Emperor returning in the flesh to screens any time soon (“don’t get your hopes up,”) he did pass on some insights he’s garnered from his years with Darth Sidious:
- His ultimate goal? “Absolute power. He wants to subjugate everyone…and you can still find people like that around today.”
- Did Palpatine feign weakness in his fight with Mace Windu? “Yes. He wanted to compromise Anakin in another way and end Windu.”
- Does Palpatine eat dessert? “No. He eats Ewoks.”
Make sure to stay tuned, as we will be bringing you all the latest and greatest Star Wars news as we continue our Star Wars Celebration coverage throughout the coming days. May the Force be with you!
