Ahsoka fans have been left with mixed feelings after the Star Wars spinoff series confirmed a new castmate, with Rory McCann set to replace the late Ray Stevenson in the role of Baylan Skoll. 

Stevenson died in May 2023 after suffering a brief illness and was beloved by Ahsoka fans, for his resonant voice, gravitas, and complex portrayal of a conflicted Force-using villain that isn’t a lightning-spewing cackling space wizard. Stevenson was known Punisher: War Zone, Rome, Dexter and Thor, while McCann is known for his roles in Game of Thrones, Hot Fuzz and, more recently, Gladiator II. 

Stevenson and McCann were friends, with the former actor’s wife giving her blessing for McCann to inherit the role. McCann has a few months to prepare for the role, with season two of Ahsoka going into production in May. In the meantime, fans have reacted to the recasting in anticipation of McCann’s arrival in the series, with the sentiment seeming largely positive. “Oh, let’s gooo,” one fan quipped on X, with another adding that McCann “stole the show on Game of Thrones” and describing it as “fantastic casting” on the part of production company, Lucasfilm. 

“He will do great,” a third user declared, while others agreed that McCann is “a solid replacement” for Stevenson and “will do the role justice.” Elsewhere, fans said that while it’ll be “tough shoes to fill,” McCann is “a fantastic actor” who is “made for these types of roles” and whose casting “was the right decision for the story.” Even beyond the simple recasting, fans reacted positively to continue on with the character of Baylan Skoll rather than writing him off, since the former Jedi is “way too interesting” and there has been “too much lore set up” within season one of Ahsoka. 

“Rory McCann will fit in the role,” another user wrote, “he’s a good actor.” As far as recastings go, Stevenson’s replacement has been received far more welcomingly among fans than some other titles. In Game of Thrones, for example, the replacement of Ed Skrein with Michael Huisman in the role of Daario Naharis was met with confusion given their dissimilar appearance, while Ruby Rose’s departure in the title role of Batwoman — to make way for Javicia Leslie — likewise stirred controversy and rumors. 

But for Ahsoka recasting was the only feasible option. Baylan Skoll and his apprentice, Ivanna Sakhno’s Shin Hati, were by some distance the most interesting characters in Ahsoka, though they were frustratingly absent in the season one finale, only appearing in very brief, dialogue-free scenes at the close of the episode.

We should at least be thankful that Disney and Lucasfilm chose not to embrace the dark art of digitally resurrecting Stevenson for a posthumous deepfaked performance. This route must have been discussed given that Star Wars has already used CGI tech to bring back Peter Cushing and Carrie Fisher, but in this instance we think it’s a fitting tribute to Stevenson to have his friend take up the lightsaber.

You may have felt an unexplained disturbance in the force on Dec. 23, 2024, but shook it off and continued about your day. All would make sense a week later when Angus MacInnes’ family announced his death at age 77.

“Angus MacInnes, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and actor died on 23rd of December 2024. He left us peacefully, surrounded by his family and love,” his family wrote in a statement released on his fan page on Facebook. No cause of death has been revealed so far, with his family also appearing unwilling to share the same with the public for the time being.

MacInnes was best known for his role in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, which was reused in 2016’s prequel Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. He played Rebel pilot Jon “Dutch” Vander but most fans knew him simply as “Gold Leader.” His character is the first to lose his life while spearheading the assault on the Death Star.

MacInnes embraced the Star Wars fandom and was grateful to be a small part of it. “Fans of Star Wars held a special place in his heart,” his family stressed. “He loved meeting you at conventions, hearing your stories, and sharing in your passion for the saga. He was continually humbled, delighted, and honoured by the admiration and passion of the fans and convention community.”

His career went beyond a galaxy, far, far away. He played corrupt cop Sergeant Leon “Fergie” Ferguson in 1985’s Witness. For this film, he reunited with former Star Wars cast member Harrison Ford. MacInnes’ death scene in this film was also iconic as his character was tricked into entering a corn silo and suffocated by the starch.

“His work touched countless lives, and he took great pride in being part of these stories that continue to resonate with audiences worldwide,” the statement continued.

He also portrayed a member of the Maersk Alabama ship crew in Captain Phillips, which was hijacked by pirates. He showed off his action movie skills as Council Judge Gerald Silver in Judge Dredd. He played another cop, Sergeant Whitman, in Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy. As Gateman #1 in Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut he got to be a part of the director’s last film.

MacInnes was born on Oct. 27, 1947, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He studied acting in his home country but also did a year abroad in London at LAMDA, according to IMDb. His first film role was uncredited in the 1975 flick Rollerball, starring James Caan. He also lent his talents to the silver screen. He played Sonny Munro in River City and Tostig in Vikings. 

Beyond the glitz and glamour of showbiz, the actor’s next true love was a generous slice of pizza. In the 1980s he opened his own pizza parlor in Edinburgh, Scotland called Mamma’s. His family also wanted to point out that his life wasn’t defined solely by acting.

“Angus was more than an actor—he was a kind, thoughtful, and generous soul who brought warmth and humor into the lives of everyone who knew him. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends and fellow actors but also by his fans around the world – his family thank you all.”

MacInnes leaves behind a legacy in the form of his memorable roles that will continue to maintain his magical presence in the world of cinema and through the hearts he touched in his lifetime.

Episode four of Skeleton Crew has come and gone, and the Jon Watts-helmed coming-of-age miniseries seems destined to be one of the quieter entries in the Star Wars mythos. This likely has to do with an absence of tired fanbase uproar that has become so common in this era of the franchise, but I digress.

Those who do have Skeleton Crew on their radar have likely become familiar with one of the greatest Star Wars tales we’ve gotten in a hot minute. It may not have the genre charm of the original trilogy, the thematic/dramatic depth of Andor, nor the lucrative mix of the two that Revenge of the Sith had, but it has something even better; a creative heft that’s entirely its own.

Indeed, Skeleton Crew‘s Amblin-esque stylings and child ensemble are blossoming in a big way here, with the storyline exhibiting a tight grip on the adolescent capacity for intense wonder and terror, as well as the humanist wisdom that so many children play host to. And of our four plucky protagonists starring opposite Jude Law’s Jod Na Nawood, none stand out quite like Neel.

Let’s not kid ourselves; the Skeleton Crew brain trust knew exactly what they were doing when they stuck that thoroughly adorable, elephant-esque alien head on the most innocent, kind-hearted member of the Onyx Cinder‘s unlikely new crew. This show absolutely, positively intends for you to fall in love with Neel (voiced by Robert Timothy Smith) specifically, but those big eyes and floppy ears are just one small part of that equation.

All four of the kids are out of their depth here, but Neel especially so. Fern has an aptitude for leadership, Wim has a gung-ho enthusiasm and an adventurous itch to scratch, and KB has an eye for observation and is intellectually gifted. Neel has none of these traits; he’s anxious, passive, and a bit clumsy. You’d be as likely to pick Neel for a space expedition as you would for dodgeball in gym class.

And Neel knows that. He never hides how afraid or insecure he is, and that, importantly, extends to all of his emotions and natural ways of being. He’s the first to show fear, but he’s also the first to show love. He may not be brave or articulate or handy, but he won’t hesitate to give up his daily ration for two starving children, or advocate for no fighting in a world that seems pathologically obsessed with it.

This speaks to the rarely-discussed nuances of Neel’s sheltered upbringing. We learn early on that he comes from a fairly well-to-do family in a household full of love that he shares with his mom, dad, and little siblings. By all observations, Neel’s life experience has been one of very little conflict and about as much need for adjustment, and Skeleton Crew has been playing with that background in a multi-pronged way that’s also central to the show’s emotional thesis.

For one thing, the peace and kindness that Neel embodies and advocates for is one that we would all do well to adopt, but his lack of confidence is entirely a product of the fact that he’s never had to worry about being heard at home. He’s not used to using his voice or standing up for himself because of how safe he usually feels, and so when a situation inevitably comes along that requires that of him, he winds up retreating out of fear.

In this way, Skeleton Crew calls attention to the universality of human pain, regardless of your background, while simultaneously advocating for meeting that pain with an equally rich love and vulnerability.

All of this, without downplaying the importance of feeling that pain and insecurity in the first place. In Neel, we come to understand that pain doesn’t make you strong because it toughens you up, but because it deepens your empathy and subsequent depth of your love. This latest episode has seen him overcome his fear in a big way, drawing the attention of a malfunctioning SM-33 when it threatens his friends. He ends up passing out after the encounter, sure, but we’re reminded that the best kindness is one that’s active rather than passive; this lesson is Neel’s arc, and a fantastic one for viewers of all ages to learn from.

Indeed, it’s true that anything can happen over the course of these next four episodes (the finale is due on Disney Plus on Jan. 14), but at this point, it’s hard to imagine a world where someone eclipses Neel as the greatest, most important component of Skeleton Crew.

The Mandalorian is one of the best Star Wars spin-off properties Disney has given fans yet, and its unique story is only going to get bigger with the release of the movie. Now we know exactly where The Mandalorian and Grogu film is in the production timeline.

The Mandalorian and Grogu was first announced in January of 2024, but since then, there hasn’t been too much information shared about the movie. While we knew that it was in production, we now have a clearer idea of how far the team has come.

During the premiere of Skeleton Crew, David Filoni shared an update for The Mandalorian and Grogu confirming that, yes, filming has been completed. While he wasn’t willing to divulge any specifics about when it was concluded, he was willing to share a lot about everyone’s favorite little green friend, Grogu.

“I’m very excited about it [The Mandalorian and Grogu], me and Jon [Favreau] had a great time working on that as we always do. It was great seeing Grogu, he’s become such a star and it’s amazing how it evolved what we can do now with the puppetry compared to season one and where we are now on a film working with a team, which I worked quite a bit with them on the puppetry like the effects and they just did a fantastic job, and what a wonderful little creation Grogu is.”

Okay, so now we know two things: The Mandalorian movie has finished filming, and Grogu should look more realistic than he ever has before. This is great news for fans who have fallen in love with the character, and for toy manufacturers, who are surely going to cash in big time with Grogu merchandise.

Details about this upcoming film are being kept under lock and key, so there’s no real information to share about its plot. Nor have we received any kind of trailer that would provide any insight into what will go down — however, some footage was shown at D23, 2024, which included Gorgu as Din Djarin’s bounty hunter apprentice, but outside of showcasing characters from the series, it didn’t reveal much.

Of course, we’re still quite a long way from the movie’s release so it’s not surprising that nothing has been shown yet. The Mandalorian and Grogu aren’t scheduled to arrive in theaters until May 22, 2026, so there’s still plenty of time for trailers and other press material to be released.

While we know a movie is coming, there’s no word on whether The Mandalorian season 4 is happening. It has been reported that the next season of the show was already in development, and intended to be released in addition to the movie, however, other reports claim it’s not happening. Regardless, fans can rest assured knowing that there is more of The Mandalorian on the way, and you can expect to see more of the famed bounty hunter in the coming 12 months.

You can stream the first three seasons of The Mandalorian on Disney Plus right now.

We all know the tragic story of The Acolyte. From its debut, the show was slammed with criticism for its story, its seeming lack of respect for the Star Wars lore, and its overall quality, but alongside all these somewhat fair critiques were the more ugly and racist attacks unfairly aimed at its cast.

The Acolyte was first released back in June and told a story set many years before anything else shown on screen in the Star Wars universe. With its diverse cast of characters, the show suffered review-bombing and social media attacks aimed at its cast, to a point that overshadowed the genuine criticism and painted a poor picture of the Star Wars fandom.

Speaking about The Acolyte with Vanity Fair ahead of the upcoming second season of Squid Game, Lee Jung-jae, who played Sol in the Star Wars series , hared his thoughts on the reaction to the show, and his hope that attacks like this won’t happen again in the future.

“My feelings were hurt. Especially for Leslye Headland [showrunner for The Acolyte]. I can only have faith that racism will end someday, even though it’s going to be hard.”

Seeing fans turn on actors and producers for their work in vile outbursts is sadly becoming more common, to the point where some studios are even taking over the social media of their cast to protect them from the trolls. This is unfortunately and especially prevalent in giant franchises like Marvel or Star Wars.

Jung-jae expressed his desire to see the narrative regarding The Acolyte turn around in the future, but that doesn’t seem likely. Separate from the racist attacks against its cast, the Star Wars show suffered in terms of viewership, which ultimately led to any hope of a second season being dashed with news of its cancelation.

Only the first and last episodes of The Acolyte made it into the top 10 on the Nielsen charts when they were released, which is not typical for a franchise as popular as Star Wars, and shows that fans simply were not interested in the show. Another indicator that Disney is done with the series for good is the fact that all of the show’s merchandise was swiftly removed from the Disney online store shortly after it was announced that season two would not be happening.

Of course, we have seen the reaction to shows and movies turn around drastically in the past. In fact, even within the Star Wars franchise, the prequel trilogy was despised by some fans when it landed, but it since has become reappraised and cherished by many. It would seem like a stretch to see this happen with The Acolyte, but it’s still a possibility — and one that Jung-jae is hoping to see become reality.

The good news is that even though Disney has abandoned the series for now, you can still enjoy every episode right now. The Acolyte is still alive and ready to dive into on Disney Plus, so if you haven’t yet given it a chance then you can do so right now. If you’re looking for more Star Wars content, then you can check out the next show, Skeleton Crew, which will drop on the platform in just a few hours.

Denis Villeneuve‘s Dune films are not just a triumph for the director but a much-needed gift for audiences craving epic cinema. But what’s next for Villeneuve? Well, he’s sworn off doing the only project fans demand.

Denis Villeneuve was already an excellent filmmaker before the Dune movies came out and launched him to wider recognition. But way before everything, he was a teenager with a love of cinema—especially a franchise that shaped all our childhoods. So, if you get a chance to step into the same world you once admired and create something of your own, you’d jump right into it no? Well, Villeneuve won’t.

In a recent chat with The Town Podcast, Villeneuve revealed that the Star Wars movies went through his “brain like a silver bullet” and had him obsessed with the galaxy-wide adventures of Jedi at just 10 years old. However, his love for the franchise only lasted five years, and in his words, “It all derailed in 1983 with Return of the Jedi.” Even though wider discourse agrees that this third film was a significant downgrade in comparison to A New Hope (1977) and The Empire Strikes Back (1980), the film caused Villeneuve an ick for the franchise.

“I was 15 years old, and my best friend and I wanted to take a cab and go to L.A. and talk to George Lucas — we were so angry! Still today, the Ewoks. It turned out to be a comedy for kids.” (via THR)

Turns out that George Lucas could not stand tall on the expectations of the 15-year-old Villeneuve, and now the whole world has to take the fall for it. So 40 years ago, our beloved Villeneuve resolved to stay away from the franchise. Though we’re sure he must have still kept up with the films in secret, he very clearly announced that he no longer dreams of making a Star Wars film.

“Star Wars became crystallized in its own mythology, very dogmatic, it seemed like a recipe, no more surprises. So I’m not dreaming to do a Star Wars because it feels like code is very codified.”

So, Villeneuve isn’t going anywhere near the Stars, not even Star Trek as he bluntly stated, “I’m not a Trekkie.” While he’s open to exploring another Dune sequel, the director made it clear he’s steering clear of franchise projects. Instead, Villeneuve plans to focus on original, unique films moving forward — and honestly, we’re all for it. After all, Villenueve’s pre-Dune movies like Arrival (2016) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017) were a breath of fresh air that we won’t mind getting again.

Villeneuve made another bold statement before ending the podcast, announcing that he would rather not work with streaming giants like Netflix and instead make movies for the big screen only.

“The big screen is part of the language, to share a story together, to receive the communal emotional experience of cinema in a theater. We’re not meant to be alone, we’re meant to share together. … I believe the theater experience will prevail.”

This goes in line with the warning The Shawshank Redemption actor Tim Robbins shared a few days ago about how the future of cinema is in danger because of streaming services like Netflix that do not promote original or visionary filmmaking. Jon Watts also recently shared how he no longer trusts Apple’s streaming service, causing the demise of his Wolfs sequel. So, it’s high time we bring the real cinematic experience back, and Villeneuve might be the perfect guy for the job.

There’s a whole section of Star Wars fans online who believe the franchise has been going downhill since Lucasfilm was acquired by Disney in 2012, but legendary director Denis Villeneuve thinks differently. He believes it’s been stagnant for decades.

Hot off the heels of major success with his own Sci-Fi sequel, Dune 2, Villeneuve would seem adequately qualified to talk about the quality of Star Wars, especially when he is a self-admitted longtime fan.

While speaking on The Town podcast the director explained that his love for the franchise began to fall off when Return of the Jedi was released all the way back in 1983. Yes, that long ago. However, it wasn’t blind hate like what fuels some modern critics of the franchise, instead, he has his own reasons.

“The problem is that it all derailed in 1983 with Return of the Jedi. It’s a long story. I was 15 years old, and my best friend and I wanted to take a cab and go to L.A. and talk to George Lucas — we were so angry! Still today, the Ewoks. It turned out to be a comedy for kids. … Star Wars became crystallized in its own mythology, very dogmatic, it seemed like a recipe, no more surprises. So I’m not dreaming to do a Star Wars [Movie] because it feels like code is very codified.”

Well, if he thought the Ewoks were used for comedic value, then we’d love to hear his thoughts on Jar Jar Binks. This reaction from Villeneuve came as a result of his love for The Empire Strikes Back, which he described as the movie he most eagerly anticipated in his life. In fact, he claims to have seen it several times on screen.

While Villenevue’s Star Wars take might not be a common one, it’s far from the only criticism leveled at the iconic sci-fi franchise. In fact, the franchise received the most criticism after The Phantom Menace dropped in 1999, and it just happens to be for similar reasons to what he criticized it for several years prior.

Despite any criticism, Star Wars still continues to be a powerhouse for Disney, and even though some of its newer shows have been met with less-than-favorable reactions from the fandom, it doesn’t seem like things will be slowing down anytime soon.

For sci-fi nerds who were hoping to see Villeneuve’s unique style used for a Star Wars story sometime soon, sadly, that won’t be happening. The silver lining is that the director also said he won’t be doing a Star Trek movie since he was “not a Trekkie,” so you can all rest easy knowing that both of these fandoms will have to live with the same fate.

A movie from the director that you can see is Dune 2 which is now available to own through iTunes and Amazon, or stream on Max right now. Alongside the sequel is the first movie, so if you’re looking for a new sci-fi franchise to dive into, then Dune is a perfect one to start today.

It’s tricky to think of a more timeless franchise than Star Wars, and now the latest show in the beloved universe is coming sooner than we thought!

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has a new Disney Plus premiere date of Dec. 2, 2024. Since the show was supposed to come out on Dec. 3, fans are excited to check it out the day before its original premiere date. Sadly, subscribers have to wait until 6 p.m. PT (9 p.m. ET) to watch. But there’s better news (phew): episodes one and two will both come out on Dec. 2. Then episodes 3 through 8 will be released every Tuesday from Dec. 10 to Jan. 14. So, it’s time to check out Christmas delights like The Merry Gentlemen and watch this new show. And, now that fans could get to see Ahsoka season 2 earlier, too, Star Wars fans are having a ball.

Also exciting: the directors of these eight episodes! Bryce Dallas Howard, co-creator Jon Watts, Lee Isaac Chung, Jake Schreier, The Daniels, and David Lowery each got behind the camera to tell this thrilling new story. In a juicy interview with Empire, Lowery shared that Watts’ pitch for the series was “Kids lost in the Star Wars universe. And there’s a bunch of pirates.” If you were on the fence about checking it out, doesn’t that description make you wish it was Dec. 2 already?! There’s a lot of talent here: Schreier is the Thunderbolts+ director, The Daniels directed the impressively creative Everything Everywhere All at Once, Chung directed Twisters, and Watts directed the MCU’s Spider-Man movies. And, of course, Howard is not only one of the most famous actresses around and the daughter of Ron Howard, but boasts several directing credits, including the acclaimed documentary Dads, and three episodes of The Mandalorian and one of The Book of Boba Fett.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew stars Jude Law as Force-user Jod Na Nawood, and its plot follows four kids (played by Robert Timothy Smith, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Kyriana Kratter, and Ryan Kiera Armstrong) who find themselves in an unfamiliar galaxy after making a fascinating discovery on their home planet. Star Wars meets Stranger Things? Kind of! Cabot-Conyers told Gizmodo.com that the show is “special” because “Children bring such a wide-eyed innocence to the galaxy.”

Some diehard fans are looking forward to Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, while others are wary of yet another Star Wars series. Of course, this is pretty much always the common reaction when a new series in a popular franchise is announced. Will this new show be a critical and audience hit like Andor, or will people grow tired of it immediately? At the very least, Skeleton Crew has a compelling premise since, this time around, the story is focused on kids.

Law, for his part, is excited to appear in the franchise. He praised his younger co-stars in an interview with Moviefone, and said they “brought a lovely sense of joy.” He also said he has “a soft spot” for Star Wars since he “was one of the millions of kids in the late ’70s whose lives were changed when they were taken to the cinema by their parents to see the first film.” It’s always a good sign when an actor is a fan of the franchise they’re now in.

It’s amazing to reflect on how the franchise has grown since the first movie was released in 1977, and all the people it has touched. So, even if you didn’t love the last few Star Wars shows (or have mixed feelings, which is fair), it’s time to get excited about Skeleton Crew and all the charming kids who are about to go on what’s sure to be a magnificent journey.

Jon Watts is one of the most in-demand directors in all of Hollywood right now, having directed the first Spider-Man trilogy for the MCU on top of the upcoming Star Wars television series Skeleton Crew, not to mention the hugely successful Wolfs on Apple TV Plus. But even a prolific filmmaker like Watts is having trouble dealing with the industry’s antics, which mostly involve a burning wish to run the entire business to the ground.

There has been a lot of discourse surrounding the business model introduced by Netflix a decade ago and now widely accepted as the norm throughout the entertainment industry. Legendary filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg have made no secret their disdain for what they consider the antithesis of the movie-going experience. The Coen Brothers once rightly observed that “most streaming services just want to buy by the yard.” And you know you’ve messed up when a staunch anti-gatekeeper like Christopher Nolan denounces your entire model and takes his business elsewhere.

For the most part, however, it seems we’ve all but survived the dark years when no one would go to the movies (in no small part prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic) and box office numbers were becoming increasingly more irrelevant. Cinema has made a miraculous recovery over the past couple of years, but even that isn’t going to stop big corporate tycoons from breaking trust and rolling the dice for their benefit.

Take Wolfs, for instance, which, by most accounts, is a fairly decent comedy thriller starring two of the biggest stars in Hollywood (Prad Bitt and George Clooney) and created by a man who knows what he’s about when he’s behind a camera. Apple had apparently promised Jon Watts a full theatrical release for Wolfs, a deal they went back on a little while before the movie’s release. Watts had been contracted to write a sequel, but now he’s scrapping those plans and cutting ties with Apple because of the studio’s broken promise.

“I showed Apple my final cut of Wolfs early this year,” he told Deadline in a recent interview. “They were extremely enthusiastic about it and immediately commissioned me to start writing a sequel. But their last-minute shift from a promised wide theatrical release to a streaming release was a total surprise and made without any explanation or discussion. I wasn’t even told about it until less than a week before they announced it to the world.”

Imagine that — professionals have standards, and you can’t just renege on a deal without facing the consequences. But if you think that makes Big Corp the villain yet again, just wait until you hear what Apple did next.

“I was completely shocked and asked them to please not include the news that I was writing a sequel,” Watts said. “They ignored my request and announced it in their press release anyway, seemingly to create a positive spin to their streaming pivot. And so I quietly returned the money they gave me for the sequel. I didn’t want to talk about it because I was proud of the film and didn’t want to generate any unnecessary negative press. I loved working with Brad and George (and Amy and Austin and Poorna and Zlatko) and would happily do it again. But the truth is that Apple didn’t cancel the Wolfs sequel. I did, because I no longer trusted them as a creative partner.”

If that’s how streaming moguls like Apple treat industry veterans, imagine the kind of stunts they pull on fresh talent.

There have been plenty of swings and misses since Disney acquired the Star Wars franchise 12 years ago, but one of the biggest success stories has been the animated anthology series Visions. Now, we officially have confirmation that there’s more to come.

Star Wars: Visions was first released through Disney Plus in September of 2021 and provided a glimpse into a galaxy far, far away with some of the most unique art the franchise has ever seen. Each episode of the show is handled by a different studio meaning that each has its unique visual style and way of storytelling.

During Disney’s Content Showcase currently being held in Singapore it was announced that Star Wars: Visions will be getting a third season in 2025.

For season 3 Visions is going back to Japan with nine Japanese studios set to be involved, some of which produced content for the series first season. These studios are WIT Studio, TRIGGER, Project Studio Q, Production I.G, Polygon Pictures, Kinema Citrus, Kamikaze Douga + ANIMA, and David Production.

For the show’s second season, the studio search was expanded internationally with each episode being handled by a team of talented animators from a different country. This provided more diversity in style, but we expect many fans will be happy to hear that season 3 is set to have more anime studios at the helm.

Both seasons of the animated show so far have been gigantic success stories. The first season has a 98 percent Rotten Tomatoes score which is only bested by its second season with a perfect 100. With this sort of momentum, we expect that season 3 will be another hit to add to the list, but of course, that remains to be seen.

No exact release date for Star Wars: Visions season 3 was shared, just that it will be landing on Disney Plus during 2025. There will be nine episodes in the new season which lines up with the previous entries.

The best thing about Star Wars: Visions is that it takes place entirely outside of the mainline series canon, so it’s not going to be one of those shows that has the community up in arms about continuity issues. No, this is something where experimentation is rewarded, and as long as it looks epic fans are going to love it.

Before Visions is back there’s still other Star Wars content to come with the new release being the series Skeleton Crew set to arrive in just a few weeks. Following that, the first release of next year will be season 2 of the ultra-popular Rogue One spinoff series Andor. In other words, 2025 is shaping up to be a gigantic year for fans of Star Wars.

If you’re looking to brush up on what Star Wars: Visions is, or check out the first entries from returning studios gearing up for season 3 you can stream both of the first two seasons in full on Disney Plus right now.

Despite the controversy surrounding The Acolyte and its mostly lackluster reception, there’s still a lot more Star Wars content on the horizon for fans.

One thing that’s sure to peak excitement is the return of Ahsoka and according to a new report, the show could begin filming very soon. The first season of Ahsoka aired in August 2023 and enjoyed a strong reception for its homage to past releases, including The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, which remain some of the most cherished titles among fans even though they are animated.

Ahsoka is set to continue its story with a second season, which was initially announced in January of this year. According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, the production cogs have been turning on the series, and it’s now said to kick off its filming schedule in the coming months.

April of 2025 is the month that this new season is expected to begin filming according to Richtman via his Patreon, which was cited by The Direct. The production will take place in the United Kingdom. For now, that’s all of the details that were shared, but the commencement of filming for Ahsoka is exciting enough on its own.

Should this filming timeline prove to be true, and not be impacted by any delays, then fans should expect to see Ahsoka‘s new season arrive sometime in 2026. So while it might be quite a wait before it gets here, the good news is that the second season is very much alive.

Ahsoka season 2 is just one of the upcoming Star Wars projects that Disney has in the works. Most notably, the movie The Mandalorian and Grogu is currently in production and is tipped to be THE next big Star Wars release. However, that film reportedly won’t get here until 2026, either. *Cries in impatience.*

For Star Wars fans hungry for something new, the most imminent series to arrive will be Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, a completely unique story being told in the galaxy far far away which will focus on four lost young children who look to the guidance of a force user to find their way home. This looks to be the Star Wars equivalent of Stranger Things, and it’s going to be here in less than a month. Honestly, it can’t come soon enough, since we’ve been waiting for Stranger Things 5 for what feels like an eternity.

Following Skeleton Crew, the next Star Wars release (and the first of 2025) will be a second season of Andor, which we expect every fan of the franchise has been dying for. While many of the Disney Plus Star Wars shows have had their fair share of critics, Andor seems to be one of the few that is unanimously praised, so it shouldn’t come as any surprise that a second season of the show is on the cards. New episodes are scheduled to begin airing in April 2025.

We’re still quite a distance away from Ahsoka season 2 getting here so as you would expect, details are being kept pretty hush right now. However, you can expect more information to surface next year when the project enters its production stages, which will hopefully happen in April barring any dreaded setbacks. If you haven’t yet seen season one of the show you can binge through all episodes on Disney Plus right now.

Star Wars fans rejoice, as Disney Plus has revealed the Andor season 2 release date is April 22, 2025! The final episodes of the Star Wars show see Diego Luna’s Cassian accept his place in the rebellion, leading straight into the events of Rogue One.

Showrunner Tony Gilroy plans to go out with a bang, and one strategy is ripped right from Arcane‘s book. The frenetic animated show from Riot Games and Fortiche is one of the best Netflix series, and one of its key advantages is a compelling release strategy.

Andor plans to follow its methodology… kind of. The 12 episodes will be split into three-episode arcs that cover one year of Cassian’s life, writes Variety. This is much like Arcane’s strategy, just swapping out its batch releases for a one-episode-per-week approach.

Each trio of episodes in Arcane acts as an arc, presenting the overall story in digestible, pacy chunks. This strategy means the episodes’ themes and revelations flow together while stopping short of a full-on binge model where whole seasons become available at once.

Disney shows typically releases one episode weekly, with the odd two-episode premiere or finale thrown in to help onboard viewers and maintain a good finishing rate. Netflix, however, popularized the binge model and has largely stuck to it. The platform does stray sometimes — Stranger Things season 4‘s final two episodes were held back, for example — but it’s rare.

While releasing all episodes at once helped Netflix win the streaming wars, there’s been increasing negative chatter about this release strategy. Binging reduces trend longevity online, prevents fandoms from forming around week-to-week theorizing, and prevents viewers from being on the same page because everyone watches at their own pace.

That’s not to say the weekly model is inherently better, though — every show should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Disney’s Star Wars and Marvel series have largely failed to live up to their promised hype, feeling like six-hour-long movies cut into uneven parts that don’t adhere to the basic structural rules of television.

So Andor is going a more creative route but is sticking to a weekly approach that serves the pacing of its story. The batch release style orks amazingly for Arcane, so seeing other series test drive it in the future would be interesting.

Arcane‘s feats are unending, and the mini-arcs baked into season one made the show feel both cohesive and patient. You got more than one episode at a time, so could sink into the world and satisfy that Runeterra craving, but the end hook after every third episode and the promise of new revelations to come meant that you could build anticipation between the batches.

This lent Arcane a pacey quality. Fans got to discuss Jinx and Vi’s strained relationship, experience the heart-sinking finale in unison, and the extended release allowed artists to bolster the series’ reach with drawings and odes.

With a sea of “content” and declining attention spans making it increasingly hard for even the most popular IPs to reel us in, this release format may be one of several answers to streaming issues the industry has created for itself.

Whether Andor season 2 can take advantage of the mini-arcs as well as Arcane did remains to be seen, but season 1 was a breath of fresh air, so we’ve got hope in spades. And remember, rebellions are built on hope!