Ahsoka on Disney+: Release date, trailer, plot for Star Wars series

Those who are familiar with Star Wars: Rebels will be looking forward to witnessing the pair coming together again after so many years apart. But they'll also know how dire things will get for the New Republic if Grand Admiral Thrawn makes a comeback too.

Unlike most of the Ahsoka cast, Thrawn will be played by Lars Mikkelsen, who voiced him in Star Wars: Rebels.

With a new episode set to land this week, read on for everything you need to know about the series.

Ahsoka release date: When is it coming out on Disney Plus?

Ahsoka premiered on Disney Plus on 22rd August 2023 in the US at 6PM PT, which translates to 23rd August at 2am in the UK.

The official trailer also confirmed that the series would get a two-episode premiere, with episodes landing weekly after that.

Fans were also treated to a short teaser from the series, featuring a conversation between Ahsoka and the warrior Sabine Wren, and a look at the live-action Hera Syndulla.

How many episodes are in Ahsoka?

Ahsoka will consist of eight episodes.

Ahsoka co-creator Dave Filioni will pen all of the episodes and will direct three of the episodes. Rick Famuyiwa, Jennifer Getzinger, Steph Green, Geeta Patel and Peter Ramsey are the other directors to helm episodes for the series.

It is unknown if there will be further seasons of the upcoming spin-off to The Mandalorian. However, Dawson has made it clear that she'd be up for it.

She recently told Empire: 'I’m absolutely putting it out into the universe. We’re joking about it, but I’m manifesting it because I feel like I helped Dave [Filoni] manifest this role. So I’m ready. I’m excited. I’m willing. I got my ice-packs ready to go for Season 2 and beyond! I would not be mad at that.”

Who stars in Ahsoka?

The members of the Ahsoka cast have been confirmed.

Rosario Dawson will be back as Ahsoka for this new series, taking over from Ashley Eckstein who portrayed the role vocally for a number of years in The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels (as well as a cameo in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker).

In October 2021, it was announced that Hayden Christensen would be joining her, reprising the role of Ahsoka's mentor Anakin Skywalker, who is likely to appear either in flashback or as a force ghost.

Then, in November 2021, it was confirmed that Natasha Liu Bordizzo (The Society) had been cast as a lead in the series, playing Sabine Wren from the Star Wars Rebels animated series.

Wren is a young Mandalorian warrior and graffiti artist who dropped out of the Imperial Academy. Wren is also a former bounty hunter and boasts an expert knowledge of weapons and explosives.

Announcements also came thick and fast at Star Wars Celebration 2023, with Mary Elizabeth Winstead revealing she's officially been cast as Hera Syndulla.

In Rebels, Hera was the Twi’lek pilot of the ship the Ghost and had a son named Jacen with the late Jedi warrior Kanan Jarrus. In this series, Hera is now a general for the New Republic.

Asked what it was like putting on the Hera costume for the first time, she added: "Pretty transformative. Obviously between the skin colour and the contact lenses, the outfit, the jacket, the whole combination of everything - I was completely immersed in who she is."

Diana Lee Inosanto, meanwhile, confirmed her return as Morgan Elsbeth from The Mandalorian's season 2 episode The Jedi, telling audiences: "We all know that she's cold-hearted, frozen-hearted, but she's very loyal to someone, right? To Grand Admiral Thrawn… you're going to learn more about her background."

Ray Stevenson and Ivanna Sakhno joined the rest of the cast on stage, revealing that they've been cast as Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati.

Skoll is a former Jedi who survived Order 66 by fleeing into the Unknown Region and who is now the master of his apprentice Shin and an ally to Thrawn.

Hati, meanwhile, is dark force user and wields a lightsaber in her mission to find Ahsoka.

Meanwhile, a very familiar face - or voice - is making a comeback, with none other than David Tennant reprising his role as Huyang from Clone Wars.

Clearly thrilled with the return, Filoni said: "Oh that’s the Doctor. That’s David Tennant. He makes it all work, what a joy, what a privilege to have him."

But perhaps the biggest news of late? When Lars Mikkelsen was announced as Grand Admiral Thrawn and took to the stage at Star Wars Celebration 2023.

He said: "It’s wonderful. Thank you so much," adding, "People are so passionate about bringing this to life for you guys."

The trailer also confirmed that Genevieve O'Reilly is back as Mon Mothma, now the chancellor of the New Republic and previously the leader of the Rebel Alliance and a senator in both the Galactic and Imperial Senates. O'Reilly previously played the role in deleted scenes from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and Andor.

Following Star Wars Celebration, the news kept coming, with Deadline reporting that Hunger Games star Wes Chatham has joined the cast as a late addition, to play Grand Admiral Thrawn's right-hand man.

It is also possible that we will see returns for other members of the Imperial remnants' Shadow Council, including Brian Gleeson as Commandant Brendol Hux and Xander Berkeley as Thrawn's ally Captain Gilad Pellaeon.

Who is Ahsoka Tano?

Created by Dave Filoni for The Clone Wars animated movie and subsequent TV series (with Filoni serving as the creator and showrunner of the Ahsoka Disney+ series), Ahsoka Tano comes from a species called the Togruta and enters the Star Wars universe as the young apprentice of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker.

Over the course of the Clone Wars Ahsoka had a variety of adventures with Anakin and Obi-Wan and grew into a capable warrior, though ended up leaving the Jedi Order after being framed for a number of murders (even after being cleared, she lost faith with the Jedi Council for the mistake).

Later, she escaped the end of the Jedi during Order 66 and fought back against the Empire from the fringes, even meeting her old master (as Darth Vader) in battle during the course of Star Wars Rebels.

Ahsoka first appeared in live-action in The Mandalorian season 2 as she was seen on the planet Corvus and sought to defeat and apprehend Morgan Elsbeth to track down her master, Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Dawson didn't give much away at Star Wars Celebration 2023, but teased: "I think we were looking for someone…"

Is there a trailer for the Ahsoka series?

Yes! The first trailer for Ahsoka was released at Star Wars Celebration 2023.

A second and longer trailer was released by Disney Plus in July 2023, the month ahead of the show's premiere.

It can be watched below.

Ahsoka is streaming now on Disney Plus. Sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 per year.

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