Star Wars fans have had to be patient this year as they await the return of Ewan McGregor in the latest Disney+ show, “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” And it’s been a lot of waiting: McGregor’s return to the Star Wars Universe didn’t even have a confirmed release date yet when the final episode of “The Book Of Boba Fett” hit the platform in early February.
Now, with less than two weeks before “Kenobi” premieres, Lucasfilm revealed the rest of its calendar for 2022 and beyond, and several highly anticipated shows like “Luna” and “Ahsoka” are coming sooner than expected. There’s also a new show, “The Acolyte,” on the distant horizon, but more on that later.
So, what comes first, and how soon after McGregor’s latest Star Wars adventure? That’d be Tony Gilroy‘s “Andor,” with Diego Luna returning as Cassian Andor, set to hit Disney+ this summer. Gilroy and Luna reunite for a series that explores the “Rogue One” character’s early days as an amoral, cynical crook who slowly becomes one of the most trusted agents for the Rebellion.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Luna describes the show as a refugee story, with Andor as one of several desperate people fleeing the Empire’s colonial grasp before taking a stand against his oppressors. “This guy gave his life for the galaxy, right? I mean, he consciously, soberly, without vanity or recognition, sacrificed himself. Who does that?” Luna says. “That’s what this first season is about. It’s about him being really revolution-averse, and cynical, and lost, and kind of a mess.”
The show also focuses on Andor’s close relationship with Rebellion leader Mon Mothma, played in the series by Genevieve O’Reilly. “It is a huge, orchestral, Dickensian ensemble cast,” Gilroy told Vanity Fair. So, expect “Andor” to be just a tale of the Rebellion as much as an origin story for Luna’s Andor.
What else is on the “Star Wars” calendar? After “Andor” comes the highly anticipated third season of “The Mandalorian” in late 2022. Pablo Pascal returns as Din Djarin, arguably the most popular new “Star Wars” character since the franchise reemerged in the pop culture zeitgeist in 2015. After that comes “Ashoka,” with Rosario Dawson starring as fan-favorite Ashoka Tano, out next year. Rumors abound that Hayden Christensen, who returns as Darth Vader in “Kenobi,” may also show up in that show, but Lucasfilm won’t confirm (or deny) anything. Something we can confirm for “Ashoka”? Mary Elizabeth Winstead also stars in an undisclosed role.
Vanity Fair also has scoop on the newest “Star Wars” project: “The Acolyte.” Lesley Headland, co-creator of Netflix‘s time-bending drama “Russian Doll,” serves as showrunner and describes the series as a mystery thriller about a century before the Skywalker saga begins. The show focuses the height of the Galactic Republic, a Star Wars era rarely explored in films and shows. “We’re taking a look at the political and personal and spiritual things that came up in a time period that we don’t know much about,” Headland tells Vanity Fair. “My question when watching The Phantom Menace was always like, ‘Well, how did things get to this point?’ How did we get to a point where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? Like, what went wrong?” Other details on “Acolyte” are slim, but Amandla Stenberg leads the cast.
Brace yourselves, Star Wars fans: there’s a lot of content on the way in the next couple of years. And that’s not even touching upon Taika Waititi‘s Star Wars film with “1917” screenwriter Krysty Wilson-Cairns, or Patty Jenkin‘s “Rogue Squadron.” Long story short: it’s an exciting time to be a Star Wars fan.