Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Ahsoka

  • SWCE: Lucasilm Reveals the Directing Team Behind ‘Ahsoka’

    SWCE: Lucasilm Reveals the Directing Team Behind ‘Ahsoka’

    After being part of the Lucasfilm Showcase Panel on the opening day of Star Wars Celebration 2023, the upcoming Star Wars streaming series Ahsoka had its own panel on day two. While the panel included a good deal of information about the talent in front of the camera in Ahsoka, creator Dave Filoni also took the opportunity to unveil the talented team of directors behind it.

    As has been the case with all of Lucasfilm’s live-action Star Wars series, Ahsoka was a team effort…and it was quite a team. To no one’s surprise, Filoni directed at least one episode of the series along with Rick Famuyiwa, who has become a key member of the Mando-verse creative team. Joining them were Jennifer Getzinger, Steph Green, Geeta Patel and Peter Ramsey.

    While Getzinger is new to Star Wars, her resume includes over a half dozen high-profile series. Having directed Mad Men (10 episodes), Agent Carter (2 episodes), Daredevil (1 episode), Outlander (4 episodes), Jessica Jones (3 episodes) and Westworld (2 episodes), Getzinger has a nice mix of drama and action in her background that should serve her well on Ahsoka.

    After helming one episode of The Book of Boba Fett, Oscar and Primetime Emmy Award nominee Steph Green is back for her second Star Wars project. Green has directed episodes of The Americans, Luke Cage and HBO’s Watchmen, for which she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special.

    Geeta Patel, who directed one episode of HBO’s House of the Dragon, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse director Peter Ramsey, who helmed Chapter 21 of The Mandalorian, The Pirate, round out the impressive team of directors on Ahsoka.

    Ahsoka will stream on Disney Plus this August!

  • SWCE: Lars Mikkelsen Returns as Grand Admiral Thrawn in ‘Ahsoka’

    SWCE: Lars Mikkelsen Returns as Grand Admiral Thrawn in ‘Ahsoka’

    There have been quite a few theories online on who might take on the iconic role of Admiral Thrawn in live-action. Many hoped that Lars Mikkelsen would once again play him after bringing him to life in the animated Star Wars Rebels series but many thought they might head into a completely new direction as they did with Ahsoka, who is now played by Rosario Dawson.

    Theories have ranged quite a bit with even Robert Downey Jr. at one point rumored to potentially take on the role. On the first day of the Star Wars Celebration, we got a tease of Thrawn in the live-action trailer for Ahsoka, but only his back. Instead of letting us wait until these series releases in August, the second day they just flat-out confirmed during the Ahsoka panel that Mikkelsen will indeed reprise the iconic role.

    Source. Twitter

  • SWCA: David Tennant to Reprise Huyang Role in ‘Ahsoka’

    SWCA: David Tennant to Reprise Huyang Role in ‘Ahsoka’

    The second day of the Star Wars Celebration has kicked off with its first big panel all about Star Wars‘ next major release, Ahsoka. The Disney+ series will seemingly act as a direct sequel to the original Star Wars Rebels animated series, as many iconic characters like Sabine and Hera are set to return. Now, it seems that we also have the confirmation that Huyang will once again be voiced by David Tennant.

    While no details have been shared on how he’ll factor into the story or if we’ll see a lot more of Huyang, the panel did at least share with us a first look at the character who looks quite true to his animated counterpart. Of course, it is easier to bring a CG droid into live-action than an alien that requires a real person behind it. Still, it’s great to know he’ll be back and hearing Tennant voicing the character is always a joy.

  • SWCE: Dave Filoni to Direct a ‘Star Wars’ Film Wrapping Up the “Mandoverse”

    SWCE: Dave Filoni to Direct a ‘Star Wars’ Film Wrapping Up the “Mandoverse”

    It seems that they might be wrapping up the franchise that started with The Mandalorian, as during Star Wars Celebration it was announced that the one and only Dave Filoni is going to direct a Star Wars film. Now just that, but it’ll also seemingly wrap up everything that has been building up since the first season of The Mandalorian.

    His involvement with a film was hinted at for some time now with a rumor dropping right before the Celebration event even kicked off. The question does remain if this will be a Disney+ original film given how it connects to the other entries, or if this is perhaps a cinematic release that just uses story bits from the various characters and brings them all together. We#ll have to wait to find out.

    Source: Twitter

  • SWCE: ‘Ahsoka’ Release Date Revealed

    SWCE: ‘Ahsoka’ Release Date Revealed

    It looks to be a busy year on Disney Plus for Star Wars fans. As Season 3 of The Mandalorian comes to an end in April and Skeleton Crew is planned for a late 2023 release, one of the most anticipated Star Wars properties is sandwiched between them. Fans have been waiting to find out exactly when Ahsoka, which stars Rosario Dawson, would hit Disney Plus and now they can finally pencil it in on their calendars.

    During the Lucasfilm Showcase Panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023, it was revealed that Ahoska will hit Disney Plus in August.

  • The Fate of a Beloved ‘Rebels’ Character Revealed in ‘The Mandalorian’

    The Fate of a Beloved ‘Rebels’ Character Revealed in ‘The Mandalorian’

    Dave Filoni maintains that he “very rarely” makes a concerted effort to find ways to provide avenues for characters he created for the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels to make the jump to live-action. Rather, Filoni says he looks at them as characters with whom he is “comfortable” and likes “to see around” as he continues to tell stories in the live-action series The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and soon, Ahsoka.

    One such character with whom Filoni–and fans–is exceedingly familiar, Bo-Katan Kryze has become an integral part of the ongoing story of The Mandalorian after first being introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars before returning in a major role in Star Wars Rebels. While Bo-Katan’s story continues in The Mandalorian, the core cast of characters of Rebels will see their story continued in Ahsoka, which streams later this year on Disney Plus. But while Ahsoka Tano’s live-action debut came during the second season of The Mandalorian, the crew of the Ghost is patiently waiting to take their turn. While footage from Ahsoka has revealed that Chopper, Hera, Sabine and Ezra, as well as villain Grand Admiral Thrawn, are all set to appear, there had been no word on whether Lasat hero Zeb would make the jump to live-action.

    The good news is that fans won’t have to wait any longer to find out as Zeb made his live-action debut in Chapter 21 of The Mandalorian, The Pirate. While it was little more than a cameo, Zeb shared a scene with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee‘s New Republic Adelphi Ranger Carson Teva in a bar on an unnamed planet. The bar was a cameo fest as Filoni, executive producer Rick Famuyiwa and director and Obi-Wan Kenobi showrunner Deborah Chow all appeared in their respective Star Wars roles but the surprise appearance of Zeb was certainly the highlight.

    The scene revealed that Zeb, whose familiar voice was once again provided by Rebels voice actor Stephen Blum, has joined the New Republic as a Ranger. For a character who often expressed his desire to stay out of the larger goings on in the galaxy, Zeb has certainly come a long way. The episode of The Mandalorian also works as a bit of a proof of concept for bringing the Lasat character to live-action for Ahsoka and it’s a test Lucasfilm passed with flying colors. Given the intersection of the plots of The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a way for Zeb to meet up with his old friends and join their search for Ezra Bridger!

  • Dave Filoni Explains the Process of Choosing Which Characters Make the Jump from Animation; Teases More on the Way

    Dave Filoni Explains the Process of Choosing Which Characters Make the Jump from Animation; Teases More on the Way

    Fans of the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels have celebrated the live-action debuts of many of their favorite characters over the past several years. Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau have found a way to bring fan favorites like Bo-Katan Kryze, Ahsoka Tano and Cad Bane to life in their lineup of New Republic-era series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Sometime later in 2023, another handful will make their live-action debuts as the core characters from Star Wars Rebels, including Grand Admiral Thrawn and Ezra Bridger, are set to appear on Disney Plus in Ahsoka.

    It’s been a fun time for fans as Filoni and Favreau have carried on the stories of these characters; however, the pair have also come under fire for questionable decisions about the appearance of the characters like the Grand Inquisitor and for being a bit too generous in fan service by having too many characters make the jump. In fact, Filoni has been accused of making too much of an effort to bring his animated creations to life. Filoni addressed that accusation and gave some insight into his process in an interview with The Wrap.

    (L-R): Reva (Moses Ingram), The Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend) and Fifth Brother (Sung Kang) in Lucasfilm’s OBI-WAN KENOBI, exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

    “Very rarely,” replied Filoni when asked if he often thinks “How can I get my cartoon characters into live-action?” “I know people think it’s the other way around, which is fascinating to me,” he continued, “but I think there’s two ways to look at that, which is that, yes, they were animated characters, but to me they’re just characters. And now I’m over here working in live-action. I’m comfortable with those characters, I know them, I like them and I like to see them around.”

    It’s an interesting position for Filoni given that he created and curated the characters over a decade of animated story-telling and now has the ability to call on them to help define a new era of the galaxy far, far away. Even for Filoni, who knows the characters inside and out, brining them to live action is not without its challenges. “It changes when they’re suddenly in a different medium,” explained Filoni. “Katee’s [Sackhoff] talked about it a little bit, and the difference between performing Bo-Katan as a voice actor versus performing her physically and being present on set as her – it’s a different vibe. I’m always cautious. And Jon [Favreau] and I talk about who will we bring in? I try to do it when it makes the most sense.”

    Cad Bane [Corey Burton (voice); Dorian Kingi (performance artist)] in Lucasfilm’s THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT, exclusively on Disney+. © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™. All Rights Reserved.

    For instance, as Filoni explained, when the plot of The Book of Boba Fett called for “a gunslinger to go up against some of our characters,” Cad Bane was the obvious choice. The character’s live-action design came under fire from fans of his time in the animated series. Filoni addressed why the character’s distinct look changed a bit for his live-action debut. “I think looking at that, the first thing I think is, ‘Well, how do we do that and make it believable?’ Like the character, he’s so lean and gaunt in The Clone Wars,” explained Filoni, “and if we don’t do that, is it all CG? How are we going to portray that? If we don’t think we can do that effectively, then we shouldn’t do it.”

    The reality of the situation is that in the recent social media climate, the decision to faithfully recreate Cad Bane through CGI would have taken just as much heat as the decision to change it for live-action. The criticism, however, doesn’t seem to faze Filoni. “At the end of the day, I’ve been very happy with the ones that have gone over,” he said before teasing fans with the notion that he’s not done quite yet. “There may or may not be more in Ahsoka, if that’s your thing. If you’re excited about that, I’m just saying that one might have a few more, which makes sense, by the way. As you know, I wrote it. You can’t fault me there.” Who can blame the guy?

    Source: The Wrap

  • ‘Ahsoka’ Star Rosario Dawson Updates Season 1 Release Plans

    ‘Ahsoka’ Star Rosario Dawson Updates Season 1 Release Plans

    Star Wars fans are anxiously awaiting the release of Ahsoka, the live-actions series which seems to be nothing less than a direct sequel to the animated series Star Wars: Rebels. Footage of the series has been screened at a couple of different fan events and some snippets have found their way into some 2023 teasers for Disney Plus but news on the series has been scarce…until now.

    During an interview with Today’s Hoda and Jenna, Ahsoka star Rosario Dawson gave fans a bit of hope about the project’s release window. “Ahsoka, that’s going to probably come out in the Fall,” Dawson said of the streaming project slated for Disney Plus. Fall is still pretty generalized but it does at least give fans something to pencil in.

    With Disney Plus recently getting an overhaul in terms of the number of projects being put out and the spacing between said projects by large brands like Star Wars and Marvel Studios, streaming Ahsoka in the Fall gives it plenty of room to breathe following the third season of The Mandalorian, which kicks off on March 1st.

  • Lars Mikkelsen Addresses Thrawn Rumors

    Lars Mikkelsen Addresses Thrawn Rumors

    Over the course of two seasons of the animated Star Wars series Rebels, Danish actor Lars Mikkelsen was the voice of Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn. A brilliant strategist, Thrawn was an ongoing thorn in the side of the group of Rebels before disappearing along with Ezra Bridger in the series’ final episode. Both characters are set to make their live-action debuts in the upcoming streaming series Ahsoka and it was recently rumored that Lucasfilm had cast Mikkelsen in the role of Thrawn, much to the delight of fans who grew to love Mikkelsen’s signature cadence. As with the role of Ahsoka Tano, however, it looks like fans may have to get used to someone new.

    In an interview with Express UK, Mikkelsen revealed he has not been contacted about joining the cast of Ahsoka, casting doubt on those recent rumors. Mikkelsen admitted that he was aware of the rumors and that he’d love to take on the role in live-action should he be offered before adding “I haven’t had the offer.”

    Though it isn’t quite at the level of absurdity that surrounds every casting made by Marvel Studios, actors cast in Star Wars projects aren’t always truthful when addressing potential roles in films. At this point, it’s nearly impossible to take any actor’s words at face value when they deny involvement with a project, so until another actor’s name becomes attached to the role, fans are likely to hold out hope that Mikkelsen will be painted blue and return to thwart the plans of Ezra and his Rebel friends.

    Source: Express

  • Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s ‘Ahsoka’ Role Reportedly Revealed

    Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s ‘Ahsoka’ Role Reportedly Revealed

    In January of 2022, Mary Elizabeth Winstead was reported to have joined the cast of the upcoming Star Wars streaming series Ahsoka. At the time of the report, Winstead’s role was unknown and has been kept a secret as the series went through production. Now a new report claims to have revealed who Winstead is playing and it’s a MAJOR character from a fan-favorite animated series making her live-action debut.

    According to Bespin Bulletin, Winstead is playing Twi’lek General Hera Syndulla. One of the lead characters of Star Wars Rebels, Syndulla was one of the leaders of the Rebellion in it’s early days and one if its great heroes. Ahsoka is set 5 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, which places it roughly 14 years after Hera’s first appearance in Rebels.

    Ahsoka will find the titular Jedi reunited with the surviving members of the crew of Syndulla’s ghost as they search for Grand Admiral Thrawn and their friend Ezra Bridger. The series is currently set to stream on Disney Plus sometime in 2023.

    Source: Bespin Bulletin