Ahsoka Panel at Star Wars Celebration: Key Announcements Revealed

The Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration 2025 was packed with exciting updates and teases for Season 2, including a first look at Rory McCann stepping into the role of Baylan Skoll, insights into the making of the series, and much more. To ensure you catch every detail, we've compiled all the highlights in one place.

Although we haven't seen footage or received a release date for Season 2 of Ahsoka yet, the panel provided some intriguing glimpses into what fans can anticipate in the upcoming episodes. Let's dive right into the details.

First Look at Rory McCann as Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka Revealed at Star Wars Celebration

The Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration unveiled our first glimpse of Rory McCann as Baylan Skoll in Season 2. For those unfamiliar, McCann has taken over the role following the passing of Ray Stevenson.

Stevenson passed away just three months before Ahsoka's premiere, and his portrayal of Baylan was a standout for many fans. Ahsoka series creator Dave Filoni discussed the challenge of continuing after Stevenson, describing him as "the most beautiful person on screen and off." Filoni expressed confidence that Stevenson would be pleased with the new direction and highlighted Baylan's role as a parallel to Ahsoka. He also shared his gratitude for having a strong foundation for the character thanks to Stevenson's iconic performance and his excitement about casting McCann, who was focused on honoring Stevenson's legacy.

Hayden Christensen Is Officially Returning as Anakin Skywalker in Ahsoka Season 2

Hayden Christensen, who played a significant role in the first season, will officially return as Anakin Skywalker in Season 2, as confirmed at Star Wars Celebration. Although specifics about Anakin's role were not revealed, Christensen shared his enthusiasm about reprising the beloved character.

"It was a dream to get to do," Christensen said, praising the creative approach to exploring the World Between Worlds. He also appreciated bringing to life a version of Anakin from the Clone Wars that he hadn't previously portrayed in live action. "As much as I love the traditional Jedi robes I wore during the prequels, it was exciting to get to see Anakin with a new look," Christensen added.

Ahsoka Will See the Return of Many More Familiar Faces

While no traditional trailer was shown, the panel offered a peek into Season 2, confirming the return of characters like Sabine, Ezra, Zeb, and Chopper through still images. It was also revealed that Admiral Ackbar will play a significant role, facing off against Grand Admiral Thrawn. Additionally, fans can look forward to adorable Loth-Kittens and, according to Filoni, "X-Wings, A-Wings, and Wings I can't tell you about."

Although the return date for Ahsoka on Disney+ remains undisclosed, the team is currently re-writing episodes as they prepare to start production next week.

Alongside the Season 2 announcements, the panel delved into behind-the-scenes stories and inspirations behind Ahsoka. Dave Filoni shared his admiration for Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki, particularly citing Princess Mononoke as a key influence, evident in Ahsoka's wolf fang cheek markings.

Joined by Jon Favreau and Rosario Dawson, Filoni discussed the origins of the Ahsoka series, which began after Season 1 of The Mandalorian. The idea to bring Ahsoka to live-action stemmed from conversations between Filoni and Favreau about what to explore next. Filoni's passion for Ahsoka Tano, whom he co-created with George Lucas, led to her appearance in Season 2 of The Mandalorian.

Rosario Dawson, who took on the role after Ashley Eckstein's animated portrayal, shared her excitement and gratitude for the opportunity. The decision to cast Dawson was influenced by fan support, and she described her reaction to seeing early artwork of herself as Ahsoka as overwhelming joy.

Initially, the team viewed Ahsoka's live-action appearance as a one-off, but fan reaction and the potential for deeper storytelling led to the series' development. Jon Favreau highlighted how the Ahsoka series continued the narrative threads established in animation, culminating in a journey that mirrors the experience of watching A New Hope.

Rosario Dawson expressed her eagerness to explore Ahsoka's complex emotions and journey in live-action, emphasizing the character's growth and the joy of bringing her story to life.

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Dawson's sentiment captures the essence of Ahsoka's journey: "Even if this never happens again, I’m so grateful. It was just so magnificent on so many levels. To see the fan reaction that allowed this story to continue was a dream come true."