Ahsoka Panel at Star Wars Celebration: All Announcements

The Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration 2025 was packed with exciting news about Season 2, including a first look at Rory McCann as Baylan Skoll, confirmation of Hayden Christensen's return as Anakin Skywalker, and much more. To ensure you stay up to date, we're breaking down all the key announcements and behind-the-scenes stories here.

While we don't have footage or a release date for Season 2 of Ahsoka yet, we've gathered some intriguing insights into what fans can expect from the upcoming episodes. Let's dive right in.

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

The Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration provided our first glimpse of Rory McCann stepping into the role of Baylan Skoll for Season 2. Following the tragic passing of Ray Stevenson, who originally portrayed Baylan, McCann now takes on the character. Stevenson passed away just three months before the premiere of Ahsoka, and his performance was celebrated by many fans as a highlight of the series.

Ahsoka series creator Dave Filoni discussed the emotional challenge of recasting after Stevenson's death, emphasizing that Stevenson was "the most beautiful person on screen and off." Filoni expressed confidence that Stevenson would approve of the direction they've taken with the character. He highlighted Baylan as a crucial counterpart to Ahsoka, crediting Stevenson for setting an iconic standard for the role. Filoni also shared his gratitude for meeting and casting McCann, who he believes is focused on honoring Stevenson's legacy.

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

Hayden Christensen's return as Anakin Skywalker in Season 2 of Ahsoka was confirmed at Star Wars Celebration. Although details about Anakin's role in the new episodes remain under wraps, Christensen attended the panel and shared his excitement about reprising the beloved character.

"It was a dream to get to do," Christensen remarked. He praised the creative approach of exploring the World Between Worlds, calling it "really exciting." For Ahsoka series creator Dave Filoni, working with Christensen again was a priority, humorously noting that he had to "invent entire dimensions to make it happen."

Christensen also expressed his joy in portraying a version of Anakin from the Clone Wars era, which he hadn't explored in live-action before. "All of this had been presented well in the animated world, but I was really excited to do that in live action," he said, appreciating the opportunity to showcase Anakin in a new look beyond the traditional Jedi robes.

Ahsoka Will See the Return of Many More Familiar Faces

The Ahsoka panel showcased a trailer filled with images rather than moving footage, confirming the return of beloved characters such as Sabine, Ezra, Zeb, and Chopper for Season 2. Additionally, it was revealed that Admiral Ackbar will play a significant role in the upcoming story, facing off against Grand Admiral Thrawn. Fans can also look forward to seeing adorable Loth-Kittens and, according to Filoni, "X-Wings, A-Wings, and Wings I can't tell you about."

While the exact return date for Ahsoka on Disney+ remains unknown, the team shared that they are currently rewriting episodes as production is set to start next week.

Behind-the-Scenes Stories Reveal More About Ahsoka

The panel also delved into the inspirations and stories behind Ahsoka. Dave Filoni shared his admiration for Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki, citing Princess Mononoke as his favorite film and the reason behind Ahsoka's distinctive wolf fang markings.

Joined by Jon Favreau and Rosario Dawson on stage, the trio discussed the journey of bringing Ahsoka to life. Following Season 1 of The Mandalorian, Filoni and Favreau decided to explore bringing Ahsoka Tano to live-action, a character Filoni co-created with George Lucas. This led to Dawson's casting after a significant online campaign supporting her for the role. Dawson described her reaction to being offered the part, saying she had to mute herself on the video call because she was jumping up and down with excitement.

Initially, the Ahsoka appearance was considered a one-off, but the overwhelming fan reaction paved the way for a full series. Favreau noted that revisiting characters like Bo-Katan helped shift the focus toward continuing the narrative established in animation while culminating existing storylines. For the team, Ahsoka's series is akin to watching A New Hope, as it starts in the middle of her journey with much that came before and after.

Rosario Dawson expressed her excitement about exploring Ahsoka's character further in live-action, delving into her fears, anxieties, and desire to help from afar without taking on a mentor role directly.

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As Ahsoka's journey continues to unfold, fans can look forward to more thrilling adventures and deeper explorations of her character and the Star Wars universe.