Disney+ Announces Major Release Date Change for Next Star Wars Show

By David Thompson Posted:
Ahsoka Disney+ Rosario Dawson Star Wars

Disney+ is changing its streaming release strategy for Ahsoka, beginning with the two-part premiere on August 22.

On July 11, it was announced that Ahsoka would release its first two episodes on August 23, kicking off the eight-episode series.

This live-action continuation of several storylines and characters from Star Wars Rebels has been met with positive reactions to the first two episodes from critics.

Disney+ Releasing Ahsoka on Tuesday Nights

Ahsoka Disney Plus poster
Star Wars

The official Ahsoka series X (formerly known as Twitter) page shared that the upcoming series' episodes will be released on Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET.

This is a significant change from the standard 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET release times that Disney+ Star Wars fans have grown accustomed to.

Ahsoka was originally set to premiere on Wednesday, August 23 at 12:00 a.m. PT.

Prior to this schedule change, Disney+ tested similar waters with the Obi-Wan Kenobi two-episode premiere also debuting at 9:00 p.m. PT / 12:00 a.m. ET. 

The rest of the episodes in that series were released at 12:00 a.m. PT on Wednesdays throughout June.

Here's an updated look at the full Ahsoka release schedule:

  • Episode 1: August 22
  • Episode 2: August 22
  • Episode 3: August 29
  • Episode 4: September 5
  • Episode 5: September 12
  • Episode 6: September 19
  • Episode 7: September 26
  • Episode 8: October 3

Setting a New Release Standard at Disney+

There's been plenty of changes that Disney+ has made to its Star Wars and Marvel series releases since beginning in 2019.

The main changes are typically how many episodes are released at once, and the day of the week that episodes come out, but very rarely has the time of day changed.

Even when Obi-Wan Kenobi's premiere time changed, it went right back to the release in the middle of the night for fans in the Eastern Time Zone.

In many ways, this new schedule is following the HBO model, which traditionally releases its shows on Sundays at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET.

Could this become the new standard for Disney+ shows? Tom Hiddleston's Loki Season 2 is set to premiere on Friday, October 6. The first season is still the most popular MCU show released on the streamer.

It's a certainty that Disney will monitor the viewership ratings as Ahsoka is released week by week and continue to evaluate what the best strategy is moving forward.

Ashoka will now make its two-part premiere on Tuesday, August 22. 

- In This Article: Ahsoka
Release Date
August 22, 2023
Platform
Actors
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Natasha Liu Bordizzo
- About The Author: David Thompson
As an editor, writer, and podcast host, David is a key member of The Direct. He is an expert at covering topics like Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and business-related news following the box office and streaming.