Lucasfilm is investing heavily in Disney+ as the platform for the future of Star Wars content. Following the launch of the studio's first live-action series The Mandalorian, it was revealed by showrunner Jon Favreau that its second season was set to release in Fall 2020, with Disney head Bob Iger later announcing October 2020 as its premiere month. Alongside the return of Din Djarin, aka Mando, and The Child (more commonly known as 'Baby Yoda'), the Star Wars universe will expand further on Disney's streaming service with an Obi-Wan Kenobi series and a Cassian Andor series debuting down the line.
The Star Wars universe will also look to adapt fan-favorite characters into their Disney+ live-action series, doing so with the addition of some well-established actors and actresses. As The Direct outlined earlier, Rosario Dawson is reportedly set to appear in season two of The Mandalorian as the live-action version of Ahsoka Tano, the adored Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels character. Ahsoka's debut is rumored to potentially lead to her own live-action Disney+ series as well. Now, with an exclusive report, Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka Tano could be set to appear in multiple Star Wars live-action series on Disney+.
NEWS
According to our contributing insider Daniel Richtman, Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka Tano contract is reportedly a multi-show deal. For reference, this is a unique type of contract seen most often with MCU actors and actresses who have signed onto other film and show properties in the past. This is not a confirmation that Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka Tano will indeed appear in other Disney+ shows, rather, that Lucasfilm is potentially interested in having her character make future appearances in other shows, thus including this clause in the contract.
WHAT THIS MEANS
If Rosario Dawson's Ashoka Tano does end up appearing in not only The Mandalorian and her rumored solo series but also other Disney+ shows, it would speak to the investment Lucasfilm is making in both their live-action series and in the character of Ahsoka as well. For reference, think of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which strategically placed characters across multiple films. Some were in supporting roles, and others were just cameos. But the end goal was to create a connected universe, and now that it has been established, the payoff has been immense. Could Lucasfilm be hoping to achieve the same with their Disney+ series?
We've witnessed Ahsoka make the jump across multiple animated shows between The Clone Wars and Rebels, and perhaps Rosario Dawson's portrayal is hoping to achieve the same. It has been noted that the creative forces behind the upcoming Cassian Andor series are itching to include characters from the films. Why not incorporate those from other Disney+ shows as well? It is also known that the Obi-Wan series is undergoing script re-writes. Do the showrunners believe steering the show in a new direction falls more in line with what Lucasfilm has planned for the future as a whole? Dawson's reported multi-show deal could possibly be a factor in that decision making.
Given that Lucasfilm is thinking of achieving this specifically with Ahsoka Tano is a sign of how impactful they believe her character's introduction can be. The Mandalorian was a hit upon launch, and the season finale left us with a cliffhanger that could spawn into the mythos of the Jedi and much more. With that ambition, the studio now seems to be investing heavily in Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka Tano to explore those themes, possibly across multiple different shows. We may be witnessing the beginnings of a connected universe between each of the Star Wars live-action series, and if this report comes to fruition, Rosario Dawson's portrayal of Ahsoka Tano could be at the center of it.
MCU, STAR WARS, and DCU Writer
