Lucasfilm has kicked off its biggest year to date, having started the releases for the final wave of The High Republic Phase 1's publishing and weekly releases of The Book of Boba Fett episodes. Following the conclusion to the latest chapter in the crime lord's story, fans will catch up with old friends in Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and The Bad Batch Season 2, all scheduled to release at various points in the next half year.
While immediate hype is naturally directed towards those projects, there's a watchful eye being kept on the future as well.
The Book of Boba Fett should set the stage for what transpires in The Mandalorian Season 3, which is currently in the midst of production. The current hope is that Season 3 will be ready to launch later this year, and with little else slated to drop from Lucasfilm in the back end of the year, a debut in November or December could be on the table (with the assumption that visual effects can be completed in time).
Soon to begin production is Dave Filoni's Ahsoka, another project in the MandoVerse. Rosario Dawson will return as the iconic former Jedi in a quest for Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn... alongside an appearance from the Chosen One himself. Given the start time for shooting, all signs indicate a streaming drop sometime next spring.
The impending project that's been discussed the least is Leslye Headland's The Acolyte, following a dark sider during the final days of the High Republic era. Nothing concrete has been shared directly by Lucasfilm or the trades, but a new rumor indicates when the series may make its debut.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Aims for Summer 2023 Release Date
Bespin Bulletin has shared a rumor suggesting The Acolyte will debut on Disney+ during the Summer of 2023. This would be on the heels of The Mandalorian Season 3 dropping late 2022 and Ahsoka hitting the streaming service in Spring 2023.
2023: Another Big Year For Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm hit the ground running this year, and it doesn't appear that the company will be slowing down any time soon. The Book of Boba Fett is still in the early stages of revealing its plot, but big things are to come in the ensuing weeks. Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the most anticipated series in recent memory and is sure to be a hit, and Andor Season 1 may be a pleasant surprise as well.
To bridge the gap between live-action releases, The Bad Batch Season 2 should buy 16 weeks of time for ILM to complete visual effects work on The Mandalorian Season 3, which may have a very late 2022 release in much the same way Boba Fett is a late 2021 drop. Also in the mix at some point is ILM and Lucasfilm Animation's A Droid Story, and there could be a few unknown projects in the cards waiting for reveals at Star Wars Celebration in May.
By the looks of things, 2023 is set up to be a mirror reflection of this year's Star Wars slate in terms of content quantity. After The Mandalorian finishes its run, Ahsoka can be expected to drop in the March - May timeframe, and the limited series will be followed by The Acolyte.
The Acolyte is rumored to go into production this summer, and with the current trend generally being a year between the start of filming and release for Star Wars Disney+ projects, the rumored release window seems likely to be true. Having a story that takes place in a different part of the timeline will be a breath of fresh air for fans embroiled in the big narrative of the Mandoverse for seveal months, and further exploration of the Sith is something that's been on many wishlists.
There's a good chance 2023 will also see the release of Andor Season 2 and another season of The Bad Batch (or maybe that Crimson Dawn series starring Maul that's been swirling in the rumor mill). At some point, an update on Lando can be expected, and there may or may not be a theatrical film coming next December in either Rogue Squadron or an Old Republic flick.
By and large, Disney+ will be the home of Star Wars for the foreseeable future, and the franchise will be blasting viewership records like a Death Star.
STAR WARS Writer
