After an extended delay, Star Wars Celebration will finally be returning to Anaheim in late May. Originally scheduled for August 2020, the galaxy's biggest convention was delayed by the COVID-19 outbreak to August 2022, but was subsequently bumped up to the current set of dates. The event as scheduled is now closer to Celebration timeframes of the past, offering fans an array of things to look forward to as the year to come follows.
One thing attendees can certainly expect is a wide range of panels. It was announced that Obi-Wan Kenobi will now be released on Friday, May 27 - with the first two episodes hitting Disney+. Given the move in correlation with Celebration's dates, one can stand to reason that the convention will be kicked off on Thursday with a panel dedicated to the series, where those lucky enough to be in attendance could be treated to an early look at the first episode.
Beyond the announcements, what makes Celebration so thrilling is being in the presence of so many Star Wars icons. In years past, the main cast for the sequel trilogy and Rogue One have taken the main stage, and 2017's 40th Anniversary panel saw surprise appearances from George Lucas, Harrison Ford, and John Williams - who was accompanied by a full orchestra.
For those willing to pay, there's even the chance to meet some of the galaxy far, far away's celebrities. The event organizes photo opportunities and autograph signings with select guests, many of whom have inspired enormous lines for the brief opportunity to get a meeting. As Celebration draws nearer, the first rounds of icons attending the convention have finally been announced.
Who Is Attending Star Wars Celebration Anaheim?
The official Star Wars website announced multiple waves of icons attending Star Wars Celebration in May. First up are a few folks that some may consider household names:
- Anthony Daniels - Actor, C-3PO
- Ashley Eckstein - Voice Actor, Ahsoka Tano in The Clone Wars and Rebels
- Ian McDiarmid - Actor, Emperor Palpatine
Another round of guests was also recently revealed, featuring performers from the hit Disney+ series:
- Giancarlo Esposito - Actor, Moff Gideon
- Omid Abtahi - Actor, Dr. Pershing
- Joonas Suotamo - Actor, Chewbacca in Episodes VII-IX, Solo
- Carey Jones - Actor, Black Krrsantan
- Daniel Logan - Actor, Boba Fett in Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars
- Tim Rose - Actor, Admiral Ackbar
- Margo Apostolos - Actor, Ewok Tokkat in Return of the Jedi
- Jett Lucas - Actor, Zett Jukassa in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith
- Orli Shoshan - Actor, Shaak Ti
- Kevin Thompson - Actor, Ewok Chubbray in Return of the Jedi
That's not all. Also confirmed to be attending Celebration is the entire team behind Star Wars: The High Republic:
- Cavan Scott - Author, Light of the Jedi
- Charles Soule - Author, The Rising Storm
- Claudia Gray - Author, The Fallen Star
- Daniel Jose Older - Author, Midnight Horizon
- Justina Ireland - Author, Out of the Shadows
Yub Nub!
It's truly shaping up to be a Star Wars Celebration when the guests attending start to be announced. Meeting with actors and creators is a convention tradition, and Celebration offers Star Wars fans the opportunity to snag a pic or John Hancock from any of their favorites in the same place.
Anaheim will host Daniels, Eckstein, and McDiarmid yet again, each of whom are Celebration veterans. The three have a long history of being gracious with Star Wars fans, and will certainly be eager to see their faithful as the convention floor finally reopens. McDiarmid, in particular, is accommodating - should one pay for a meeting, the actor is always happy to say a meme line in the voice of the Emperor ("Dew it" being the most popular).
Giancarlo Esposito frequents conventions but will be making his Celebration debut this year, and one can imagine there will be a high turnout for the Moff. Constantly open with fans and the ironic marketing machine for The Mandalorian, there's a good chance the actor will pass along some juicy tidbits about Season 3. Speaking of which... in addition to his appearance on the show floor, might Esposito's attendance be indicative of a panel for the next season in the hit series?
There are several fun guests that aren't as A-list as the others attending. Carey Jones just recently made his debut in Star Wars as Krrsantan in The Book of Boba Fett, and he's already coming to meet the fans. Daniel Logan is a name many diehards are familiar with, returning for another stint at Celebration. Jett Lucas happens to be The Maker's son, though his father dropping by doesn't seem likely. And don't sleep on the lesser-known people - they have some of the best stories to tell.
While not surprising, it's nice to see confirmation that the High Republic authors will all be in the house. Authors tend to do completely free signings on the show floor, and a scenario where all five do a roundtable session on posters and books could be a hit. There will also be the business of Phase Two to discuss, which will certainly be covered in a panel during the weekend.
Star Wars Celebration takes place in Anaheim from May 26-29.
