It's been three months since Star Wars Celebration, the last time fans received any major updates for the future of the galaxy far, far away. Since then, Obi-Wan Kenobi completed its limited run on Disney+, and Lucasfilm has turned its focus to its next streaming series, Andor, due in late September.
But the highly-anticipated show won't be the only thing diehards have to look forward to. In fact, it's just the beginning.
Disney will be holding the bi-annual D23 Expo convention in two weeks, which promises to bring a slew of information on upcoming Star Wars films, shows, and video games. But directly before the big weekend will be Disney+ Day on September 8, an event commemorating the streaming platform with exclusive reveals and special looks at titles in various stages of development.
Lucasfilm has already announced that Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi Returns - a documentary following the behind-the-scenes process of the latest Star Wars series - will launch on the day. The company has teased special surprises to come throughout the day, a sign that the first wave of Star Wars news in months should precede the larger festivities at D23.
Important to bear in mind is that similar promises were made for the highly hyped event last year, and it wound up being a colossal embarrassment for Lucasfilm. Assuming they've learned their lesson from the infamous Disney- Day 2021, Star Wars fans have reason to be excited for the date marked on the Mouse's calendar.
Any major announcements for new Disney+ shows are likely being reserved for the Hall D23 Presentation, which unfortunately won't be live-streamed for those at home. Below are five Star Wars streaming projects fans can realistically look to Disney+ Day for updates and release windows.
Andor
The obvious series to expect word on is Star Wars: Andor. With the show just 13 days out from its three-episode premiere when Disney+ Day rolls along, the marketing campaign will be in full swing. It's already beginning with a special look attached to an IMAX re-release of Rogue One in theaters, and more footage is likely to drop for the streaming event.
If history is anything to go by, there may be a sizzle reel in store for fans on the day. One of the few things to come from last year's event was a condensed video sharing concept art and interview snippets for Obi-Wan Kenobi, and something similar could drop for Andor. The series actually already has one, which dropped nearly two years ago during the Disney Investor's Day event, so it's time for something fresh.
But what about the future?
Andor isn't quite a limited series; a second (and final) season of 12 episodes is currently deep in pre-production. An official announcement that Season 2 is underway could be part of the promotional efforts to sell audiences on the faith Lucasfilm has in the show. With an expected release time frame and possibly a short video from the set featuring Diego Luna, fans can get excited for even more adventures with Cassian Andor.
The Bad Batch Season 2
Star Wars fans are long overdue for an update on the next installment of The Bad Batch. The first season ended roughly a year ago and announcements for Season 2 were kept under wraps until Celebration when Lucasfilm released the first trailer and teaser poster.
At the time, the only release window given was "Fall 2022," though a promotional header on Disney+ briefly revealed the season would drop on September 28. That's since been debunked in light of the show's omission from the platform's listed slate of releases for the month, leading most to assume the premiere date was pushed back in response to Andor's three-week delay.
With fall now in sight, it's time for an official release date for The Bad Batch Season 2. The perfect way to do so would be to attach it to the final trailer, something that would be well within reason for the scope of Disney+ Day. As always, the official key art poster for the season can be expected to drop simultaneously.
Lucasfilm will have roughly 40 minutes to present during D23, and it should be expected that the duration will be spent focusing on live-action projects - Star Wars, and otherwise. The Bad Batch would be the odd show out at Hall D23, but Disney+ Day aligns perfectly to give Clone Force 99 their chance to shine.
Tales of the Jedi
Speaking of animated projects, Tales of the Jedi is certainly something in need of a new announcement. Presented at Star Wars Celebration, the series is an anthology of six shorts written by Dave Filoni as a passion project during flights to The Mandalorian sets. Three episodes apiece will center on Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku, reflecting the similar and different ways they walked, and ultimately left, the Jedi path.
The first episode and a full trailer were shown exclusively to Celebration attendees, though only concept images were shared publicly. Like The Bad Batch, it was revealed that Tales of the Jedi will release in the fall with no other date specified. Given the nature of the shorts, it's presumed that the entire series will drop at once, but nothing has been confirmed.
Disney+ Day makes for an excellent chance to change that, as those who weren't present at Celebration are still unexposed to the series. A trailer showing off Ahsoka, Dooku, Qui-Gon Jinn, and several more Jedi in fresh animation is called for. Coming along with the trailer should be a poster and release date, which could fall anywhere between the October to Thanksgiving time frame.
There is the chance, just a slight chance, that Lucasfilm does something crazy. Fans have speculated that footage of Tales of the Jedi has been saved so the series can be a surprise release on September 8. It would be uncharacteristic of Lucasfilm (or any company, for that matter) to abruptly drop a project without marketing and fanfare, but the possibility always remains.
Ahsoka
Admittedly, the odds of getting anything on Ahsoka out of Disney+ Day are pretty slim. Dave Filoni is a shoo-in for a Hall D23 appearance where he and Jon Favreau are likely to take the stage and talk all things MandoVerse. Ahsoka is still in the midst of production, and a teaser akin to the one shown at Celebration will almost certainly be reserved for the big event - and likely just attendees.
That being said, there's no reason fans can't be thrown a little bone for Disney+ Day. Footage may be an unreasonable ask, but a few casting announcements to re-ignite the flame for the show before D23 might be in order. The actors portraying Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn have been difficult to lock down, and part of the smaller event's festivities could entail those reveals.
It may be a safer bet that the actors will be introduced to the world on the Hall D23 stage in much the same way as Natasha Liu Bordizzo's appearance at Celebration for the role of Sabine Wren. Perhaps some known entities could be announced on Disney+ Day instead... like Hayden Christensen, who should be getting another crack at Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker.
If all of that is a bit too greedy, fans will undoubtedly settle for a release date. Marvel Studios has a habit of sharing dates or time frames in tweets attached to the respective project's logo, and Ahsoka is a key Disney+ series on the horizon, so perhaps Lucasfilm may utilize this formula. An educated guess suggests the spring or summer of 2023 are reasonable windows for the show to drop, with The Mandalorian Season 3 landing in February.
The Acolyte
As far-fetched as Ahsoka announcements seem, the further-out series The Acolyte actually serves as a legitimate contender for Disney+ Day news. Leslye Headland's project is still in the midst of pre-production, with principal photography expected to begin in October and run through May of the following year. As such, a first season could be as distant as early 2024.
The first major piece of news for the show dropped during Comic-Con weekend when it was announced that Amandla Stenberg will be playing the series lead. Casting has been underway for several months, as leaked call sheets have revealed the code names of major and supporting characters and their demographics.
It's possible that Headland and Stenberg will present The Acolyte in some fashion at D23, but it's a bit early in the game without any stills or footage. A mention of the show among others on Lucasfilm's slate is more likely, leaving Disney+ Day as the perfect time to announce a few more cast members.
Should the October start date for production stick, Lucasfilm likely has a good idea of the time frame for The Acolyte's premiere. After doing the necessary calculations to determine the time needed for post-production work, a target release window can be added to the Disney+ calendar. If Star Wars fans are lucky, they may even hear about it in a few weeks.
Fans can hope for word on all these projects and more when Disney+ Day arrives on Thursday, September 8.
STAR WARS Writer
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