Like much of the world and entertainment industry, Star Wars has had its share of troubles and delays throughout the current pandemic. After receiving a new writer, the Obi Wan Kenobi show was given a 2022 release. Additionally, the Cassian Andor series has also been put on lockdown, but was still able to complete about six weeks of pre-production.
Luckily, the team over at Lucasfilm is hard at work on The Mandalorian Season 2, as they are in the challenging process of post-production while simultaneously being on lockdown. The show will, however, meet its release date according to Disney executive Bob Chapek.
Other good news from quarantine, thanks to an all-new trailer, is that Jedi Temple Challenge is on schedule and will premiere next week. It looks like fans have been gifted with another surprise, but this time coming from the library section of the franchise...
CONFIRMATION
In a new tweet from Star Wars Books, the release of Chaos Rising, the first book in the new Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy written by Timothy Zahn, has moved up an entire month from its initial October 6th date to September 1st. They also shared that the audiobook will once again "be narrated by the legendary Marc Thompson." In the tweet, they shared a snippet of his work on the novel, which can be viewed below:
WHAT THIS MEANS
This triloy follows Zahn's first canon series regarding the Chiss officer titled Star Wars: Thrawn, which included the volumes of Thrawn, Thrawn: Alliances, and Thrawn: Treason, the last of which hit shelves just last year. It is set to explore the origins of the Grand Admiral, as his species were a highly advanced civilization that were established in the Unknown Regions. Their government, the Chiss Ascendancy, will also be examined over the course of these novels. Precise details about the plot of Chaos Rising can be found in the publisher's summary here.
For those who don't know, Zahn gained acclaim for his original Thrawn trilogy, consisting of Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command. These books, however, became part of Legends and were not officially part of Disney's Star Wars canon. The company brought the character back in Season 3 of Star Wars Rebels, as a cunning villain for the Ghost crew. Although he met somewhat of an end in the series finale with his rival Ezra Bridger, it's very likely he is still lurking somewhere since it's been all but confirmed that Bridger survived their trip into hyperspace.
It would be no surprise if this new trilogy provides some insight into the pair's whereabouts, or even some subtle hints at Emperor Palpatine's secret work in the Unknown Regions, which came to fruition in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. This is all speculation, of course, as they could specifically just center on Thrawn and his beginnings with the Chiss. Nonetheless, they will surely be an exciting, meticulous set of books for the beloved and rich character.
