Star Wars Celebration comes to this galaxy in just over a month, serving as an early Christmas for fans. Several key panels for the convention have recently been announced, with a presentation featuring all of the live-action filmmakers and their respective projects set to kick off festivities. Attendees can also look forward to a discussion with Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and the past and future of the MandoVerse along with as an update on The Bad Batch Season 2.
There are still many panels to be announced over the next month, though details will remain somewhat light. Lucasfilm tends to hold things close to the vest in an effort to maintain surprises, which will undoubtedly be the case this May with the future of Star Wars being such a blank slate. The announcement of new projects is often the most exciting element of a Celebration, and the event in Anaheim will likely boast several.
Among the most intriguing possibilities is the Tales of the Jedi project which, to this point, has gone unannounced. Its existence is only known by hardcore fans due to a leaked image of a Lucasfilm holiday gift box, which sported the logo for what many presume is a new series. Speculation regarding the show has run rampant since the beginning of the year, but the general assumption has been that all will be revealed at Celebration.
That appears to be the case, as a new rumor is indicating that Tales of the Jedi will receive its own panel next month. Beyond some murmurings, details remain light - but reputable sources have affirmed that a panel for the project is happening, and when.
Tales of the Jedi Panel Coming to Celebration
Making Star Wars reported that a panel to showcase Tales of the Jedi will be held at Star Wars Celebration. In a discussion with the outlet, Star Wars Santa claimed that the currently unannounced panel will occur on Friday, May 27.
Details on the identity of the show remain scarce - including whether it's live-action or animated. An intriguing tidbit shared in the scoop was that sources have claimed Cal Kestis could be one of the characters involved in the series. Star Wars Santa "keeps hearing it's going to be Fallen Order-related," though he speculated that a connection to the Legends Old Republic: Tales of the Jedi Dark Horse comics is still in the cards as well.
A Fallen Order Takeover at Celebration?
It's anyone's guess as to whether or not the Fallen Order tie-in proves true with Tales of the Jedi, but it's certainly an interesting premise that few have considered. With the Fallen Order video game sequel expected to drop later this year, and a panel undoubtedly being held for it, there's actually a good chance that the two projects could be related in some capacity.
A popular theory has been that the project will be an anthology, telling the tales of Jedi across various eras in the franchise. It could be the first time the Old Republic is given proper exploration in canon, and episodes devoted to the High Republic time period would be on the table as well. Naturally, pieces centering on the peacekeepers during the prequel trilogy would be key to the project too, as would episodes centered around survivors in the Imperial era and beyond.
The distinction between live-action and animation is the because missing puzzle piece. If the show is live-action, then Lucasfilm is perfectly set to bring Cal Kestis to the screen with actor Cameron Monaghan, who portrays the character in Fallen Order. Such a venture would also be an opportunity for people like Samuel L. Jackson to reprise their Jedi roles without major retcons being necessary, assuming the series is indeed an anthology.
Should Lucasfilm go the animated route, the same things can be done with various characters, though a complete tie-in to Fallen Order would seemingly be out of the question. Anakin Skywalker voice actor Matt Lanter has teased his involvement in a special project, and fans have deduced that Tales of the Jedi is likely to be animated given the logo's positioning on the leaked box.
For the moment, anything seems possible with the project. A special anthology series that celebrates the legacy of the Jedi Order would be a nice treat, and weekly releases could serve as a bridge between live-action series on the release slate if it's scheduled for this year. All will be revealed in time - with the show itself possibly being announced before Celebration so the rumored Friday panel can be promoted.
Star Wars Celebration will take place in Anaheim from May 26-29.
