Anakin Skywalker strikes back once more, folks! Hayden Christensen is set to don his beloved role as Anakin Skywalker once again for the sophomore season of "Ahsoka," the highly anticipated Lucasfilm Disney+ series starring Rosario Dawson. The thrilling revelation unfolded at the Star Wars Celebration event, held in the bustling city of Tokyo, Japan.
The spotlight was firmly on "Ahsoka" creator Dave Filoni, executive producer Jon Favreau, and leading lady Rosario Dawson as they took to the main stage for an insightful panel exploring the inspirations behind the show and the behind-the-scenes journey of its inaugural season. Filoni delved into the profound influence of Hayao Miyazaki's "Princess Mononoke" on the series, while Favreau reminisced about George Lucas' deep admiration for the character of Ahsoka and shared anecdotes from Dawson's casting process. Dawson herself revealed that production for season two of "Ahsoka" would commence the following week.
The audience's excitement reached a crescendo when a poignant scene featuring Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka played on the big screen, followed by Christensen's grand entrance to thunderous applause. However, the official announcement of his return was saved until the panel's climactic moments. "I can't share much, but Anakin will indeed return for season two," Christensen announced, eliciting more cheers and欢呼 from the eager crowd.
Elsewhere during the panel, Filoni also hinted at Rory McCann stepping into the shoes of Baylan Skoll, a role previously held by the late Ray Stevenson, who tragically passed away in May 2023. He further confirmed that Admiral Akbar would make a triumphant return in season two, locking horns with Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Christensen famously portrayed the future Darth Vader in "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones" (2002) and "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" (2005). He made a triumphant return to the Star Wars universe by reprising his roles as Anakin and Vader in the Disney+ series "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and later appeared in digitally de-aged form in two episodes of "Ahsoka"'s first season.
This year's Celebration has showcased Christensen as a star attraction, offering autograph signings and photo ops with iconic Star Wars figures like Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Mads Mikkelsen from "Rogue One," Diego Luna from "Andor," and Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks), among others. Anecdotally, Christensen, who has taken a hiatus from major acting engagements since his Star Wars days, has emerged as one of the top draws at this year's Celebration, if not the top. Notably, Christensen charged the highest fee by a significant margin, with a photo opportunity costing around $208, followed closely by Dawson at $181 and Luna at $160.
"Ahsoka" follows the adventures of Ahsoka Tano, the exiled Jedi and former padawan of Skywalker, set after the events of "Return of the Jedi." The ensemble cast includes Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ivanna Sakhno, Diana Lee Inosanto, David Tennant, Eman Esfandi, Evan Whitten, Genevieve O'Reilly, Ariana Greenblatt, and Lars Mikkelsen.
Currently underway in Tokyo, Japan, Star Wars Celebration is a biennial convention that brings together devoted fans of George Lucas' sci-fi fantasy franchise. During the event, Disney unveiled the title and release date of Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling's standalone Star Wars film, announced an animated series centered around Darth Maul, and premiered the first trailer for "The Mandalorian & Grogu."
