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In exactly one month, Star Wars Celebration 2023 kicks off at the ExCel Centre in London, England and Lucasfilm have finally revealed the first slate of panels that will be taking place at the event. The panels are many you’d expect to see including a Lucasfilm Showcase, a panel that’ll cover various upcoming Star Wars projects as well as Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny from what I’ve heard, an Ahsoka series panel which promises special looks at the upcoming show, a Bad Batch panel and much more! It’s also been revealed by Lucasfilm that Star Wars Celebration will be live-streamed on YouTube just as it has in years gone by, but unfortunately, just like last year, the panels will not be streamed, which I’m sure is disappointing for many. You can read the schedule below, and remember, the times are for British Summer Time.
Friday, April 7 at 11am-12:30pm – Lucasfilm Showcase Panel: Star Wars Celebration returns, launching with a must-see showcase that will kick the weekend’s festivities into hyperdrive. Lucasfilm’s current crop of live-action filmmakers will be joined by special guests to discuss the many current and upcoming Star Wars adventures, including The Mandalorian, Andor, and more. Takes place on the Celebration stage and will be streaming to the Twin Suns and Galaxy stages.
Saturday, April 8th at 11am-12pm – Ahsoka: Join executive producers Dave Filoni, Jon Favreau and special look at the upcoming Disney+ Ashoka series. Taking place on the Celebration stage.
Sunday, April 9th at 11am-12pm – Villains of the Sequel Trilogy: The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many panels some consider to can’t miss! Join host Amy Ratcliffe as she sits down with Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine), Andy Serkis (Supreme Leader Snoke), and Gwendoline Christie (Captain Phasma) as they discuss their villainous roles in the final chapters of the Skywalker Saga. Taking place on the Celebration stage.
Sunday, April 9th at 1:30pm-2:30pm – A Look Back at Obi-Wan Kenobi: Take a look back at the hit limited series with “Obi-Wan Kenobi’s” Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Indira Varma, Vivien Lyra Blair and executive producer/director Deborah Chow. Takes place on the Celebration stage.
Sunday, April 9th at 4pm-5pm – Disney Parks: Where Star Wars Comes to Life: Join some of the creative minds from Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm for a special look at how Disney brings Star Wars to life in its parks and beyond. Discover more about immersive experiences from a galaxy far, far away, including Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and more. Disney and Star Wars fans alike will be treated to the insights only these creators can provide. Takes place on the Celebration stage.
Monday, April 10th at 11am-12pm – Star Wars: The Bad Batch: Join host Amy Ratcliffe as she invites Star Wars: The Bad Batch executive producer and supervising director Brad Rau, executive producer and head writer Jennifer Corbett, executive producer Athena Portillo, actors Dee Bradley Baker (the Bad Batch) and Michelle Ang (Omega) to discuss highlights from the second season of the acclaimed series! Takes place on the Celebration stage and will stream to the Twin Suns and Galaxy stages.
Monday, April 10th at 1pm-2pm – Star Wars: Visions Volume 2: Join host Amy Ratcliffe, Star Wars: Visions executive producers, and filmmakers from Aardman, Cartoon Saloon, D’ART Shtajio, El Guiri, La Cachette, Lucasfilm, Punk Robot, Studio Mir, Triggerfish, and 88 Pictures for an exclusive first look at Star Wars: Visions Volume 2. Takes place on the Celebration stage.
Monday, April 10th at 4pm-5pm – Closing Ceremony. No details available.
You may remember that sometime last month I was first to report we’d be getting the trailer for the Ahsoka series at Star Wars Celebration, and now with the addition of the Ahsoka panel, that seems inevitable. I don’t know which panel the trailer will debut, it could be on Friday during the Lucasfilm Showcase and the Ahsoka panel could give fans greater insight into the series and give them the first look at exclusive footage, or perhaps the Ahsoka trailer will be held until it’s own panel – whichever it is doesn’t really matter, we’re getting that darn trailer.
The panel I am without question looking forward to the most, and I’m sure many fans are, is the Lucasfilm Showcase. This will likely be the panel the upcoming Star Wars slate of shows and films will be revealed, including the film being written by Watchmen’s Damon Lindelof being officially announced and perhaps the film being developed by Free Guy’s Shawn Levy. I don’t expect a mountain of announcements, but I do expect significant updates on Ahsoka and Skeleton Crew, the two live-action series slated for release this year following the third season of The Mandalorian. As mentioned, I’d revealed that the Ahsoka trailer will debut at Celebration, though I don’t know at which panel. Regardless of the panel it’s shown at, I expect it to be released online, but I don’t expect Skeleton Crew footage to arrive online. If I were a betting man, I’d wager that those inside the room will get to see footage from Skeleton Crew, whether it be a trailer or a behind the scenes look of sorts.
The official information provided by Lucasfilm mentions the second season of Andor, which isn’t slated to release until the latter half of 2024, will be present during the Lucasfilm Showcase. Though I don’t expect any footage from Andor season two, I expect small updates on the show that’s currently in production and perhaps Tony Gilroy and co could delve a little bit deeper on what fans can expect from the second and final season of the critically acclaimed series. Given that Andor will be present, I fully expect Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte to appear at the Showcase, especially as the High Republic era series is set to debut within the first half of 2024, months ahead of Andor’s second season. However just like Andor, I don’t expect to see footage from a project so far away, but perhaps we’ll (or at least people in the room) will get to see images from the series and the creatives behind the project will provide more details on what to expect from the series.
Outside of what I’ve already mentioned, I don’t know what else to expect. Given The Mandalorian will be midway through its third season, I expect Lucasfilm to talk about the season and perhaps provide an update on season four, something Jon Favreau has already confirmed is written. As I mentioned earlier in the article, I expect Lucasfilm to show off footage from its next major theatrical release, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. I don’t know if we’ll get announcements for brand new live-action series, word on that sort of thing has been very quiet on my end, but given we’ll likely get updates on all the live-action series we know about and this will be the event where the next Star Wars films will likely be formally announced, I think Lucasfilm have more than enough to update fans on and announcements for future series could be held until Celebration 2025.
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