To the surprise of no one, Disney is betting big on the Star Wars franchise as it looks to the future. Runaway hit The Mandalorian will get not one, but two live-action spinoff series set in the same timeline as the Disney+ series.
The two series, Ahsoka and Rangers of the New Republic, will spin out of the events of The Mandalorian and culminate with all three shows’ storylines converging for a crossover event. The announcement was made during the Disney Investor Day event, and was accompanied by the debut of title art from both shows.
Ahsoka, a new Original Series, starring @RosarioDawson and set within the timeline of @TheMandalorian, is coming to @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/ZojpCkhPS7
— Disney (@Disney) December 10, 2020
Rosario Dawson is expected to reprise the role of former Jedi Ahsoka Tano in Ahsoka after making her debut as the live-action incarnation of the character in season 2 of The Mandalorian.
As for Ranger of the New Republic, that series is likely to be an expansion of a plot point in season 2 of The Mandalorian that had former Rebel Alliance shock trooper Cara Dune (Gina Carano) become an officially recognized peacekeeper for the New Republic.
Both spinoff series will be executive produced by The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau, and although Disney declined to provide the premiere date for the two shows, the presentation did indicate that the “next chapter” of the Star Wars saga will premiere around Christmas 2021. The two series will join a host of other Star Wars shows in development, including Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and The Bad Batch, as well as the newly announced Lando.
Season 2 of The Mandalorian will conclude later this month on Disney+ and will likely receive a renewal for a third season in the near future.
