Hayden Christensen Makes His Return as Anakin Skywalker in New "Ahsoka" Trailer

Updated on 8/14/2023 at 11:45 AM

The latest Star Wars Disney+ series is on the way, and it's about a character many superfans already know and love: Ahsoka Tano. Rosario Dawson stars as the former Jedi Padawan, who was Anakin Skywalker's apprentice during the Clone Wars. After what feels like years of waiting, fans got their first look at the series's bad guy, Grand Admiral Thrawn, played by a blue-skinned Lars Mikkelsen, in the official trailer released on July 11. Then, on Aug. 13, a teaser clip previewed the return of Hayden Christensen as both Skywalker and his alter ego Darth Vader.

Ahsoka was first introduced in the 2008 animated film "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," and fans later followed her journey through the "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" series before the show officially ended with its seventh season in May 2020. They also saw Ahsoka make a brief appearance as an adult in the 2014 animated series "Star Wars Rebels."

Dawson debuted as live-action Ahsoka in a November 2020 episode of "The Mandalorian" and reprised the role in 2021's "The Book of Boba Fett." Her own series, which was announced after that first appearance, will take place during the same era in the Star Wars timeline, about five years after the events of "Return of the Jedi."

"Ahsoka" went into production in 2022 and Dawson appeared at the Star Wars Celebration in May — which POPSUGAR was on hand for — that same year to preview the series. "It's been just such a thrill and honor to bring this character to life and to feel the energy of everyone wanting to see her come to life," she said during a panel. "As a fan, it's been exciting to experience it and see this story continue."

Ahead, here's everything we know about "Ahsoka," from the trailers and cast to the plot, time frame, and more.

"Ahsoka" Trailer

"Ahsoka" Teaser Trailer No. 1

"Ahsoka" Teaser Trailer No. 2

"Ahsoka" Premiere Date

The series premieres on Disney+ on Aug. 23.

"Ahsoka" Cast

Aside from Dawson filling the title role, the rest of the cast includes Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren, a Mandalorian who once wielded the darksaber; Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger, a Jedi who disappeared at the end of "Rebels"; Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla, a pilot who had a child with a Jedi named Kanan; Ray Stevenson as the mysterious villain Baylan; David Tennant as Huyang, a lightsaber crafting droid; and Ivanna Sakhno as Baylan's apprentice.

Christensen will reprise his role as Anakin Skywalker, but since the series takes place after Darth Vader's death, it seems he'll appear either in flashbacks or as a Force ghost. The "Rebels" character Thrawn is also set to appear in "Ahsoka" (we're given a foreboding first look at his back in the show's teaser trailer), and on April 8, Disney confirmed that Lars Mikkelsen, the voice actor behind Thrawn in "Rebels," will fill the role.

"Ahsoka" Villains

Chapter 13 of "The Mandalorian," titled "The Jedi," hints that "Ahsoka" will be about her search for Grand Admiral Thrawn — the ruthless Imperial officer who was the main antagonist in "Star Wars Rebels." The last time fans saw him was in the series finale, in which he faces off with Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger. The two are aboard Thrawn's command ship when Ezra uses the Force to call a group of whale-like creatures called purrgil to attack Thrawn's fleet. The purrgil eventually jump into hyperspace, disappearing with Ezra and Thrawn, their whereabouts a mystery.

The last few seconds of "Star Wars Rebels" show Ahsoka and the Mandalorian warrior Sabine Wren joining forces to look for Ezra in space, and it looks like that scene takes place after Chapter 13 of "The Mandalorian." Since we know Sabine is in the series, it looks like their search for Thrawn will be a big part of the show.

Since Christensen is also set to return in "Ahsoka" as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, the show could also explore Ahsoka's relationship with her former master, which soured when he went over to the dark side of the Force.

When Does "Ahsoka" Take Place in the Star Wars Timeline?

"Ahsoka" will take place around the same time as "The Mandalorian," which is set about five years after "Return of the Jedi" following the fall of the Empire and the death of Darth Vader.