Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025: The Biggest News and Moments

Star Wars Celebration 2025 was a spectacular event filled with thrilling announcements from the beloved galaxy far, far away. Highlights included the unveiling of *Star Wars: Starfighter* featuring Ryan Gosling, the announcement of a new Darth Maul series, a first look at Rory McCann as Baylan Skoll, and the exciting news that fans will be able to care for Grogu on the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run experience. These announcements, among others, have left fans buzzing with anticipation.

We're eager to know which of these reveals excites you the most in the world of Star Wars!

Star Wars Celebration's Ahsoka Panel Featured the First Look at Rory McCann's Baylan Skoll, the news of Anakin's Return, and More

The Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration was packed with major reveals and engaging behind-the-scenes stories for the show's second season. A highlight was the first look at Rory McCann as Baylan Skoll, stepping into the role following the passing of Ray Stevenson. An image of McCann as Baylan was shared, which you can see below. Additionally, it was confirmed that Hayden Christensen will reprise his iconic role as Anakin Skywalker in Season 2.

For Season 2, fans can look forward to the return of beloved characters like Sabine, Ezra, Zeb, and Chopper. It was also revealed that Admiral Ackbar will play a significant role, facing off against Grand Admiral Thrawn. The season promises adorable Loth-Kittens and, according to Dave Filoni, "X-Wings, A-Wings, and Wings I can't tell you about."

Hayden Christensen on Returning to Anakin Skywalker in Ahsoka and Liking When 'Star Wars Goes Dark'

Following the announcement of his return in Ahsoka Season 2, we had the opportunity to speak with Hayden Christensen about reprising his role as Anakin Skywalker after nearly two decades. He shared his thoughts on why he enjoys when Star Wars delves into darker themes and even revealed his favorite Anakin meme.

Rosario Dawson Had No Idea Mark Hamill Was Returning as Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian Until He Walked On Set

During our conversation with Rosario Dawson, Dave Filoni, and Jon Favreau about Ahsoka, they shared an amusing story about how Dawson was unaware that Mark Hamill would return as Luke Skywalker until he appeared on the set of The Book of Boba Fett. She, like many others, anticipated Plo Koon as the mysterious Jedi savior in the Season 2 finale, as Filoni and Favreau used him as a decoy in the scripts.

The Mandalorian and Grogu Panel, Everything Revealed

The Mandalorian & Grogu is set to hit theaters on May 22, 2026, marking the first Star Wars film on the big screen since 2019's The Rise of Skywalker. This panel kicked off Star Wars Celebration and included teases for the film, as well as the surprising announcement of the Shawn Levy-directed *Star Wars: Starfighter*, starring Ryan Gosling, slated for release on May 28, 2027.

The footage shown exclusively to the crowd featured an Imperial ship ready for battle, Mando engaging with Flame Troopers, collapsing AT-AT walkers in the snow, and our first glimpse of Sigourney Weaver's character. Of course, Grogu was showcased being adorably chaotic, swimming, and making objects levitate.

The Mandalorian & Grogu's Sigourney Weaver on Grogu Stealing Her Heart and More

At Star Wars Celebration, we had the pleasure of speaking with Sigourney Weaver about her role in The Mandalorian & Grogu. She revealed she hadn't watched an episode of The Mandalorian before being cast, how Grogu captured her heart, and even playfully speculated if Grogu might be more powerful than a Xenomorph.

Star Wars: Starfighter Is a New Film Starring Ryan Gosling That's Arriving in Theaters in May 2027

Star Wars Celebration announced *Star Wars: Starfighter*, with Ryan Gosling set to star in this new film taking place five years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. While details remain sparse, it was confirmed that Gosling will portray a brand-new character. This film will join the upcoming releases from The Mandalorian & Grogu, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, James Mangold, Taika Waititi, and a trilogy from Simon Kinberg.

For more information, you can explore everything we know about *Star Wars: Starfighter*'s plot and timeline.

Bringing Star Wars Experiences to Life With Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Live Entertainment

We spoke with Walt Disney Imagineering's Asa Kalama and Disney Live Entertainment's Michael Serna about the future of Star Wars experiences at Disney Parks and beyond. This includes the upcoming Mandalorian & Grogu-themed update for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, the introduction of adorable BDX droids to Disney Parks, and much more. They shared insights into how they bring Disney Magic to life, allowing fans to experience their favorite stories and characters in real-life settings.

The Mandalorian and Grogu-Themed Update to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run Will Let Engineers Take Care of Grogu

Alongside the theatrical release of The Mandalorian & Grogu on May 22, 2026, Din Djarin and Grogu will be featured in a new story-based mission at Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in Walt Disney World and Disneyland. This mission follows a "different path" from the movie, with Hondo Ohnaka catching wind of a deal on Tatooine between ex-Imperial officers and pirates, setting the stage for a high-stakes chase across the galaxy. Guests will join Mando and Grogu to track down the culprits and claim a bounty in a dynamic, galaxy-spanning adventure.

Engineers will also have the opportunity to care for Grogu during the ride and choose the adventure's destination, plotting a course to Bespin, the Death Star wreckage above Endor, or the newly-revealed Coruscant during a special moment.

Everything Announced at the Andor Panel

Andor's second and final season is set to debut on April 22 on Disney+. The series made its final appearance at Star Wars Celebration before the much-anticipated episodes premiere. Diego Luna teased that fans should watch *Rogue One* after Andor Season 2, as he believes it will be seen as a "different film." The new season promises to be "more ambitious" than the first, featuring 140 sets across seven stages, two backlots, 700 costumes for principals, 150 creatures, 30 droids, and 4,100 VFX shots.

For more insights, including deep dives into the beloved characters of Andor, check out our recap of the Andor panel.

Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord Announced at Star Wars Celebration

Star Wars Celebration announced *Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord*, an animated series set to premiere on Disney+ in 2026. The series will follow Sam Witwer's Darth Maul after the events of the final season of The Clone Wars, as he plots to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire.

Star Wars: Visions Gets a Volume 3 Release Date and a Spin-Off Series That Will Debut With a Ninth Jedi Story

Star Wars Celebration revealed that Volume 3 of *Star Wars: Visions* will be released on October 29, 2025. Additionally, the series will have a new spin-off that will debut with the next chapter of The Ninth Jedi story, which began in Volume 1.

Star Wars Outlaws Gets Second Story Update A Pirate’s Fortune in May

Fans of *Star Wars Outlaws* can look forward to a new story update titled *A Pirate's Fortune*, set to release on May 15. This update will see Kay Vess and Nix teaming up with the beloved pirate Hondo Ohnaka to take on Stinger Tash and her gang, the Rokana Raiders, while engaging in smuggling for the Miyuki Trade League. This story takes place after the events of *Star Wars Outlaws*, so ensure you complete the campaign to be ready for this exciting addition.

Star Wars Outlaws Release Date Announced for Nintendo Switch 2

Ubisoft's *Star Wars Outlaws* will be released on the Nintendo Switch 2 on September 4, 2025, following the console's launch on June 5, but not long after.

Hasbro Reveals Incredible New Dash Rendar and Jedi: Survivor Figures

Fans of Dash Rendar will be thrilled to know that a new figure of the character will be released by Hasbro, along with an impressive lineup of figures inspired by *Star Wars Jedi: Survivor*. These include Nightsister Merrin, a three-pack featuring Cal Kestis, Turgle, and Skoova Stev, a smaller Merrin figure, and a Rocket Launch Trooper in the Vintage Collection line, among others.

You can explore all these figures and more in the slideshow below.

Everything Revealed at Hasbro's Star Wars Celebration 2025 Panel

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Hasbro Reveals New The Mandalorian Figures at Star Wars Celebration 2025

Hasbro unveiled two exciting new figures from *The Mandalorian* at Star Wars Celebration: Moff Gideon and Cobb Vanth, both joining the Star Wars: The Vintage Collection. These figures are designed at a 3.75-inch scale and feature packaging inspired by the classic Kenner Star Wars figures.

You can view exclusive images below of the Moff Gideon figure, inspired by his Dark Trooper armor, and Cobb Vanth, sporting his look from *The Book of Boba Fett*. Both figures are priced at $16.99 and will be available for pre-order on April 18 at 3pm ET/12pm PT.

Star Wars: The Vintage Collection Moff Gideon & Cobb Vanth Figures - Preview Gallery

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Star Wars and The Mandalorian Invade Monopoly Go

Monopoly Go is set to launch a Star Wars event inspired by the Skywalker Saga and *The Mandalorian* from May 1 to July 2. The event will feature Star Wars characters in Monopoly-style looks, a Star Wars Go sticker album to fill, podracing in the Mos Espa Grand Arena, and collectible in-game items like tokens, shields, and emojis, among other exciting additions.