Disney is going all-in on Star Wars on the small screen. We’ve already heard about the two spinoffs to the Mandalorian in development, but during the Disney Investors Day presentation, it was revealed that there are ten new Star Wars series in the pipeline for Disney+, which will get rolled out over the next few years. And we just got our first looks at some of them.
Andor
A prequel to a prequel, this upcoming series will see Diego Luna reprising his role as rebel spy Cassian Andor. Described as a “tense nail-biting spy thriller”, the show was created by Tony Gilroy who actually was the one who stepped in at the eleventh hour and saved Rogue Squadron when original director Gareth Edwards found himself out of his depth. Gilroy re-directed/re-wrote large parts of that movie and was instrumental in making it as incredible as it was, so having him tell this prequel story is pretty exciting. And that’s before we even get to the newly-revealed supporting cast which includes Stellan Skarsgard, Adria Arjona, Fiona Shaw, Denise Gough, and Kyle Soller, with Genevieve O’Reilly reprising her role as Rebellion leader Mon Mothma. Andor started filming three weeks ago in London. No release date has been scheduled yet.
Lando
Yes, the rumours were true! We are indeed getting a series focusing on “everyone’s favourite scoundrel” Lando Calrissian. Billed as an event series, Lando is being developed by critically-acclaimed Dear White People creator Justin Smien. The production is still in the very early stages so we have no further details, including whether or not this show will focus on the young Lando Calrissian played by Donald Glover in Solo or the older Lando Calrissian played by Billy Dee Williams who originated the character. Or, hell, maybe even both.
The Acolyte
We heard a while back that Emmy-nominated Russian Doll creator Leslye Headland was working on a new Star Wars production and now we finally know what it is. Titled The Acolyte, the Disney+ series is being billed as “a mystery-thriller that will take the audience into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.”
Yep, this is indeed going to be the first live-action production set in the High Republic, the recently announced era approximately 200 years before the events of The Phantom Menace. As was revealed in February, the High Republic will be the setting of a multi-media, line-wide new series of Star Wars stories playing out in comics, novels, and now also TV series. As for The Acolyte, we had previously heard rumours that the show would be female-led and have a martial arts slant to it, but there were no confirmations here about either point.
Star Wars Visions
From Kenobi to KAWAII!, Star Wars is officially going anime. Star Wars: Visions is upcoming anthology of Star Wars short films being developed by some of the world’s best anime creators. Think Enter the Matrix, but with The Force and lightsabers. The anthology will comprise of ten different “visions” from leading Japanese anime studios. No further details have been revealed yet.
A Droid Story
Industrial Light & Magic, the powerhouse visual effects company that was originally created for Star Wars, is developing this animated adventure series featuring R2-D2 and C3PO. According to the Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy, “This epic journey will introduce is to new hero guided by our most iconic duo… on a secret mission known only to them. What could possibly go wrong?”.
The Bad Batch
Finally, Disney also unveiled a new sizzle reel for The Bad Batch, a spinoff from The Clone Wars that will follow the titular elite unit “as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War”. What sets the Bad Batch apart from other clones is that they vary genetically, with each member of the squad possessing “a singular exceptional skill which makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew”.
Last Updated: December 12, 2020
