Rosario Dawson's Ahsoka: Disney+ Casting Hints at Thrawn & Ezra Roles
Following the immense success of The Mandalorian on Disney+, Lucasfilm is preparing to increase its presence on the service with a number of Star Wars live-action series. Among standalone series like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Lando, and Andor comes a whole range of stories in the post-Return of the Jedi era of The Mandalorian.
The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and Rangers of the Republic will spin out of the existing series, with the latter currently figuring out a new path after firing its former lead Gina Carano. The Boba Fett series will be the first to debut this December following the character's cliffhanger moment in the concluding moments of The Mandalorian Season two finale.
Ahsoka will star the iconic The Clone Wars Jedi in her own series, following on from past appearances in The Mandalorian Season two and Star Wars: Rebels.
With Rosario Dawson already cast in the lead role, the series is currently casting its side characters in preparation to shoot later this year.
AHSOKA REVEALS CASTING DETAILS AND SYNOPSIS
In a post on his Patreon, popular scooper DanielRPK shared details on the production of the Ahsoka Disney+ series, including a synopsis and the casting of two major roles.
The leak reveals the upcoming The Mandalorian spin-off casting for the character of Boka, a 20 to 35-year-old male with a youthful appearance. He is described as being strong-minded and independent with leadership qualities. Lucasfilm is specifically looking for Middle Eastern, African, Pacific Islander, Black, Mixed Ethnicity, or Caribbean actors for the supporting role.
Additionally, the post said that the Disney+ production is searching for a 40 to 60-year-old male of any ethnicity to portray Morai. The casting call notes a preference for accents in whoever takes on the volatile and complex role with a shady nature.
While unconfirmed, it's likely these two roles have been hidden behind fake names and are for the live-action debuts of Rebels' star Ezra Bridger and villain Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Lastly, as is standard for the world of Star Wars, Ahsoka is looking for soldier actors between the ages of 20 to 60 with no preference for ethnicity or gender. These actors will be covered with face masks, likely suggesting these soldiers will wear helmets as Stormtroopers.
The Rosario Dawson-led series will take Anakin Skywalker's former Padawan on “the hunt for the evil Grand Admiral Thrawn” as she tries to find “the missing Ezra Bridger:"
“Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) is on the hunt for the evil Grand Admiral Thrawn in the hope it will help her locate the missing Ezra Bridger, the young Jedi that disappeared with Thrawn many years ago.”
An official shooting date for the Disney+ adventure is yet to be set, however, production begins in 2021, likely suggesting a 2022 premiere.
EZRA AND THRAWN MAKE THEIR LIVE-ACTION DEBUTS
The finale of Star Wars: Rebels sent Ahsoka Tano and Mandalorian warrior Sabine on the hunt for Ezra Bridger, who was last shown jumping into hyperspace with the villainous Grand Admiral Thrawn. “The Jedi” episode of The Mandalorian revealed Ahsoka was still very much on the hunt for Ezra and Thrawn when she met up with Din Djarin and Grogu.
The two illusive characters' only canon appearances are in the Star Wars: Rebels animated series, meaning this will act as a live-action debut for both. Aladdin star Mena Massoud has recently teased his interest in the role of Ezra, a character he bears a clear resemblance to, thus making him a popular choice among fans.
Benedict Cumberbatch has been a fan cast for the live-action Thrawn for some time, however, the actor recently shut down the speculation, revealing he isn't interested in taking on the role. Other popular casting suggestions have included Harry Potter's Jason Issacs and even the character's Rebels voice actor Lars Mikkelsen.
Both The Mandalorian and the Marvel Disney+ series' have shown the studio's willingness to cash out for major actors in its blockbuster sagas, so it's likely that top talent will be booked for these key parts.
There has been discussion of an animated sequel to Star Wars: Rebels for some time now, however, the plot description of Ahsoka seems to indicate the story will instead take the live-action route.
Ahsoka has yet to set an official release date, but with shooting slated to begin this year, a 2022 debut is extremely likely.
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