Disney+’s “Ahsoka” finally has its first trailer as well as its first universally available glimpse of the late Ray Stevenson as Baylan Skoll. The series, which will consist of eight episodes, is set to premiere Aug. 23.
The trailer, which you can watch above, starts with Stevenson’s voice ominously saying, “War is inevitable. One must destroy in order to create.” Cloaked in black, Stevenson-as-Baylan then uses the force to send several officers flying and whispers, “We are no Jedi,” before murdering someone with his lightsaber.
The trailer then darts between action shots from the upcoming series and dramatic exposition. One minute Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson) is warning others of the threatening Thrawn’s return. The next Sabine (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) is narrowly skidding on her motorcycle underneath a ship. Add in some lightsaber duels, a couple of droids and some rebel talk and you’ve got yourself a “Star War.”
This trailer also marks the first time audiences who weren’t at Star Wars Celebration have seen Thrawn, this limited series’ villain.
In addition to Dawson and Bordizzo, the upcoming series will star Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger, Ivanna Sakhno as Shin Hati, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla, Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma, Diana Lee Inosanto as Morgan Elsbeth and Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn. However, it’s Stevenson’s role that has drawn the most attention.
The “Dexter,” “Black Sails” and “RRR” star passed four days before his 59th birthday. Stevenson had a long history with “Star Wars” before “Ahsoka” as he provided voice acting work on “Star Wars Rebels” and “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” “Ahsoka” is one of two upcoming projects the late actor starred in, the other being Péter Soós’ “Gateway to the West.” Stevenson had previously spoken to TheWrap about his excitement about joining the project, saying, “you pinch yourself.”
Dawson’s Ahsoka Tano first appeared in “The Mandalorian,” but the character’s history goes back much further than that. The live-action series serves as a continuation of the animated “Star Wars: Rebels” that follows Ahsoka as she investigates an emerging threat to the galaxy. The limited series was developed by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni.
