Just revealed at Star Wars Celebration during the Ahsoka panel, Lucasfilm finally announced that Lars Mikkelsen will be playing the live-action version of Grand Admiral Thrawn in Ahsoka.
This is the same actor who voiced him in the animated series Star Wars Rebels.
Lars Mikkelson takes the stage at #StarWarsCelebration. #Ahsoka pic.twitter.com/AzZHjMWQrM
— Ahsoka (@ahsokaofficial) April 8, 2023
Since whispers first surfaced that Thrawn would feature heavily in the Ahsoka series, there has been a swirl of rumors about who would be playing the iconic villain and this morning fans finally got the answer they’d been looking for.
The search for both Ezra and Thrawn is going to be a major part of Ahsoka and continue the character’s journeys after the finale of Star Wars Rebels. The last time the two of them were seen Ezra connected with the Purgil and dragged the ship with both Thrawn and himself on board, through hyperspace to parts unknown.
In the teaser released, yesterday fans caught a glimpse of the back of the grand admiral’s head, and that alone was enough to get people excited. But Thrawns intentions and plans remain a mystery. Is he working to restore the Empire or is he perhaps part of a larger plan to eventually form The First Order? Is he even still with Ezra? So many questions and so few answers!
Thrawn first appeared way back in 1991 in Timothy Zahn’s novel Heir to the Empire which was set five years after Return of the Jedi. This was followed by subsequent appearances in Dark Force Rising and The Last Command. This trilogy has since been rendered Legends and is no longer considered canon but Thrawn made a grand return to Star Wars in 2016 during the third season of the animated series Star Wars Rebels. From there he went on to appear in the fourth season and two book trilogies detailing his origin story, filled in gaps during Rebels, and his past.
Fans won’t have to wait too much longer to see Thrawn on screen when Ahsoka premiers on Disney+ in August 2023.