New Ahsoka trailer reveals first look at live-action Thrawn
The grand admiral will see you now.
The upcoming Ahsoka TV show will bring a whole host of Star Wars characters into live action for the first time — but perhaps the most anticipated addition is Thrawn, the nefarious Imperial officer played by Lars Mikkelsen.
The blue-skinned baddie has a long history in the Star Wars galaxy, beginning in Timothy Zahn's iconic 1991 novel Heir to the Empire and later popping up in the animated series Star Wars Rebels. Now, Thrawn is finally making his live-action debut, with Mikkelsen returning after voicing the character in Rebels.
Disney+
The new trailer sets up a climactic showdown between Thrawn and Ahsoka, played by a returning Rosario Dawson. We've seen brief teases of Thrawn before — including a sinister shot of the back of his head — but this is the first time he's been seen in full, complete with his signature glowing red eyes.
Earlier this year at Star Wars Celebration in London, Mikkelsen told EW that seeing the fan reaction to Thrawn made him emotional. "I had a hard time actually keeping my tears back," the actor said. "I was really tearing up. I didn't expect that."
Mikkelsen added that he never expected to play the character in live action, but when series creator Dave Filoni called about Ahsoka, the actor had "no doubts" about returning as everyone's favorite red-eyed villain.
"He's a top strategist," Mikkelsen teases. "He's always seven paces ahead of anybody else. And ruthless, of course. But only when it's needed, actually. I think he thrives also with the creativity of the surroundings. I mean, he's not using people in a bad way. He's using their creativity to reach his goals."
The trailer has multiple connections to Star Wars Rebels, as Ahsoka hunts down her missing friend Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi). The series will reintroduce fan-favorite Rebels characters like Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), and the anarchic droid Chopper. At one point, Sabine cuts her hair into a short crop, returning to her familiar look from Rebels. Even more intriguingly, she appears to be following the path of the Jedi, training with Ahsoka and picking up a new green lightsaber.
Along the way, Ahsoka and friends cross paths with a whole host of bad guys, played by Diana Lee Inosanto, Ivanna Sakhno, and the late Ray Stevenson.
Ahsoka will premiere with two episodes Aug. 23 on Disney+. Watch the trailer above.
For more on Ahsoka, listen to EW's Star Wars podcast Dagobah Dispatch, featuring exclusive interviews with cast members like Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, and more.
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