One of the big reveals at Star Wars Celebration 2023 was the news that three new Star Wars movies are on their way to the big screen, including one directed by Star Wars TV mastermind Dave Filoni. He has previously overseen the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. He’s also currently working on The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. He is even serving as the showrunner on the upcoming series Ahsoka, which will mark the first time the classic villain Grand Admiral Thrawn has been depicted in live-action.
Fan expectations for Dave Filoni’s Star Wars movie are high, with rumors suggesting the movie may be titled Heir to the Empire, after the novel that first introduced Thrawn to the galaxy far, far away. The movie, which is confirmed to take place during the New Republic era, is also expected to serve as a major crossover event for the various Star Wars TV series with which Filoni has recently been involved. These few hints of what to expect from Filoni’s movie offer some clues of which characters may feature.
10 Fennec Shand
Originally introduced on Season 1 of The Mandalorian, Ming-Na Wen’s Fennec Shand has gone on to appear in The Book of Boba Fett and in the animated series, Star Wars: The Bad Batch. After playing such a prominent role in recent Star Wars TV releases, this elite bounty hunter seems a natural fit for Dave Filoni’s upcoming Star Wars movie.
Fennec was last seen on The Book of Boba Fett. There, she acted as Boba Fett’s trusted adviser and enforcer since he assumed Jabba the Hutt’s throne on Tatooine, as Daimyo of Mos Espa. Fennec is one of many characters on Tatooine who may factor into Filoni’s movie.
9 Gilad Pellaeon
Captain Gilad Pellaeon has long been closely associated with Grand Admiral Thrawn. The character originally served as Thrawn’s right-hand man in the Star Wars Legends novels that first introduced Thrawn. Pellaeon was then brought into canon on Star Wars Rebels. Although he wasn’t seen on the series, his name was mentioned by Thrawn.
Pellaeon made his first appearance in Star Wars canon in the third season of The Mandalorian, where he was one of several surviving Imperial Officers on the Imperial Remnant’s Shadow Council. Pellaeon spoke out in favor of the Remnant lying low until Thrawn returned, suggesting he may play a significant role when Thrawn does re-emerge.
8 Cobb Vanth
Cobb Vanth was the Marshal of Freetown, formerly known as Mos Pelgo, on Tatooine. After making his debut in Chuck Wendig’s Star Wars: Aftermath trilogy of novels, Cobb Vanth went on to appear on The Mandalorian Season 2, where he was played by Timothy Olyphant. Vanth initially wore the recovered armor of Boba Fett, before agreeing to hand it over to the Mandalorian Din Djarin.
The Book of Boba Fett saw Cobb Vanth gunned down by the bounty hunter Cad Bane, but a post-credits scene saw him recovering in Boba Fett’s bacta tank. Clearly, there are plans for Cobb Vanth’s future in the Star Wars galaxy.
7 Luke Skywalker
The son of the Chosen One, hero of the Rebellion and savior of the Jedi Order, Luke Skywalker sits at the heart of Star Wars. After his later life was explored in the sequel trilogy, the hero of the original Star Wars trilogy returned to screens as a young Jedi Master on The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, where his appearance was realized via stunning visual effects and a composite performance informed by the original Luke, Mark Hamill.
While the challenge of realizing Luke’s younger appearance means he is unlikely to play a major part in Dave Filoni’s Star Wars movie, the era-defining events Filoni has been teasing may well demand the attention of the galaxy’s premier Jedi. If the film truly is based on Heir to the Empire, including Luke would also be a nice way to nod to the original novel.
6 Bo-Katan Kryze
The Mandalorian warrior Bo-Katan Kryze has undergone a long and complex character arc across multiple Star Wars series that Dave Filoni has worked on. The character first in the ranks of the violent Mandalorian splinter cell Death Watch on The Clone Wars. After renouncing her past in the face of Maul’s rise to power, she went on to become a leader of the Mandalorian people.
Star Wars Rebels and The Mandalorian saw Bo-Katan struggling against Imperial forces. Season 3 of The Mandalorian saw her finally assume leadership of a reunited Mandalore. Whatever conflict awaits the galaxy in Filoni’s Star Wars movie, Bo-Katan’s Mandalorians would surely be a worthy addition to the fight.
5 Ezra Bridger & The Ghost Crew
Ezra Bridger’s journey towards becoming a Jedi Knight was seen on Star Wars Rebels, where the young outlaw from Lothal joined the crew of the Ghost. Ezra is being brought into live action, alongside his crewmates Hera Syndulla and Sabine Wren, on Ahsoka. Zeb Orrelios of the Ghost recently made his live-action debut on The Mandalorian.
The reintroduction of these various Star Wars Rebels characters suggests they are due a reunion in a big way. Dave Filoni’s Star Wars movie could be the perfect place to reassemble this rebel cell of Filoni’s own creation, as they once again unite against the might of a resurgent Grand Admiral Thrawn.
4 Boba Fett
Star Wars‘ most notorious bounty hunter, Boba Fett, recently returned to the galaxy far, far away on The Mandalorian and then on his own series, The Book of Boba Fett. Having escaped the maw of the Sarlacc on Tatooine, he has gone on to take the place of Jabba the Hutt as the planet’s most powerful crime lord.
Since the conclusion to The Book of Boba Fett Season 1, it has not been clear where or when Boba might show up again. However, if any of his allies are drafted into a fight against Thrawn, there is a good chance they will call upon this infamous warrior to aid them in the coming conflict.
3 Din Djarin & Grogu
After creating two successful animated Star Wars series in The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, Dave Filoni went on to work alongside Jon Favreau in bringing Star Wars‘ first live-action series, The Mandalorian, to life. The series introduced the Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and the Jedi youngling Grogu to the galaxy.
Din and Grogu — now Din Grogu, as Din Djarin’s adopted son and Mandalorian apprentice — are at the heart of the current wave of Star Wars series on Disney+. Grogu, as both a Mandalorian and a Jedi, appears to be destined for greatness. Dave Filoni’s Star Wars movie may be the perfect place to explore his future and there is no fight Din Djarin is likely to turn down.
2 Ahsoka Tano
The former Padawan of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano has been part of Dave Filoni’s work on Star Wars since he helmed The Clone Wars. Ahsoka was introduced by Star Wars creator George Lucas to give Anakin a student, who would help shape his development. Filoni further developed Ahsoka’s own story, turning her into one of the most interesting and complex Force-wielders in Star Wars.
Ahsoka is about to lead her own series on Disney+, which will see her reuniting with the crew of the Ghost and facing off against Grand Admiral Thrawn. Given her existing connections to so many of the characters in Filoni’s work across his Star Wars career, it seems inevitable she will play a key role in his upcoming Star Wars movie.
1 Grand Admiral Thrawn
Although not yet officially confirmed, it is almost certain that Grand Admiral Thrawn will play a central role in Dave Filoni’s Star Wars movie. This Imperial villain took center-stage following the fall of the Empire in the old Star Wars Legends continuity and served as a formidable foe to the Rebellion on Star Wars Rebels in the new canon.
While Thrawn is making his return and live-action debut on Ahsoka, it seems unlikely that this series will finish the Grand Admiral’s story. Rather, the series is likely setting up his return for a greater showdown with the New Republic’s assembled heroes in Dave Filoni’s Star Wars movie.