The Mandalorian Trailer, Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi Series, And More Star Wars News

the initial trailer for Disney+’s The Mandalorian has arrived. Show creator Jon Favreau and executive producer Dave Filoni treated fans to the initial preview at Disney’s D23 expo in Anaheim, California, on Friday (August 23).


Set a number of years right following the revolution ended, immediately following the Empire was destroyed, in a lawless galaxy far, far away, the initial trailer reveals a dismal scene, first right away with a Game of Thrones-like visual of Stormtrooper heads on stakes. Evidence of grim times build up to intense weapon-fire, with the only words spoken at the very end. “Bounty hunting is a complex profession. Don’t you agree?”


Favreau had previously unveiled the initial footage of the upcoming series at the Star Wars Celebration in April, which showed the central bounty hunter, Pedro Pascal’s Mandalorian, taking on the major job that starts the adventure — but since then, news around the project has been kept under wraps. At D23, Favreau, Filoni, and Pascal were also joined by central cast members Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, and Taika Watiti, where all marveled about this dream come true. “I feel like the force is in me,” Carano mentioned. “I understand it now.”


Favreau promised that fans old and new will find something to love about the series, which introduces a “whole new set of characters, whole new storyline, whole new timeframe that hasn’t been covered however, except in the extended universe.” Although much like did as soon as he turned Iron Man from a beloved series into a fresh movie, longtime fans of the franchise will find exactly what they’re looking for. Case in point, Filoni recalled his first reaction upon reading the scripts: “It really felt like Star Wars to me.”


The Mandalorian’s first season will be presented in eight episodes directed by the likes of Favreau, Filoni, Taika Waititi, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, and Deborah Chow. It’s set to premiere on Disney+ with the platform's launch on November 12.


Yet that's not all the major Star Wars news that rocked D23. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy was on hand to announce that animated series The Clone Wars will return on Disney+ in February 2020. There's also a series in the works which will reunite Rogue One stars Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk as Cassian Andor and K-2SO. There really is literally no other intelligence on that, other than that it'll be a 10-hour prequel (go figure). The unnamed series will start shooting in London next year.


Lastly — the news that got the largest round of applause from the 6,000-person audience — Kennedy brought Ewan McGregor on stage to announce that he'll finally reprise the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi. McGregor previously donned the billowing robe in The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge Sith. All of the scripts are written and they're set to start shooting next year, Kennedy confirmed, before adding, "We cannot be more excited."


With all that major news, 'excited' may have been a understatement.