While Star Wars Rebels marked the first appearance of Ezra Bridger, the character has also appeared in several Star Wars books and video games. However, Ahsoka will be the first time the character will be in a live-action Star Wars project, though his appearance is not entirely surprising.

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While Cinelinx first reported on Esfandi landing the role of Ezra Bridger, the character was rumored to be a part of Ahsoka for a long time beforehand. Aladdin star Mena Massoud was a name that was often mentioned for the role in the rumor mill, and the actor even teased his potential casting in a social media photo, though he later admitted that he was only trying to manifest the role for himself. Fans need not be disappointed, however, as Esfandi has an impressive resume that includes roles in Robert Rodriguez’s Red 11, the Will Smith film King Richard, and the gay military drama The Inspection.

While official story details for Ahsoka have not been released, the events of Star Wars Rebels and The Mandalorian season 2 provide some insight into what the show may be about. At the end of Rebels, Ezra disappears with Grand Admiral Thrawn after sacrificing himself in order to defeat the sinister villain. While the fate of Ezra remained unresolved, Rosario Dawson’s first appearance as Ahsoka Tano in The Mandalorian indicated that she was still searching for Ezra and Thrawn, which could be the focus of her standalone series.

Of course, the appearance of Ezra Bridger and the potential search for him would suggest that Grand Admiral Thrawn will be in Ahsoka as well. While this remains unconfirmed, the outlet that announced Esfandi’s casting says Lars Mikkelsen will not be playing Thrawn, as previously rumored.

Star Wars has been criticized for constantly falling back on fan-favorite characters for the Disney Plus shows, and Ahsoka is certainly tapping into that well. However, perhaps the talented cast members who are being assembled for the show will assure fans that these beloved characters will be in safe hands.

Star Wars: Ahsoka is scheduled to be released on Disney Plus in 2023.

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Source: Cinelinx