I Went To The Star Wars Celebration In Japan – This Is What It Was Like

The Mandalorian and Grogu (currently due out in May 2026) were the highlights of Day 1, showcasing a sequence in which Pedro Pascal’s Beskar-clad hero blasts, stabs, and flamethrowers his way through a horde of stormtroopers in an AT-AT. Even in this early sizzle reel, the jump from the small to the big screen seems to suit Mando, and Jon Favreau – who was onstage with Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy – made note of the IMAX cameras that were utilised for certain action sequences. The film will also star Sigourney Weaver as a stern New Republic commander.

We also got confirmation that Ryan Gosling will be making his Star Wars debut in Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter, due out in 2027. Details are still scarce – Levy said it’s a “standalone adventure set a few years after events of Episode IX” – but securing the talents of one of Hollywood’s most likeable stars is a big win.

One of the more exciting reveals of the day was in Lucasfilm’s animation panel, as Maul: Shadow Lord was announced. Set after the events of The Clone Wars, the series sees Sam Witwer reprise the role of the fan-favourite Dathomiri Sith Lord as he rises in the criminal underworld. The sizzle reel was bold and generous, with plenty of bounty hunters and fierce lightsaber action along with the reveal that Maul has taken on an apprentice. Coming May 2026!