Star Wars has not been in a great place. Coming off the release of the sequel trilogy, the franchise has never been more divided. However, 2022 is set to change that…
Several widely anticipated shows will debut in the next year, restoring the franchise to the highs of 2015 and healing the stark division among fans. The majority of The Book of Boba Fett, Andor, Obi Wan, The Mandalorian Season Three, and The Bad Batch Season Two are all making their debut, with strong creative crews and fan favourite characters to boot.
The Book of Boba Fett
While the first episode releases at the end of December 2021, most of the show will premiere in January 2022, kickstarting a great year for Star Wars. The show will follow Boba Fett after the events of The Mandalorian Season Two.
Boba Fett has been a fan favourite character since his film debut in The Empire Strikes Back. His reintroduction in The Mandalorian was also received extremely well by fans, played by Temura Morrison.
The series will see Fett take on the criminal underworld, exploring the effect of the death of Jabba and the fall of the Empire. This show bolsters huge creative talent, with Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and Robert Rodriguez. Rodriguez has already given the audience a hint of the show’s brutality, directing Morrison in a ruthless action sequence in The Mandalorian Season Two.
Andor
Andor is a show set to follow the Rebel operative Cassian Andor in the events leading up to Rogue One and will feature a Rebellion in its infancy. The series is bound to expand on the grittier take on the Rebellion shown in Rogue One, showing the darker side of the cause.
Diego Luna will reprise his role as Andor, joined by Anton Valensi and Stellan Skarsgard in undisclosed roles. The show will also feature Forest Whitaker and Genevieve O’Reilly reprising their roles from Rogue One.
Whitaker will be reprising his role as the Rebel extremist Saw Gerrera, who has made many appearances in Star Wars, most recently The Bad Batch. He is an interesting and complex character, which will help add nuance to the show. Ben Mendelsohn is rumoured to play villain Orson Krennic in the show. This would give Krennic an exciting chance to be explored further, showing his manipulative side and will add a fresh dynamic to the series.
Obi Wan
Obi Wan is a series that has long been clamoured for by fans, ever since Ewan McGregor’s Obi Wan Kenobi emerged as an iconic character from the prequel series. This series was announced as far back as 2019 and will finally debut this year. It is safe to say this is the most anticipated series. And with good reason.
Following Obi Wan Kenobi in the years after Revenge of the Sith, the series will see the Jedi Master during the height of the Empire, dealing with the loss of his former Padawan Anakin Skywalker. McGregor is not the only prequel veteran to return.
Hayden Christensen, who is experiencing a resurgence among fans, will play Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. Deborah Chow of Mandalorian fame will be directing the series, proving that it is in safe hands.
The Mandalorian Season Three
The widely acclaimed series following Din Djarin and his exploits with Grogu, is set to return for season three in 2022. Both fans and critics fell head over heels for the show.
Season Two ended Din’s emotional journey to return the child, but it left many ends open to explore. The most pressing issue is that of the Darksaber. The mystic weapon has a long history in Star Wars, and Din ends up winning the sabre off Giancarlo Esposito’s formidable Moff Gideon, in front of fellow Mandalorian Bo Katan, inspiring resentment.
Another lingering thread is Grand Admiral Thrawn. While it is expected that 2023’s Ahsoka series will explore Thrawn in a greater capacity, the terrifying villain is bound to make his presence felt in the series. This would make for a thrilling season three fans would surely love.
The Bad Batch Season Two
Initially, the premise of a series following the characters of The Bad Batch confused fans. While fun characters in The Clone Wars, they were not the natural choice to host their own animated show.
However, it is safe to say that overall, the series pleasantly surprised fans, delivering on emotional beats Dave Filoni and his team are known for. By the time season two was announced, The Bad Batch had become fan favourite characters, along with the likes of Omega and Vice Admiral Rampart.
The show is bound to continue its form, with the incredibly talented Dee Bradley Baker returning to voice the main crew. While plot details are light, the series is bound to pick up with the crew’s attempts to redeem Crosshair, along with showing the increased grip of the Empire across the galaxy.
Conclusion
It’s clear that Star Wars fans have much to look forward to this upcoming year. The return of so many fan favourite characters means that audiences are treated to new iconic events with their most loved character.
This year represents a return to form for Star Wars, something that has been missing since 2015. And this doesn’t include comics, trailers, video games and novels coming next year! In 2022, there will be something for every Star Wars fan to enjoy.
As Darth Vader would say: “Impressive…. Most impressive.”
By Kieran Burt
Feature image: Lucasfilm