At Star Wars Celebration in London, Disney+ and Lucasfilm provided updates on Star Wars: Visions Volume 2, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi Season 2, Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 3, and Star Wars: Young Yedi Adventures.
STAR WARS: VISIONS VOLUME 2
Disney+ and Lucasfilm revealed the new trailer and key art for Star Wars: Visions Volume 2, featuring nine new shorts from nine celebrated animation studios from across the globe. You can watch the trailer using the player below.
Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 will premiere on Disney+ on May 4, 2023. Following on the Emmy Award-nominated success of the first season, the newest volume will continue to push the boundaries of Star Wars storytelling.
Employing the most captivating animation styles from a variety of countries and cultures, the second volume offers a dynamic new perspective on the storied mythos of Star Wars.
The shorts included in Star Wars Visions Volume 2 were created by the following international animation studios: El Guiri (Spain), Cartoon Saloon (Ireland), Punkrobot (Chile), Aardman (United Kingdom), Studio Mir (South Korea) Studio La Cachette (France), 88 Pictures (India), D’ART Shtajio (Japan), and Triggerfish (South Africa). D’ART Shtajio’s short was created in collaboration with Lucasfilm.
Title: “Sith”
Studio: El Guiri
Writer-director: Rodrigo Blaas
Rodrigo Blaas is an Emmy Award-winning director who has spent more than 20 years in animation. After co-founding Stromboli Animation in 1997, Blaas joined Blue Sky Studios in 2000, working on the feature film “Ice Age,” before transitioning to Pixar Animation Studios. There, he worked on such projects as “Finding Nemo” (2003), “The Incredibles” (2004), “Ratatouille” (2007) and “Wall-E” (2008) and on the Oscar®-nominated short film “La Luna” (2011).
More recently, Blaas partnered with Guillermo del Toro to develop the award-winning series “Trollhunters,” served as creative director for Mikros Animation Paris and, in 2021, created El Guiri Studios in Madrid with his partner, Cecile Hokes. He also wrote and directed 2009’s award-winning short film “Alma.”
Title: “Screecher’s Reach”
Studio: Cartoon Saloon
Director: Paul Young
Paul Young is a co-founder of Cartoon Saloon, an IFTA winner and Oscar, Emmy and BAFTA nominee. He produced the animated features “My Father’s Dragon,” “WolfWalkers,” “The Secret of Kells,” “Song of the Sea” and “The Breadwinner” as well as award-winning TV series including “Puffin Rock,” “Dorg Van Dango” and “Viking Skool.”
Title: “In the Stars”
Studio: Punkrobot
Writer-director: Gabriel Osorio
Gabriel Osorio majored in Fine Arts at Universidad de Chile, later specializing in 3D animation. After working in commercials, movies and television series, he founded Punkrobot Studio. Since 2008, he has directed projects for children’s television including “Flipos,” “Muelin y Perlita,” “Soccer Girls” and television spots.
In 2016, his short film “Bear Story” became the first Latin American project to win an Oscar® in the animated short category.
Title: “I Am Your Mother”
Studio: Aardman
Director: Magdalena Osinska
Magdalena Osinska is an award-winning director who has been with Aardman for eight years. She has directed stop-motion, CGI, 2D and live-action commercials including Wallace & Gromit’s “The Great Sofa Caper” and “Share the Orange.” Osinska directed development of the children’s series “Joyets” and has also directed films including “Spirits of the Piano” and “Zbigniev’s Cupboard.”
A graduate of the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, UK, as well as the Polish Film School in Lodz and Art College in Warsaw, Osinska is currently developing the feature film “Jasia,” based on her grandmother’s memories of WWII Poland.
Title: “Journey to the Dark Head”
Studio: Studio Mir
Director: Hyeong Geun Park
Rising star Hyeong Geun Park had already made a name for himself when he entered the Korean animation industry in 2017, thanks to his strong drawing and animation sensibilities. He has directed animation for dozens of cinematic game trailers and has since expanded into animated series, working on projects including “Dota: Dragon’s Blood: Book 3” (2022) and “Lookism” (2022).
“Journey to the Dark Head” is the first title he has executive produced from start to finish.
Title: “The Spy Dancer”
Studio: Studio La Cachette
Writer-director: Julien Chheng
Julien Chheng is CEO of Studio La Cachette, an Emmy Award-winning French animation studio he co-founded in 2014 with fellow Gobelins school’s alumni Oussama Bouacheria and Ulysse Malassagne. Chheng was trained in visual development at Disney and has worked as a character animator on acclaimed 2D animated features “The Rabbi’s Cat,” “Mune” and the Academy Award®-nominated “Ernest and Celestine.”
In 2021, he won an Emmy Award® as animation executive producer of “Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal,” for which he also served as animation supervisor. In 2022, Chheng directed with Jean-Christophe Roger the Cesar-nominated feature “Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia.”
Title: “The Bandits of Golak”
Studio: 88 Pictures
Director: Ishan Shukla
Ishan Shukla started his career as a CG artist in Singapore. For more than a decade, he spearheaded projects ranging from TV commercials to series and music videos. His 2016 animated short, “Schirkoa,” was long listed for the Academy Awards® after receiving dozens of awards and playing at 120 international festivals, including SIGGRAPH Asia where it was named Best in Show.
He then set up his own animation studio to work on adult-oriented animated feature films including a feature-length version of “Schirkoa,” set to hit festivals in summer 2023.
Title: “The Pit”
Studios: D’art Shtajio and Lucasfilm Ltd.
Writer-director-executive producer: LeAndre Thomas
Co-director: Justin Ridge
LeAndre Thomas is an award-winning writer and director from Oakland, Calif., whose most recent film won Best Director at the Pasadena International Film Festival. In addition to his independent films, Thomas is a part of the franchise studio team at Lucasfilm Ltd. where he has worked for more than 11 years being credited on recent titles such as “Light & Magic,” “The Mandalorian,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” “Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi,” and many more.
Justin Ridge executive produced the Emm®-nominated series “Star Wars Resistance.” His credits also include “Star Wars Rebels,” “Storks,” “The Cleveland Show,” “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”
Title: “Aau’s Song”
Studio: Triggerfish
Writer-directors: Nadia Darries and Daniel Clarke
Nadia Darries is a director, animator and co-founder of Goon Valley Animation, with an avocation for songwriting. Born in the Cape Flats in South Africa, Darries has worked on high-end animated film and motion design as an animator, project manager, creative director and director since 2015.
Her experience includes animating at Triggerfish Animation Studios on the award-winning BBC films “Stick Man,” “Revolting Rhymes” and “Highway Rat.”
Daniel Clarke is a Cape Town-based director and artist working in animation, film and illustration. He started his career in animation in 2008 at Triggerfish Animation Studios, where he has served as production designer, art director and director on projects such as the feature film “Khumba,” BBC’s “Stick Man” and “The Snail and the Whale.”
In 2018, along with James Clarke and Daniel Snaddon, he completed the graphic novel “Kariba.”
STAR WARS: TALES OF THE JEDI
Dave Filoni also announced at Star Wars Celebration that Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi will return for a second season on Disney+. The news came as a surprise, but a welcome one, at the end of a panel celebrating the 15th anniversary of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
“Tales of the Jedi was so fun the first time, I decided to do some more,” he said. The first season of Tales of the Jedi featured six episodes, with a split focus on Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku.
STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH
Following the events of Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 2, it was confirmed that Season 3 is on the way, arriving on Disney+ in 2024. Announced by executive producers Brad Rau, Jennifer Corbett, and Athena Portillo at the Bad Batch panel, it will be the final season as Lucasfilm finishes telling this part of the story.
An in-room teaser trailer was shown at the end of the panel, giving fans a sneak peek at Season 3. It began with the Emperor (once again voiced by Palpatine actor Ian McDiarmid) visiting Dr. Royce Hemlock, leader of the Empire’s cloning efforts, on Mount Tantiss.
“It is imperative that this facility remain secure,” Palpatine says. “Your brilliance is a great asset to this Empire.” All members of the Bad Batch appear, with Hunter addressing Omega’s capture at the hands of the Empire.
“Omega’s been waiting for us. I’m not making her wait another day.” We see Omega and a sullen Crosshair, both still in Imperial custody. “I’m not giving up, Crosshair,” Omega tells him. “I won’t leave you, either. You’re my brother.”
Throughout, there are glimpses of several worlds and characters, including Republic commandos, clones, Rex, plenty of giant creatures (“Why is there always a huge monster!” Wrecker asks, before dropping a thermal detonator in one’s mouth.), and Ming-Na Wen’s fan-favorite bounty hunter, Fennec Shand.
The Bad Batch follows the heroic Clone Force 99 — also known as the Bad Batch, a group of elite clones — in the aftermath of Order 66 and the rise of the Empire. The end of Season 2 saw the death of team member Tech and the capture of Omega – along with the revelation that she has a sister.
STAR WARS: YOUNG YEDI ADVENTURES
On Saturday, host Krystina Arielle, executive producer James Waugh and showrunner Michael Olsen welcomed fans of all ages to a special screening of Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. The screening began with the debut of below trailer, followed by a Q&A with Waugh and Olson. Dee Bradley Baker, the voice of a youngling named Nubs, surprised fans by introducing the screening using the voice of the animated Jedi youngling.
Set 200 years before The Phantom Menace, during the High Republic era, the animated series follows Jedi younglings as they study the ways of the Force, explore the galaxy, help citizens and creatures in need and learn valuable skills needed to become Jedi along the way. Produced by Lucasfilm in collaboration with Wild Canary for Disney+ and Disney Junior, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures is executive produced by Lucasfilm’s James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez and Josh Rimes. Michael Olson is showrunner and executive producer.
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures stars Jamaal Avery, Jr. as Kai Brightstar, Juliet Donenfeld as Lys Solay, Dee Bradley Baker as Nubs, Emma Berman as Nash Durango, Jonathan Lipow as RJ-83, Piotr Michael as Master Yoda, Trey Murphy as Taborr Val Dorn and Nasim Pedrad as Master Zia.
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures releases on Disney+ and Disney Junior, where available, on May 4, 2023.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to cover the latest streaming, movie, TV, and game news.