Hayden Christensen confirms return as Anakin Skywalker in 'Ahsoka' season 2

After much speculation, Hayden Christensen has confirmed he’s returning as Anakin Skywalker in the second season of Ahsoka. The actor made the announcement during the Star Wars Celebration event in Tokyo, sharing his enthusiasm about revisiting a version of Anakin that fans haven’t fully explored in live-action, the Clone Wars-era Jedi, before his fall to the dark side.

Christensen said that bringing this version of Anakin to life has long been something he and Star Wars creator George Lucas had hoped to explore on screen. The new season, which starts filming next week, will give fans a deeper look at that chapter of the character's life, though details about his exact role remain under wraps.

The new season is also set to expand the show’s already large ensemble. Game of Thrones actor Rory McCann joins the cast as Baylan Skoll, taking over the role after the death of Ray Stevenson in 2023. Stevenson had made a strong impression as the complex and conflicted Jedi-turned-antagonist in the first season. McCann, known for playing The Hound, was chosen for the intensity he brings to his roles, something Ahsoka creator Dave Filoni said was essential to continuing Baylan’s story.

Filoni described the process of moving forward without Stevenson as difficult but necessary. He revealed that the decision to recast the character was made in consultation with Stevenson’s family, who supported the continuation of the storyline. Filoni stressed that Baylan’s arc is a counterpoint to Ahsoka’s, both characters walked away from the Jedi Order, but chose very different paths.

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Other returning cast members include Rosario Dawson, Eman Esfandi, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, and Lars Mikkelsen who is now preparing for an all-out conflict with Admiral Ackbar, also confirmed to return. Filoni even joked that he resisted slipping in Ackbar’s iconic “It’s a trap!” line, though the temptation was strong.

Fans were also shown concept footage teasing new creatures, a mysterious Dathomirian witch, and the continuation of the Mortis Gods subplot. One crowd favourite? The fluffy “Lothballs”: a nickname Rosario Dawson gave to the Loth kittens that are set to return.

The iconic Ahsoka season 1 posterStar Wars

From familiar faces to new rivalries and unexplored corners of the galaxy, Ahsoka season 2 looks ready to dive even deeper into Star Wars mythology.