Disney’s D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event has once again given Star Wars fans plenty to talk about, with Lucasfilm using the 2026 convention to showcase two of its biggest upcoming projects. While the presentation was not an avalanche of new announcements, what was shown gave fans a much clearer idea of where the galaxy far, far away is heading.

The two major highlights were the first trailer for Ahsoka season 2 and a new look at Star Wars: Starfighter, the upcoming theatrical film starring Ryan Gosling.

Ahsoka season 2 finally gets a release date

The biggest Star Wars reveal at D23 was undoubtedly the first trailer for Ahsoka season 2. Dave Filoni and the returning cast took to the stage to introduce the footage, which confirmed that the second season will premiere on Disney+ on 20th January 2027.

The trailer suggests that the series is going to expand considerably on the mythology introduced in its first season. Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren remain stranded on the distant world of Peridea, while Grand Admiral Thrawn has returned to the main galaxy and appears ready to turn the surviving Imperial forces into a serious threat to the New Republic.

For fans of The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, there was also plenty to get excited about. Hayden Christensen returns as Anakin Skywalker, with the trailer featuring both Anakin’s Force presence and glimpses connected to the Clone Wars era. The story appears increasingly interested in Ahsoka’s past, her relationship with Anakin and what it actually means for her to be a Jedi.

The second season also has the difficult task of continuing the story of Baylan Skoll following the death of actor Ray Stevenson. Game of Thrones star Rory McCann has taken over the role, and the D23 footage gave fans their first proper look at his interpretation of the character. Baylan’s mysterious search for an ancient power on Peridea remains one of the show’s biggest unanswered questions.

The trailer also hints at a much larger conflict involving Thrawn, the New Republic and the Nightsisters. Rather than simply being another isolated Star Wars adventure, Ahsoka increasingly appears to be one of the central pieces of Dave Filoni’s corner of the franchise.

Ryan Gosling becomes Kade Auberon

The other major Star Wars moment at D23 belonged to Ryan Gosling. Gosling appeared alongside director Shawn Levy to promote Star Wars: Starfighter, the next major Star Wars film scheduled to reach cinemas. The actor revealed that his character is called Kade Auberon, describing him as someone from “the wrong side of the galaxy” whose destiny becomes connected to what is described as the fastest starfighter ever built.

D23 attendees were shown exclusive footage from the film, although the full teaser was not released publicly. The footage reportedly introduced Gosling’s character and gave fans their first real sense of the film’s visual identity.

Starfighter is particularly interesting because it is designed as a new standalone Star Wars story rather than another chapter in the Skywalker saga. The film is set five years after The Rise of Skywalker and is expected to take the franchise into a new period of the timeline. It is scheduled for release on 28th May 2027.

The cast is also shaping up to be one of the more intriguing Star Wars ensembles in recent years. Alongside Gosling are Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Flynn Gray and several other actors, with Shawn Levy directing from a screenplay by Jonathan Tropper.

Perhaps most importantly, Starfighter represents Disney’s attempt to demonstrate that Star Wars can move beyond the Skywalker family and still attract major audiences.

The Mandalorian and Grogu remains the immediate big-screen future

Although Starfighter received much of the attention at D23, it is not actually the next Star Wars film audiences will see. That distinction belongs to The Mandalorian and Grogu, which has now arrived in cinemas on 22nd May 2026. The film brings Din Djarin and Grogu to the big screen, marking a major step for characters who originally became synonymous with Disney+.

The movie is particularly significant because it bridges the gap between Star Wars television and cinema. Rather than simply continuing the franchise with another standalone theatrical story, Lucasfilm is taking one of its most popular Disney+ properties and turning it into a cinematic event.

That makes the arrival of Starfighter especially interesting. With The Mandalorian and Grogu serving as the theatrical continuation of an established television success, Starfighter is being positioned as something newer and more independent.

A different kind of Star Wars future

What was arguably most revealing about D23 was what Lucasfilm did not announce. There was no huge new slate of Star Wars films unveiled and no attempt to overwhelm fans with a long list of projects. Instead, the presentation concentrated on two projects that already have considerable momentum: Ahsoka season 2 and Starfighter.

That may actually be a sign of a more focused strategy for the franchise. After years in which Star Wars audiences were regularly presented with numerous proposed films and series, many of which changed direction or disappeared entirely, Lucasfilm appears increasingly interested in putting its attention behind projects that are further along.

Ahsoka is building on an established corner of the franchise that connects The Clone Wars, Rebels, The Mandalorian and other Disney+ series. Starfighter, meanwhile, is being positioned as a fresh cinematic adventure with a major Hollywood star at its centre.

The contrast is significant. One project looks backwards into Star Wars history, particularly the mythology surrounding Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka and the Jedi. The other is deliberately looking forward, introducing audiences to new characters and a new story.

D23 gives fans a glimpse of what comes next

For Star Wars fans, D23 2026 was ultimately about direction rather than quantity. Ahsoka season 2 looks set to become an even larger part of the interconnected New Republic-era storyline, with Thrawn emerging as a major threat and the mysteries of Peridea continuing to unfold. The involvement of Anakin, Baylan and the Nightsisters suggests that Filoni is also continuing to explore some of the franchise’s more mystical ideas.

Starfighter, meanwhile, could be even more important for the long-term future of Star Wars. A successful standalone film would demonstrate that the franchise can introduce completely new characters and eras without relying on the Skywalker family or established heroes.

With Ahsoka season 2 arriving on 20th January 2027 and Starfighter following on 28th May 2027, Star Wars now has two major projects on the horizon that could shape the next phase of the franchise.

D23 may not have delivered every announcement fans were hoping for, but it did provide something arguably more valuable: a clearer picture of where Star Wars is going next. One path leads deeper into the mythology of Ahsoka Tano and the New Republic era. The other points towards an entirely new cinematic adventure.

For a franchise that has spent much of the last decade balancing nostalgia with the need to move forward, that could prove to be the most important message to come out of D23.