Star Wars Celebration 2025 Japan: kicks off with Ryan Gosling confirmed and dates for Starfighter and The Mandalorian and Grogu
Japan dressed up and was filled with Star Wars advertisements, officially recognized Ryan Gosling, and released the dates of its new installments: Star Wars: Starfighter and The Mandalorian and Grogu.
With cake and singing "Happy Birthday" along with a chorus of thousands of fans, among many other surprises, the first day of Star Wars Celebration 2025 Japan unfolded, which shook with several announcements, first sneak peeks and much more. Here we break down the most relevant.
The one in charge of kick-starting the event was Hayden Christensen, Anakin Skywalker, -who also happened to be celebrating his birthday- making this celebration unforgettable, while also coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode III- Revenge of the Sith.
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The Mandalorian and Grogu
Then it was the turn of Pedro Pascal - the man of the moment thanks to Marvel with his character Mr. Fantastic and with the premiere of the second season of Last of Us - who returns to the suit of Mandalorian alongside Grogu, who starred in a tender reunion moment on the stage.
On stage, Pascal, Jon Favreau and Grogu were alongside Sigourney Weaver, who joins the cast of the movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, which will arrive in theaters on May 22, 2026.
In the film, the Mandalorian and his young apprentice, Grogu, embark on an exciting adventure as they travel across the galaxy. Additionally, the audience was treated to behind-the-scenes footage and an exclusive preview of the movie.
Star Wars: Starfighter
Finally, the rumors became reality: Ryan Gosling will star in Star Wars: Starfighter, a story set five years after The Rise of Skywalker.
The film, which will begin production this fall, is a brand-new adventure featuring entirely new characters set in a time period that has not yet been explored on screen.
The film will hit theaters on May 28, 2027 and will be directed by Shawn Levy (the same director and producer of Deadpool & Wolverine).
Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord
Another surprise came with Sam Witwer, who took the stage to announce his return to the saga as the lead in the upcoming animated series: Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, set to premiere on Disney+ in 2026.
Guests enjoyed an exclusive sneak peek of the series and received a special 20th anniversary poster from Lucasfilm Animation as a gift.
It鈥檚 worth noting that Witwer first portrayed Maul in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and later reprised the role in Star Wars Rebels.
Among other announcements is the arrival of StarWars to Monopoly and the release of the new video game Star Wars Outlaws: A Pirate鈥檚 Fortune. However, there are still days and announcements that will surely continue to surprise StarWars fans.