All 3 Upcoming Star Wars Shows, Ranked By Hype

There are three upcoming Star Wars shows on the horizon, but some of them are more exciting than others. For years, since The Mandalorian premiered in 2019, Star Wars shows have been all the rage. In the seven years since The Rise of Skywalker, Disney and Lucasfilm have produced seven total live-action television shows and five new animated series, while The Mandalorian and Grogu was the only Star Wars movie to hit theaters.

Now, however, the age of Star Wars television is waning. There are only three confirmed upcoming Star Wars shows currently in development, though there has been unofficial speculation that Star Wars: Visions will return for a fourth installment, and that The Mandalorian season 4 could still be a possibility. Regardless, it’s the fewest number of shows Star Wars has had actively releasing new episodes in years as the franchise turns its focus back to movies like The Mandalorian and Grogu and Star Wars: Starfighter.

Even as Star Wars begins scaling its television efforts back, however, there are still upcoming shows for the franchise. The Star Wars: Visions spinoff series The Ninth Jedi will premiere on Disney+ on August 5, while Ahsoka season 2 is returning in early 2027. The franchise’s most recent show, Maul – Shadow Lord has also been renewed for a second season, though its return window hasn’t been revealed yet. Based on what we know about these shows so far, we can rank how much hype surrounds all three of the upcoming Star Wars shows.

3

Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi

Premiere Date: August 5, 2026

While it is the least hyped upcoming Star Wars show, Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi is still very exciting. There’s a lot to look forward to, as well, thanks to the trailer for The Ninth Jedi. The upcoming spinoff show will continue Lah Kara’s mission from Visions to rescue her father, a lightsaber craftsmen, while also rebuilding the Jedi Order and battling a new villain, Nawaam, who bears a striking resemblance to Darth Vader.

Even with its sparse plot details, The Ninth Jedi looks like a show to be on the lookout for. The animation by Japanese studio Production I.G promises a visually sleek and stunning show filled with great lightsaber duels. Nawaam, as well, seems like a fascinating new character, and the mystery surrounding him should be a treat to unpack and learn about. The show has also teased some major plot twists, such as Lah Kara potentially falling to the dark side, as evidenced by her lightsaber blade turning red.

There are a few reasons The Ninth Jedi is the least anticipated Star Wars show on the horizon, and neither of them are a critique of the show. Firstly, The Ninth Jedi isn’t canon, by virtue of being a Visions spinoff. There’s nothing wrong with Star Wars Legends, but there are other Star Wars shows that are promising to continue the story of canon characters and add more to the main story of Star Wars. The Ninth Jedi is essentially just a standalone spinoff, and not an essential part of the franchise.

Additionally, we just don’t know what to expect out of The Ninth Jedi yet. That partially works in its favor, as it’s exciting to delve into the show’s mysteries and secrets, but it also hurts anticipation. Lah Kara has only been featured in two episodes so far. We don’t know where her story is going aside from a broad framework, we’ve only had a handful of minutes to get invested in her story so far, and we don’t even know if a Visions spinoff can work, since The Ninth Jedi is the first of its kind. There are simply too many unknowns to rank it any higher.

2

Ahsoka Season 2

Premiere Date: Early 2027

Credit: MovieStillsDB

Ahsoka season 2 is the only live-action Star Wars show officially in development, and it’s very nearly the franchise’s most highly-anticipated show. A lot of the hype surrounding Ahsoka comes from the show itself. Season 2 promises to solve many of the mysteries the first season left unanswered, such as the secrets of Peridea, what Baylan Skoll wants with the Mortis gods, how Ezra Bridger and Hera Syndulla will handle Grand Admiral Thrawn’s return, and more.

Ahsoka is one of the most mysterious Star Wars shows ever made, so the prospect of answers in the new season is a huge selling point for the series. Even setting aside the mysteries, however, there’s still reason to be excited. Ahsoka season 2 will bring beloved characters like Ahsoka, Ezra, and Sabine back along with the stellar cast that portrays them, it promises a more complete exploration of the Force, and it will be the only real info we get on the “Mandoverse” era of the Star Wars timeline for the foreseeable future.

There are also some real-world factors making Ahsoka more exciting. By the time Ahsoka season 2 premieres in early 2027, fans will have been waiting for nearly four years. That amount of time builds a lot of hype, and the fact that Ahsoka is the only live-action Star Wars show only adds to that. Additionally, since Baylan Skoll actor Ray Stevenson sadly passed away in 2023, many viewers are looking forward to seeing how Rory McCann (Game of Thrones) will handle taking up the character’s mantle.

The only reason Ahsoka season 2 isn’t the most anticipated show is because it has such an uncertain future ahead of it. After the box office failure of The Mandalorian and Grogu, the entire Mandoverse is on shaky ground. Dave Filoni was supposed to be directing a movie to tie all of the Mandoverse stories together, presumably in a fight against Thrawn, but we no longer know if that’s happening. Ahsoka season 2 may be a grand finale and send-off to the Mandoverse, or it may end up being setup for a movie that never gets made. It may even get a third season, but the uncertainty surrounding it doesn’t inspire confidence.

1

Maul – Shadow Lord Season 2

Premiere Date: TBA

MovieStillsDB

The most exciting Star Wars show on the horizon, by a slim margin, is Maul – Shadow Lord season 2. Most of the hype surrounding Maul – Shadow Lord is a product of the show’s quality. Shadow Lord almost instantly became Star Wars‘ highest-rated show, and there was quite a bit to praise. The stunning, watercolor-like animation style that evolves the Clone Wars style even further, the mature and morally grey story, and Sam Witwer’s performance as Maul all stood out as fantastic aspects of the show.

The ending of Maul – Shadow Lord season 1 also left the door open for another tremendous season. The prospect of seeing Devon Izara’s continuing descent to the dark side of the Force, seeing how Maul shapes her into his protege, and seeing how he reestablishes himself as the Shadow Lord of Star Wars‘ criminal syndicates – namely Crimson Dawn – are all very exciting.

Maul – Shadow Lord‘s darker tone and villain-focused story are yet more reason to be excited for another season. Shadow Lord feels completely different from the rest of Star Wars, and fans clearly resonate with that change of pace. The series also brought a new level of nuance and shades of grey to the philosophical debate between the Jedi and Sith that has been likened to Andor‘s take on the galaxy far, far away’s politics. In summary, there are quite a few reasons to be excited.

While any return to the galaxy far, far away is appreciated, Star Wars fans have a lot to look forward to on the television side of the franchise. While there aren’t as many shows in development as there once were, I can’t remember a time when I was genuinely excited about every Star Wars show that was in development. The Ninth Jedi, Ahsoka, and Maul – Shadow Lord all have quite a bit of hype surrounding them, and Star Wars seems to have a bright future in them.

TV Show(s)

The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions

Cast

Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal

Movie(s)

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, Star Wars: New Jedi Order