The stars of Disney+’s Ahsoka have offered fans an early glimpse into the production of the series' upcoming second season, pointing to a shift toward practical outdoor filming and expanded screen time for established characters from Star Wars animated lore. Speaking during a November 1, 2026 panel at Los Angeles Comic-Con, cast members Rosario Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, and Eman Esfandi shared behind-the-scenes details ahead of the show's reported January 20, 2027 return to Disney+, according to Polygon and Star Wars News Net.

During the 35-minute panel—a recording of which was uploaded to YouTube by CineMovie—the trio avoided major plot spoilers. However, they confirmed that Season 2 relies much more heavily on real outdoor environments compared to the soundstage-heavy first season, while teasing increased prominence for Grand Admiral Thrawn, the astromech droid Chopper, and other familiar faces.

Stepping Outside 'The Volume' for Season 2

One of the most notable production shifts discussed by the cast involves the physical environments used to bring the galaxy far, far away to life.

The first season of Ahsoka, like several modern Star Wars television projects, relied extensively on Disney’s StageCraft technology, commonly known as "The Volume." This 270-degree wall of LED screens projects digital backgrounds around performers in real time, allowing crews to control lighting and scenery entirely indoors. While initially praised across the industry, the technology has drawn criticism from some viewers and critics who feel it can limit the visual scope and physical feel of live-action series.

For Season 2, the production moved away from relying almost exclusively on the indoor soundstage. Dawson, who stars in the title role as former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, noted that while the cast remained "inside for most of it" during the first season, the sophomore outing took a different path.

"I have to say what was really nice is that we got to shoot so much more outside," Dawson explained during the panel, as reported by Star Wars News Net.

According to Polygon, Dawson described the outdoor shoot as physically demanding, noting that the cast and crew contended with heat, cold, rain, and slippery conditions on location. Despite the weather challenges, she stated that the physical elements helped the actors feel genuinely immersed in the environment, even though distant background scenery will still be assembled digitally in post-production.

Bordizzo, who portrays Mandalorian warrior Sabine Wren, echoed Dawson’s enthusiasm for the location shoots. She remarked that working on outdoor sets brought a distinct energy to the production, contrasting the experience of actually standing outside in the elements with having to pretend to be outdoors inside a studio soundstage.

More Screen Time for Thrawn, Chopper, and 'Beloved Characters'

Alongside the shift in production design, the cast addressed which characters will command the spotlight when the series returns. Esfandi, who made his live-action debut as lost Jedi Ezra Bridger in Season 1, indicated that the overarching conflict with the show's primary antagonist will escalate.

"So we’re gonna get a lot more time with a very specific war criminal… that everybody really loves to see," Esfandi told the convention crowd, referring to Grand Admiral Thrawn. First introduced in Timothy Zahn’s 1991 Expanded Universe novel Heir to the Empire, the brilliant Imperial tactician was re-established in official Star Wars canon through Zahn's 2016 novel Thrawn and the animated series Star Wars Rebels, where he frequently clashed with Ezra Bridger before transitioning to live action in Ahsoka.

Beyond the villainous Grand Admiral, Esfandi emphasized that viewers will see plenty of C1-10P, better known as Chopper, the cantankerous astromech droid from Rebels. Esfandi praised the practical effects team operating the droid on set while joking about the character's larger-than-life personality.

"I’m very excited because there were some incredible puppeteers moving Chopper around. I had the honor of working with them.

We all really had the honor of working with him," Esfandi said. "And I love Chopper, I really do, but if you’ve ever heard of what a diva is on a movie set, Chopper defines it in a new way. You know, [he] sets a new path for droids who can be divas. Huyang’s not really a diva."

Esfandi then dropped a broader hint regarding the supporting roster: "But we get a lot of Chopper, and we also get a lot of other well-beloved characters that we get to spend more time with in live action, and I think everyone’s going to be really happy with them."

How that statement is interpreted has varied across entertainment outlets. While some coverage, such as reporting from Gizmodo, frames the remarks as confirmation that more characters from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels are headed to the show, Polygon notes that Esfandi did not specify which characters he was referring to.

The actor's comments on the YouTube panel recording do not confirm specific names or clarify whether these figures will be making their live-action debuts or are returning veterans from Season 1.

Intense Character Drama Ahead for Ahsoka and Sabine

While the actors kept plot mechanics under wraps, Dawson and Bordizzo shared insights into the emotional trajectories of their characters. Dawson noted that although Ahsoka Tano confronted her troubled past in Season 1—transitioning into the calmer "Ahsoka the White" persona—her path forward remains difficult.

"You might heal things from your past, but that doesn’t mean you still don’t have challenges to face in the future," Dawson said at the panel. "And it’s just really cool to see… the way the relationships have developed and yeah, it gets pretty hectic. It gets pretty intense."

Bordizzo similarly pointed to heightened interpersonal stakes and character drama throughout the upcoming episodes.

Expressing pride in Sabine Wren's Season 2 arc, Bordizzo recalled the cast's reactions on set during filming: "Like we were on set like you know like between takes like, 'damn this is a crazy scene!' So it’s very exciting."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which animated Star Wars characters are confirmed for Ahsoka Season 2?

Based on the Los Angeles Comic-Con panel, the cast explicitly confirmed expanded screen time for Grand Admiral Thrawn and the astromech droid Chopper, alongside returning leads Ahsoka Tano, Sabine Wren, Ezra Bridger, and the droid Huyang. While Eman Esfandi teased "a lot of other well-beloved characters" appearing in live action, he did not reveal their identities.

Did Ahsoka Season 2 stop using The Volume entirely?

No confirmation was given that The Volume was abandoned completely. Rosario Dawson stated that the production shot "so much more outside" compared to Season 1, which was filmed mostly indoors on the LED stage.

However, Dawson noted that digital visual effects are still being used to assemble distant background scenery for the outdoor locations.

When does Ahsoka Season 2 premiere on Disney+?

According to reporting from Polygon, Ahsoka Season 2 is slated to return to Disney+ on January 20, 2027.

Sources