After two years of speculation, the official casting for Grand Admiral Thrawn has been announced. Today, at Star Wars Celebration it was revealed that Lars Mikkelsen will portray the live-action version of the Imperial Admiral. Mikkelsen is already quite familiar with the role as he was the original voice actor for Thrawn in the Rebels animated series. The fan-casting of Thrawn has been rampant ever since the name was mentioned in Season 2 of The Mandalorian. The news of the original voice actor returning to the role will certainly please most Star Wars fans. Be sure to keep following us here at That Hashtag Show as more news is revealed at Star Wars Celebration.
MIKKELSEN RETURNS AS THRAWN
For the last two years, Mikkelsen has frequently denied his involvement in Ahsoka. He’d also denied even being approached about returning as Thrawn. This made his appearance at Star Wars Celebration all the more exciting for fans. The crowd at Celebration was also treated to an expanded version of the Ahoska trailer, which revealed Mikkelsen as the blue-faced Grand Admiral.
WHO IS THRAWN
Grand Admiral Thrawn was originally created by author Timothy Zahn for a trilogy of novels, beginning with Heir to the Empire. The character quickly became a fan-favorite villain. Following the purchase of Star Wars by Disney and their subsequent “un-canonizing” of the previous Expanded Universe content, fans were left wondering about the future of Thrawn. However, during the third Season of Star Wars Rebels, the Grand Admiral was brought back into canon. The calculating military genius would go on to become the primary antagonist for the rest of the series. The last time audiences saw the Grand Admiral, he was with Ezra Bridger, and destined for unknown reaches of the galaxy.
Since his return to canon via Rebels, Zahn has also returned to the character, writing a new series of novels for Thrawn. Ahsoka Dave Filoni also explained during the Celebration panel that Zahn was a consultant on Ahsoka for Thawn. This will undoubtedly please fans who have been anxiously awaiting his live-action debut. With a character this beloved, having an authentic portrayal will be key to meeting the high expectations of Star Wars fans.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Sound off and tell us what you think. What do you think of official casting for Thrawn? What other characters from Rebels do you hope we’ll see in live-action?
You can tell us your thoughts by leaving a comment below or finding me on Twitter @TheIndianaSlone. You can also join me on the Midwest Star Wars Fanatics Facebook page to chat about all things Star Wars. Be sure to stay up to date on all your Star Wars news by following us at ThatHashtagShow.com.
