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The Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration 2025 was filled with teases for Season 2, a first look at Rory McCann as Baylan Skoll, stories from the making of the series, and much more. To ensure you don’t miss a thing, we’re here to break it all down in one place for you.

While we have yet to see footage of Season 2 of Ahsoka or get a release date, we did learn a bit about what we can expect in these new episodes and it’s about time we jumped right in.

First Look at Rory McCann as Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka Revealed at Star Wars Celebration

The Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration gave us our first look at Rory McCann as Baylan Skoll in Season 2. For those unfamaliar, McCann is taking on the role after the passing of Ray Stevenson.

Stevenson died just three months before the premiere of Ahsoka, but his portrayal of Baylan was the high point of the series for many fans.

Ahsoka series creator Dave Filoni talked more about the challenge of moving on after Ray, especially because he was “the most beautiful person on screen and off.” However, while it took some time, he is “confident Ray would be happy with the direction we’ve chosen.”

For Filoni, Baylan is meant to be the parallel to Ahsoka in every way, and he’s so grateful that “there’s a blueprint for what this character should be because Ray had played him so iconically.” Lastly, Filoni noted that he felt very fortunate to meet and cast McCann, as he knew his “whole focus was not letting Ray down.”

Hayden Christensen Is Officially Returning as Anakin Skywalker in Ahsoka Season 2

After playing an important role in the first season of Ahsoka, it was confirmed at Star Wars Celebration that Hayden Christensen will officially be returning as Anakin Skywalker in Season 2.

We didn’t learn much about what Anakin’s role will be in these new episodes, but Christensen did stop by the Ahsoka panel to discuss returning as the beloved character.

“It was a dream to get to do,” Christensen said. “The way they conceived how to do it was brilliant in getting to explore the World Between Worlds. I thought it was all really exciting.”

This was also obviously a big deal for Ahsoka series creator Dave Filoni as he joked he knew he needed to work with Christensen/Anakin again and had to “invent entire dimensions to make it happen.”

For Christensen, one of the joys of returning as Anakin was being able to bring to life a version of the character from the Clone Wars that he really didn’t get to play.

“All of this had been presented well in the animated world, but I was really excited to do that in live action,” Christensen said. “As much as I love the traditional Jedi robes I wore during the prequels, it was exciting to get to see Anakin with a new look.”

Ahsoka Will See the Return of Many More Familiar Faces

The Ahsoka panel didn’t feature a traditional trailer, but it did give us a glimpse into what we can expect from Season 2 and who we can expect to see return. The trailer had no moving footage and was just filled with images, but it did confirm Sabine, Ezra, Zeb, and Chopper will all be back.

Elsewhere in the panel, it was revealed that Admiral Ackbar will have a big part to play in the upcoming story and will face-off against Grand Admiral Thrawn. There will also be incredibly adorable Loth-Kittens and, according to Filoni, “X-Wings, A-Wings, and Wings I can’t tell you about.”

We don’t yet know when Ahsoka will be returning to Disney+, but it was shared that the team is still re-writing episodes leading into production starting next week.

Behind-the-Scenes Stories Reveal More About Ahsoka

Alongside the big reveals for Season 2, we learned a lot more about Ahsoka, its inspirations, and more from the actors and creatives who brought it to life. It all began with Filoni sharing that he has been very inspired by Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazki in his life and that his favorite movie is Princess Mononoke. In fact, that film is the reason Ahsoka has two wolf fangs on her cheeks.

Filoni was joined by Jon Favreau and Rosario Dawson on stage and they talked a bit about how the Ahsoka series was brought to life. It all began after Season 1 of The Mandalorian and happened when Filoni and Favreau were taking about what they should bring to life next.

Filoni’s love for Ahsoka Tano is no secret as he helped create her with George Lucas, and the pair agreed they should play with the idea of bringing her to live-action. This led to them doing an episode for Season 2 of The Mandalorian featuring her after finding the right person and aesthetic for the character.

We all know now that Rosario Dawson was the one chosen to play Ahsoka in live-action after Ashley Eckstein played her so wonderfully in the animated world, and Dawson talked about what it was like to find out she’d be playing the character.

This all happened after the big online push for Dawson to play Ahsoka, and Filoni and Favreau both agreed she’d be great for the character. When it was time for Dawson to get the role, she said they showed her art and drawings they had done of her as the character and she needed to mute herself on the video call because she was jumping up and down and freaking out.

Even still, they were treating this Ahsoka apperance as a one-off as they still weren’t sure they could make Ahsoka work long term.

“Even if this never happens again, I’m so grateful,” Dawson said. “It was just so magnificent on so many levels. To see the fan reaction that allowed this story to continue was a dream come true.”

As we all know, Ahsoka’s journey would continue far beyond that one episode. While there was still doubt they could get Ahsoka on screen on a day-to-day basis as it was a complicated thing, it all proved to be worth it in the end.

“When we started to move into the Ahsoka episodes with revisted characters like Bo-Katan, everything shifted toward a continuation of what Dave and George had done with animation while culminating storylines that already been established,” Favreau said.

For the team, Ahsoka is not so different from watching A New Hope as it it starts in the middle of Ahsoka’s journey and there is so much that came before and after. It just made perfect sense.

There is also so much yet to learn about Ahsoka, and Dawson is just as excited about us as getting to explore and fill out her story.

“I did not know where this character was going in live action,” Dawson said. “I could understand her fear, anxiety, and stress and desire to help from afar. She wasn’t willing to take over the mentor role herself, so it became a wonderful thing that I got to explore.”

For more, check out why Ahsoka delivers such a powerful testament to Anakin Skywalker’s legacy and all the biggest news from The Mandalorian & Grogu and Andor panels.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

This review contains full spoilers for Doctor Who Season 2, Episode 2, “Lux”.

Following a disappointing season premiere, this week’s Doctor Who is a meticulously crafted descent into a retro-tinged nightmare, where daring storytelling collides with a pervasive, unsettling atmosphere. The TARDIS doesn’t arrive in the expected sun-drenched glamour of 1952 Miami, but rather in its subtly sinister twilight. It’s a period setting rendered in immaculate detail: pastel hues, sharply tailored costumes, and a lovingly recreated slice of mid-century Americana. Drawn into a mystery surrounding 15 missing patrons at a once-bustling picture house, what begins with echoes of a standard Doctor Who caper, even cheekily evoking Scooby-Doo, quickly spirals into something far stranger and more ambitious.

That ambition is most profoundly realized in the work of director Amanda Brotchie and animators Framestore, whose contribution to this episode is fantastic. With fine finesse, they’ve managed to channel the kinetic energy and whimsical charm of the Fleischer Studios’ animated heyday, crafting an unsettling combination of colorful whimsy and insidious presence in the form of Mr. Ring-a-Ding. Masterfully embodied by Alan Cumming, who delivers a tour-de-force vocal performance, the villain feels like he’s stepped directly out of a 1930s cartoon reel, not just in style, but in physics, posture, and that off-putting grin. It’s classic rubber-hose animation, brought to life and warped just enough to feel wrong, possessed, and dancing to a silent, unsettling rhythm, tactically amplified by Murray Gold’s wonderfully creaky and classically Hitchcockian score.

If there’s a bum note to this, it’s the reveal that Mr. Ring-a-Ding is Lux, another all-seeing, all-knowing cosmic deity – a character type Doctor Who is certainly guilty of overindulging in these days. It’s hardly a fatal flaw, and the nightmarishly animated devil still manages to exert a captivating influence over the episode. Moreover, the reveal lends to a fitting end for the villain, with the god of light released to join the celestial tapestry above us in a surprisingly poetic send-off. But fingers crossed we don’t see another one-off fantastical god in disguise anytime soon.

The animated brilliance of “Lux” extends beyond Mr. Ring-a-Ding. Amid the episode’s chaos, the Doctor and Belinda are unexpectedly thrust into a cartoon reality, a turn in the story that transcends mere gimmickry. The resulting sequence is a delightfully bizarre and frenetic experience, brimming with quippy puns and one-liners delivered with the pace and precision of the best early Simpsons episodes. After the pun-laden stumbles of the season opener, it’s a relief to see Russell T Davies wield his wordplay with actual purpose: Not just twisting phrases for plot’s sake, but crafting lines that carry rhythm, wit, and a surprising amount of heart. Crucially, the inherent absurdity of the sequence never undermines the episode’s sincerity, maintains tension, and exhibits a pacing that is atypical of Doctor Who, a show often constrained by its tight runtime. Against all odds, it not only works, but ends before it wears out its welcome.

That goes double for the episode’s even bolder swing: a gleefully clichéd fourth-wall break where the Doctor and Belinda crash straight through a television screen into a modern-day living room, startling a set of bewildered Doctor Who fans mid-episode. With the fans decked out in stereotypical Who-dress-up – Tom Baker’s scarf, Matt Smith’s fez – it does come off as a bit too on the nose at first. However, the reveal of Mr. Ring-a-Ding’s involvement and the fact that it’s actually part of the illusion swiftly recontextualizes the scene. As a result, it feels a lot more affectionate without pandering, folding fandom into the fiction, and smartly avoiding any strained winks or jabs. To my surprise, the whole detour ends up doing more than simply breaking the fourth wall; it starts to toy, with real intent, at the boundaries between fiction and reality, going so far as to brazenly acknowledge the online leaks that spoiled the scene’s very existence. It caught me off guard in a way the show rarely does, and I still haven’t quite decided whether it’s genius or not.

Yet, beneath all the meta references and structural flair, “Lux” is ultimately anchored by a powerful emotional core that pulses throughout the episode. While some of the dialogue still feels a little janky or rushed in places, and the supporting cast remains one-note – more functional than fleshed out – the episode’s simple, chaotic center still shines. Plus, any shortcomings on the periphery are quickly eclipsed by the leads, who make the episode feel like a stage built just for them. Ncuti Gatwa delivers yet another standout performance as the Doctor, carefully channeling the mischief of the character’s past incarnations with the warmth and gravitas of a silver-age superhero. There’s real conviction in his quieter moments, like promises to a grieving mother and reflections on how his humble police box gives people hope. It all lands like a statement of intent for Doctor Who itself. Gatwa’s scenes with Varada Sethu aren’t drowned out by exposition but resonate with a dynamic rhythm shared by equals. I also especially love that Belinda being a nurse isn’t treated as a throwaway backstory – it’s embedded in her every instinct as a character, shaping how she operates. (It’s already propping up some great interactions with the Doctor.) The fact that she’s only been in the TARDIS for two weeks is astonishing. She somehow already feels foundational.

Score: 9/10

Verdict:

It was just revealed at Star Wars Celebration that Hayden Christensen will officially return as Anakin Skywalker in Season 2 of Ahsoka.

While we didn’t learn much about what role Anakin will play in Season 2, it will undoubtedly be exciting news for fans that Ahsoka’s time with her former master has not yet come to an end.

Christensen stopped by the Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration and shared what it was like returning to the character.

“It was a dream to get to do,” Christensen said. “The way they conceived how to do it was brilliant in getting to explore the World Between Worlds. I thought it was all really exciting.”

Ahsoka series creator Dave Filoni then joked that he had to find a way to work with Christensen/Anakin again and had to “invent entire dimensions to make it happen.”

Christensen also shared that he and the team had many conversations about what else Anakin was up to during the Clone Wars.

“All of this had been presented well in the animated world, but I was really excited to do that in live action,” Christensen said. “As much as I love the traditional Jedi robes I wore during the prequels, it was exciting to get to see Anakin with a new look.”

Later in the panel, Filoni talked about how their shared work experience with George Lucas helped form a bond when determining how to bring back Anakin. This let them fill in each other’s gaps in knowledge and let them create a really full interpretation of the character.

“I always have George’s voice in the back of my head saying, ‘faster, more intense!'” Christensen added.

For more, check out why Ahsoka delivers such a powerful testament to Anakin Skywalker’s legacy, the first look at Rory McCann as Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka Season 2 and all the biggest news from The Mandalorian & Grogu and Andor panels.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

Star Wars Celebration has given us our first look at Rory McCann as Baylan Skoll in Season 2 of Ahsoka. For those unfamiliar, McCann is taking over as Baylan following the death of Ray Stevenson.

While we have yet to see McCann in action, the Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration gave us a first-look image that you can see below.

Stevenson, who was also known for his work in Thor, RRR, Punisher: War Zone, Rome, and more, passed away from a brief illness three months before the premiere of Ahsoka. For many, Stevenson’s portrayal of Baylan was the series’ high point so far.

Ahsoka series creator Dave Filoni shared that losing Ray was obviously one of the biggest challenges in developing Season 2, especially since he was “the most beautiful person on screen and off.”

Filoni and the team then revealed a bit more about what we can expect from Season 2, including that Hayden Christensen will return as Anakin Skywalker alongside Admiral Ackbar, Zeb, Chopper, and more.

In our review of Ahsoka’s first season, we said it “struggles in its early episodes as the series works to get viewers up to speed on characters and concepts introduced in Dave Filoni’s animated Star Wars shows. But once the actors and cosmic plots are really given time to shine, Ahsoka finds a wonderful mix of rich lore, humor, and big battles that make it feel like classic Star Wars while also forging a path to something new.”

For more, check out where Ahsoka ranks on our list of the best Star Wars Disney+ live-action TV shows and our explainer of the ending of Season 1 of Ahsoka.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

We’re on Day 2 of Star Wars Celebration 2025 in Japan, and IGN has all the details on the Andor: Season 2 panel happening right now! Stars Diego Luna, Genevieve O’Reilly, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, Alan Tudyk, and creator Tony Gilroy were on hand to tout the new season, which launches its first episode on Disney+ on April 22. (Andor Season 2 will make its broadcast debut on ABC and FX on Wednesday, April 23, at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.)

Follow along below for live updates:

Diego Luna Says to Watch Rogue One After Andor Season 2

Diego Luna took the stage to inform the fans in attendance that Season 2 is “so big in every possible way. Everything matters so much because we’re getting close to Rogue One. We have all the characters from Season 1 plus many new characters. Many familiar faces you might be expecting. It’s going to be intense.”

Luna added, “Then when you finish watching the season, you should go to Rogue One because you’re going to see (it as) a different film.”

Gilroy said that with Season 1’s storyline, “we took a whole year to do the whole season. Season 2, we’re going to do 4 years in one season. Each three episodes represent one year. We’re dropping them three a week. It’s basically like dropping a movie every week. We try to find the most important three to four days (story-wise) in each year to land on.”

Andor Season 2 Will Be “More Ambitious”

Executive producer Sanne Wohlenberg said this season is “wider, larger, more ambitious. Our extraordinary team really outdid themselves.” The second season boasts 140 sets across 7 stages. 2 backlots, 700 costumes for principals, 150 creatures, 30 droids ad 4100 VFX shots!

Gilroy said that “we’ll follow everyone you like and love. Cassian’s at center, but there’s a chorus all around him. We will tell every story full out. We go all in on all of them all the way.”

“For Mon Mothma, we start somewhere, this season takes us to whole new worlds. Whole new characters. We start in Chandrila. We start with a wedding and all the complications that brings.
Then we drive and we reach. For Mon, in particular, we see her have to work under the eyes of the Empire. We go to some dark places this season. She must step out of the shadows and risk everything to speak some truth.”

Deep Diving Into Andor Season 2 Characters

As for Dedra Meero’s arc this time around, Denise Gough said, ”We found out where Dedra comes from in this season. A little bit about maybe what makes her who she is. Things get real strange. Just to be part of this thing, every character is so fully drawn. I’ve never been part of such an ensemble. Dedra really shows herself this season. It wasn’t so much girl boss. It was much more fascist this season.”

Kyle Soller said the relationship between Dedra and his character Syril Karn is “really weird.” Syril starts out the season feeling really good about himself. Promotion, new friends, on a new planet. Flexing the small amount of power he has in his little pocket of the Empire. Trying to flex this [Soller then pointed to Gough].”

Soller added, “It’s an amazing relationship because them coming together and opening themselves up to each other ultimately forces them into extreme situations that they never anticipated. So it’s pretty spicy.”

“When we first meet Bix in season 2, she’s left her home,” said Adria Arjona. “She’s really trying to reconstruct herself. Coping with everything that happened with Dr. Gorst. You get a sneak peek into this special relationship that starts forming (with Cassian). In this season, you really get to see these two characters come together.”

K-2SO Is Back on the Screen!

Andor Season 2 sees Alan Tudyk reprise his role from Rogue One as the droid K-2SO. Tudylk said: ”I always held up hope that K-2SO would return. I really wanted it to happen. I held out for my own spinoff, K2-Fast, K2-Furious. But Tony is a better writer. He has made an amazing show. We get to see how K and Cassian meet and the birth of K-2SO will be seen this season. It’s beyond anything I could have hoped. It feels like a very important series and it’s great to be a part of.”

K-2SO and Tudyk’s absence was keenly felt by Luna. “I missed Alan badly. It was seven very tough years. I was laughing the moment i saw him back in his very tight suit. We spent a lot of time in a cockpit. He’s the most generous and nicest partner you can have in a scene. He was always finding a way to make it more interesting, more fun. As an actor, that’s beautiful. I never knew it was going to be so much fun. K is a character that has a soul. Alan took the character to another level. It was nice and awful to see how that character gets born.”

The Andor panel then concluded with an exclusive treat for the fans there: the screening of the first episode of Season 2! (Look for IGN’s review next week.)

For more Star Wars Celebration coverage, find out the latest on The Mandalorian & Grogu, the Ryan Gosling-starring Star Wars: Starfighter (and when it happens on the timeline), Star Wars Outlaws, and the new Darth Maul animated series.

Let’s make this simple: You want to know if there are any post- or mid-credits scenes in Sinners. The answer is yes, in a big way, since it has one of both.

Full spoilers for the movie follow!

Set in 1932, writer-director Ryan Coogler’s Sinners (review) involves twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan) returning home to the town of Clarksdale, Mississippi, after seven years away in Chicago. World War I veterans who then made a living as criminals – it’s mentioned they worked for Al Capone – the two are now opening a juke joint in an old sawmill they bought from a local named Hogwood (David Maldonado).

Sinners: The Plot (and a Vampire Plot)

Hastily gathering everything they need in the hours before opening night, while reuniting with those they left behind, the two enlist their talented young musician cousin, Sammie (Miles Caton), and local legend Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo) to provide music at the club; their friend Cornbread (Omar Benson Miller) to work the door as security; and a healer Annie (Wunmi Mosaku) to make food. Smoke and Annie have a romantic history but also the painful shared connection of the baby they had together who died tragically young. In the meantime, Stack has an unplanned reunion with Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), who still is angered by him leaving her with little notice seven years before, though, still drawn to him, she decides to go to the club.

Others of note at the club are Pearline (Jayme Lawson), a singer eventually convinced to join Sammie and Slim onstage – who also makes some private, physical “music” with Sammie behind closed doors – and married grocery store owners Grace (Li Jun Li) and Bo (Yao), with Grace hired to make a sign for the juke joint and then sticking around to help tend bar while Bo plays cards.

Everyone is having a blast until the arrival of the vampire Remmick (Jack O’Connell) and two others he recently turned. Though they keep their true nature hidden, everyone is worried why three white people are trying to go to a Black juke joint in Jim Crow-era Mississippi, fearing things could easily go bad. They are denied entry as a result, but when Mary – who has a half-black grandfather but is white-passing – offers to go outside to speak to the still loitering trio to discern if they mean any harm or perhaps should be allowed to come in and spend their money, she is attacked and bitten by Remmick. Now transformed into a vampire, she gets an unaware Cornbread to invite her back in, before seducing Stack into a back room, where she bites him in turn.

The discovery of Mary biting Stack, and then seeing her survive multiple gunshots from a distraught Smoke as she flees back outside, are enough for the knowledgeable Annie to quickly realize they are dealing with vampires. Soon, Stack has risen from the dead as a vampire himself, joining Remick outside alongside a now disturbingly large group of fellow vampires, with many more having been grabbed and turned when the club was abruptly closed in the wake of Stack’s death. Their numbers also quickly come to include Cornbread and Bo, who both were outside and unaware of the true nature of the threat they faced.

We learn these vampires share a hive mind of sorts and are able to access each other’s memories. Having discarded petty human grievances like racism, they all act blissfully happy – and Remmick seems to perhaps mean it when he says he wishes to spread fellowship and love. You just have to die first to get it.

Sinners Ending Explained

These vampires are pretty traditional when it comes to the rules, with garlic harming them, wooden stakes killing them, and an inability to enter a building unless they are invited in. Gearing up with guns, which can at least temporarily slow a vampire down, and wooden stakes to kill them at close range, Smoke, Annie, Sammie, Grace, Slim and Pearline all each eat a clove of garlic to prove they are human. They then plan to simply wait out the night until the vampires have to leave when the sun rises – until Remmick and the now-vampired Bo insinuate through the door that they will go find Grace and Bo’s teenage daughter, Lisa (Helena Hu), if they’re not let in.

Deciding to try to protect her daughter at all costs, Grace, against the wishes of the others, purposely screams to the vampires to come in, intending to force a last stand that she hopes will kill the vampires and save Lisa, no matter what else happens to those in the club, herself included. In the ensuing mayhem, as the vampires storm the juke joint, Grace is killed, burning to death alongside a vampire, while Pearline and Annie are both bitten. Pearline is turned as a result, but keeping an earlier promise that he wouldn’t allow her to become a vampire, Smoke stakes Annie through the heart before her human body fully perishes – causing legitimate anguish for both Stack and Mary, signifying that they truly wanted their friends and family to join them as vampires.

We recently asked Ryan Coogler about Remmick’s desire to unite everyone… even if it’s by vampiric means. “I love this character,” he said. “I love him presenting as one thing. Not just in terms of the vampirism, but presenting as one thing and being something completely different. Their fear of him being this racist guy, and learning that his view on race is the opposite. That, to me, was very powerful if he actually identifies with these people. These are the people he wants to hang out with.”

Remmick’s main target is Sammie, who has a rare ability to pierce the veil of time through the music he creates. This was vividly depicted earlier in the film in a manner we in the audience and Remmick could see, but not the humans inside the club, as musicians from across time joined Sammie as he played.

Coogler also spoke to IGN about the significance of this moment. “Just vampirism wasn’t enough, he said. “There had to be other supernatural elements to this. … Why did juke joint culture develop in the 1930s? It’s because these people were denied this. And they were born at a time where they weren’t going to see more freedom. That was their luck. This is what they got. Maybe their grandkids will. And how cool would it be if they can party with those grandkids. That concept was how we built that scene, man.”

Now, Remmick wants to turn Sammie, believing he can help Remmick see his own ancestors again. When Sammie flees outside, desperately wading through a nearby pond, Remmick follows. Meanwhile, inside the club, Smoke and Stack fight, with Smoke finally getting the better of his brother, pinning him down and holding a stake above him for the killing blow.

Trying to escape through the water, Sammie smashes his guitar into Remmick’s head, slowing him down, but Remmick then overpowers him and is about to bite him when he’s staked from behind, through his back, by Smoke. Remmick screams in anguish, only to then realize he’s lost track of time and the sun is rising. The other vampires, who’d gathered to watch Remmick turn Sammie, all scream as they try and fail to run back indoors to safety, but instead all explode into flames before a startled Smoke and Sammie.

Settling a Score

With only Smoke and Sammie left alive, Smoke tells his cousin to go home, saying he’s going to stay behind to take care of some unfinished business. Earlier, Remmick had told Smoke and Stack how, thanks to the shared memories he has with those he’d turned – including Hogwood’s nephew – he now knew that Hogwood was actually a Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard who, after selling the brothers the old sawmill, intended to return with his men and betray and kill the pair along with anyone else they found.

Preparing for Hogwood’s arrival, Smoke opens a trunk he’d mentioned earlier, which turns out to contain weapons – both military ones representing the brothers’ time in the army and a tommy gun representing their time with Capone. When Hogwood and his men show up, Smoke is lying in ambush and kills them all, though he is shot in the gut in the battle.

When he walks over to a wounded but still alive Hogwood, he demands a cigarette from him, and then lights it and begins to smoke it, only to fall to the ground, clearly close to death himself from his own gunshot. He then sees a vision – or perhaps their true spirits, from beyond – of Annie sitting next to him on the ground, nursing their baby boy. He asks to hold the baby, and she tells him to put out the cigarette first. When the rage-filled Hogwood interrupts this to scream one last litany of racist hatred at Smoke, Smoke unloads the rest of his ammo into Hogwood, killing him.

He then turns back to Annie and the baby, puts out the cigarette, and takes his son in his arms to hold, enjoying his time with his family as his life on Earth comes to an end.

We then pick up where the film’s prologue began, with a battered, bruised and bloody Sammie (who has four long claw marks on his face now thanks to Remmick) wandering into his father’s church in the middle of service, still clutching his guitar handle – the only part of his instrument he still has. His father tells the shocked parishioners to leave. Uncertain of what his son has gone through, he tells him to let go of the guitar handle, having always felt his son’s love of the Blues would lead him down a dark path. Instead, we cut to sometime later, and see Sammie is driving away, leaving Clarksdale behind, with his guitar handle on the car seat next to him.

We asked Coogler about the importance of Blues in the film. “I think that the music is an affirmation of humanity,” said the filmmaker. “It’s a rebellion against the situation that these people were in. And had been in generationally. But it’s also a celebration of that beauty. It’s the full dose, the full human condition. Whereas the church is somewhat edited, the bad parts cut out. And there’s an inherent room for the accusation of hypocrisy there when you cutting out the bad, and not acknowledging the bad. There’s no hypocrisy in the blues as it was. It accepts you.”

We then cut to a Blues club looking decidedly different and more modern than anything we’ve seen in the film, as onscreen text tells us it’s 1992 Chicago. A band performs on stage and the old man playing the guitar has several large scars on his face, letting us know this is Sammie and that he kept playing music for the rest of his life. And the closing credits begin…

Does Sinners Have a Mid- or Post-Credit Scene?

It sure does! In fact, the film has one of those mid-credit scenes that actually feels like the proper final scene of the movie itself rather than just a fun bonus. To use a comparison from Ryan Coogler’s pals at Marvel Studios, where he learned a thing or two about credits scenes, this is like the one in Spider-Man: Far From Home with J. Jonah Jameson’s news report, where it would be a genuine shame to miss if you leapt out of your seat immediately. Coogler does his best to let you know to stick around though, intercutting the initial closing credits with additional shots of the older Sammie (Buddy Guy) playing his guitar on stage.

But then the credits pause, as we move to after Sammie’s show, where he sits at the now empty bar with a drink. An employee tells him that a couple of people asked to meet him and he says sure. And when the door opens, in walks… Stack and Mary! They’re now sporting their 1992 finest, with her in black, wearing sunglasses, and Stack showing off a bright, colorful shirt and a flattop haircut. The bartender at first is smitten by Mary, then backs off in fear over the look she gives him and leaves the room.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the greatest cartoons of all time. The story of Aang and friends has been adapted into a movie, a live-action series, and multiple video games. But the end of that story isn’t actually the end of the story. There have since been a series of graphic novels that continue Aang’s journey after the fall of Firelord Ozai and before the start of The Legend of Korra.

There have been five Avatar: The Last Airbender graphic novels released since the end of the animated series, and a new box set was just released that features all of them. Not only that, Amazon just recently dropped the price down to $83 in a historic new low.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Omnibus Boxed Set Sale

Entertainment has hit critical mass over the last decade, with more shows and movies being produced and released than ever before. It’s impossible to keep up with everything hitting the digital space, whether it be Premium Video on Demand (PVOD) or a traditional streaming network. With that in mind, we figured it was well past time for us to whip up a little something to help you keep up (and catch up) with all there is to watch in the big, wide world of digital viewing. And thus, the Streaming Rewind was born!

We’ll update this list at the end of each week so you can check out what you may have missed, and what’s coming up on the weekend. We’ll keep it a mix of popular releases and noteworthy lesser-known titles to help you find what’s worth taking the risk on as well as dive into a few things that we loved and why we loved ‘em, or just break down a show or movie that left us with some opinions. Sometimes, we’ll even have guest entries from other members of the IGN staff. If you’re not interested in all that and just want to see a bulleted list of what’s out there, pop on down to the New and Noteworthy and ICYMI sections.

Captain America: Brave New World (Digital and Demand)

While it would have been nice if Sam Wilson got his own Captain America movie rather than the Thunderbolt Ross/Red Hulk movie we actually got, Captain America: Brave New World smashes its way onto digital and demand this week if you’ve been waiting on catching up with the latest chapter of the MCU. Though it’s one of the weaker entries to the franchise, it still features strong performances from Anthony Mackie (Cap), Carl Lumbly (Isaiah Bradley), and Harrison Ford (President Ross).

Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 Comes to a Close (Disney+)

Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again has come to a close. Though Season 1 had to be frankensteined a bit behind the scenes with multiple creative teams being brought in to salvage the project, they managed to deliver a relatively connected and engaging new entry into the live-action Daredevil pantheon. Things come to a close with the city of New York and its subsequent heroes on their backfoot, but never forget that the arc of the universe bends towards justice.

The Woman in the Yard (Digital and Demand)

While The Woman in the Yard was met by a mixed reception, I found Jaume Collet-Serra’s exploration of grief and depression engaging. While it definitely should have ended about three minutes earlier than it did, Danielle Deadwyler grabs the audience’s attention as Ramona, pulling us along with her flawed character as she faces off against Okwui Okpokwasili’s Woman in the wake of her husband’s death.

#1 Happy Family USA (Prime Video)

The animated #1 Happy Family USA is a weird one, but it’s worth giving a few episodes a watch to see if you’re on its wavelength. Co-created by and starring Ramy Roussef as the voice of Hussein, the series follows a Muslim-American family as they navigate life in America post-9/11. The juxtaposition of normal teen life like having a crush on your hot teacher or just figuring out who you’re going to be crashes against the Hussein family reality of fearful neighbors, FBI surveillance and all of the ugliness that came along in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy – all depicted through a comedic lens.

New and Noteworthy This Week:

• Captain America: Brave New World, April 15 — Digital and demand
• The Woman in the Yard, April 15 — Digital and demand
• Government Cheese, April 16 — Apple TV+
• #1 Happy Family USA, April 17 — Prime Video
• The Rehearsal, April 20 — Max

ICYMI:

If you had too much going on last week, here are some of the notable things that premiered or debuted on streaming and digital that you may have missed.

• Novocaine, April 8 — Digital and demand
• Mickey 17, April 8 — Digital and demand
• The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6, April 8 — Hulu
• Black Mirror Season 7, April 10 — Netflix
• Hacks, April 10 — Netflix
• Yellowjackets Season 3 Finale — Showtime
• Doctor Who Season 2, April 12 — Disney+
• The Last of Us Season 2, April 13 — Max

The best LED strip lights can truly transform any space, softly illuminating any area, be it your office, desk, or kitchen. If you really want to make an impact, RGB lights can enhance your gaming PC setup. Whether you’re looking to add a subtle glow under your cabinets or create a vibrant RGB light show in your gaming room, the possibilities are endless.

TL;DR – The Best LED Strip Lights:

Just like smart light bulbs, LED strip lights are savvy investments that can help you save money in the long run. By pairing your lights with a compatible sensor or lighting up smaller areas with fewer LEDs, you can optimize energy usage and reduce your electricity bills. With a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors available, you can easily find the ideal option to complement your space. Plus, many LED strip lights come with user-friendly apps that allow you to customize the lighting effects to suit your specific needs and preferences. (Here’s where to find them in the UK.)

1. Philips Hue Bluetooth Smart Lightstrip Plus

Best LED Strip Lights

2. Wyze Light Strip Pro

Best Budget LED Strip Lights

3. Corsair iCUE Lighting Node

Best LED Strip Lights for PC

4. Elgato Light Strip Pro

Best LED Strip Lights for Streaming

5. Govee RGBIC LED Strip Lights M1

Best LED Lights for Gaming Setups

6. Govee TV Backlight 3 Lite

Best LED Strip Lights for TV

7. Nanoleaf Shapes Triangles and Mini Triangles Smarter Kit (17 Pack)

Best LED Strip Accent Lighting

8. Nanoleaf Essentials Lightstrip

Best Smart LED Strip Light

9. Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Pro

Best Outdoor RGB Strip Lights

How to Pick the Best LED Strip Lights

Depending on what kind of vibe you want to create, you’ll want to focus on the brightness and color temperature of your chosen lights.

Brightness is measured in lumens; this allows you to gauge how bright the lights will be. Generally, higher lumens mean brighter lights. When it comes to color temperature, LED strip lights come in different options like warm white, cool white, and daylight. The color temperature can significantly impact the mood and ambiance of your space, so think about the atmosphere you want to create.

If you prefer a consistent color throughout, single-color LED strips might be the best choice for you. On the other hand, if you want the flexibility to change colors, RGB strips are an excellent option. RGB strips offer a wide range of colors and can be controlled with a remote or even a smartphone app, giving you ultimate control over your lighting.

One of the biggest things people overlook when picking the best LED strip lights is the length of the light strip versus the size of the space they’re looking to fill. Measuring your space first will help you determine the appropriate length and ensure the strip fits perfectly in your chosen location.

Strip Light FAQs

Do LED strip lights use a lot of electricity?

No. LED lights draw much less electricity than standard lights or bulbs. While you might not use strip lights to light your entire home, they’re fantastic for accent lighting and creating an ambient environment.

Can you cut LED strips?

It depends. Some LED strips can be cut without ruining the circuitry and others cannot. You should carefully read the product information before doing so. If the LED strips you purchase can be cut, the product will explicitly indicate the specific lines you need to cut along.

Do LED light strips get hot?

LED light strips can get a little warm to the touch, but certainly not as hot as a standard light bulb.

Where to Get the Best LED Strip Lights in the UK

Brian Barnett writes reviews, wiki guides, deals posts, features, and more for IGN. You can get your fix of his antics on Twitter (@Ribnax) or check out his show on Twitch (The Platformers).

Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.

Easily the biggest news to come out of Star Wars Celebration 2025 was the reveal that Deadpool & Wolverine’s Shawn Levy is directing Star Wars: Starfighter, a new standalone, live-action film starring Ryan Gosling. Starfighter is shaping up to be the next Star Wars film released after 2026’s The Mandalorian and Grogu, with production starting this fall for a May 28, 2027 release.

But beyond those basics, we know very little about the plot of Starfighter right now. Lucasfilm only revealed one crucial detail – the film is set about five years after the events of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. That places Starfighter further down the Star Wars timeline than any Star Wars movie or series to date.

What do we know about this period of Star Wars lore? Not a whole lot, frankly. That said, we can certainly speculate based on how The Rise of Skywalker ends and how the pre-Disney Legends universe handled this era. Let’s take a closer look at the big questions that linger after The Rise of Skywalker and how Starfighter may address them.

The Star Wars: Starfighter Games

First, we’d be remiss if we didn’t touch on the fact that Star Wars: Starfighter shares its name with a short-lived series of games from the PS2/Xbox era. The original Star Wars: Starfighter was released in 2001, followed by the sequel Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter in 2002.

The new movie might share a name with these two games, but we wouldn’t expect it to borrow much, if at all, from the games in terms of plot. The original Starfighter game is set during Episode I, showcasing some of the other heroic pilots before and during the Battle of Naboo. Jedi Starfighter, meanwhile, takes place during Episode II, focusing on Jedi Master Adi Gallia and Nym, a pirate character introduced in the first game. The new movie is set many decades after the two games, making it very unlikely it’ll adapt plot points from either one.

That being said, it’s always possible that the Starfighter movie could take a page from Jedi Starfighter in terms of its ship-to-ship combat. Jedi Starfighter was notable for introducing Force powers into the mix, allowing Adi to supplement her ship’s traditional weapons with abilities like a Force shield, lightning, and a shockwave. Could the movie do something similar? Is Gosling’s character a Jedi and a hotshot pilot? It’s certainly possible, and it would be one way of spicing up the fight scenes in the movie.

The Fate of the New Republic

The Rise of Skywalker may end with a final victory over Emperor Palpatine and his Sith Eternal, but the movie doesn’t really give us much insight into the state of the galaxy after the Battle of Exegol. The fate of the New Republic after the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens remains unclear. In the first chapter of the Sequel Trilogy, we see the First Order unleash its Starkiller Base superweapon, destroying Hosnian Prime and killing off the heads of the New Republic in one fell swoop. Most of the Sequel-era Star Wars projects have focused specifically on the conflict between Leia’s Resistance and the First Order, meaning we don’t have much insight into what became of the New Republic after its leadership was lost.

It’s possible that the New Republic still exists in the time of Star Wars: Starfighter, but we’d imagine it’s been greatly weakened. As it is, the Republic was already struggling prior to the rise of the First Order. As seen in the novel Star Wars: Bloodline, the New Republic government is eventually racked by conflict between Populists (who believe individual member planets should remain sovereign) and Centrists (who favor a stronger government and a larger military). That conflict may well carry over as the New Republic struggles to regroup and rebuild.

It also remains to be seen if some remnants of the First Order still persist five years after Palpatine’s defeat. Certainly, it’s not as if the Empire was wiped away after the Battle of Endor. It took years of fighting until the Rebellion finally conquered the Empire, and even then, they had the Imperial Remnant and Grand Admiral Thrawn to worry about. We may find that some traces of the First Order remain and have rallied around a surviving figurehead following Supreme Leader Kylo Ren’s death.

And that’s not even getting into the galaxy’s pirate problem. As seen in The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, piracy is a real threat in the chaotic years after the Empire’s fall. As the New Republic struggles to establish a foothold, many pirates and smugglers take advantage of the lawlessness on the fringes of the galaxy. We have to assume that this problem has only grown in scope after The Force Awakens.

All of this is to say that there’s likely to be a power struggle in the galaxy during the era of Star Wars: Starfighter, leaving ample room for the sort of epic space battles fans have come to expect. Gosling could be playing a New Republic pilot fighting to restore law and order to a chaotic galaxy. In that sense, Starfighter could potentially be a replacement for Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron movie. Gosling’s character could also be a homegrown defender of a world trying to defend itself without the Republic’s protection. For all we know, he could be an ex-First Order trooper like John Boyega’s Finn.

Given that Starfighter is being billed as a standalone movie, we don’t necessarily see it being the one to establish the next overarching Rebels vs. Empire or Resistance vs. First Order-style conflict for the franchise. More likely, it’ll explore the lingering fallout of the conflict in The Rise of Skywalker, centering around a villain taking advantage of the current power vacuum in the galaxy.

Rebuilding the Jedi Order

Luke Skywalker began the New Republic era with high hopes, seeking to rebuild the Jedi Order that Palpatine destroyed and mentor a new generation of Force-sensitive pupils. For a while, his plans worked. We see Luke building his new Jedi Temple in The Book of Boba Fett, and we know from various books and comics that Luke established a decent-sized school over the years.

Unfortunately, it all went to hell when the Skywalker family curse struck. Corrupted by Supreme Leader Snoke/Palpatine and spurred on by Uncle Luke himself, Ben Solo lashed out and destroyed Luke’s temple, killing many students in the process. He then joined up with the Knights of Ren and became Kylo Ren, chief enforcer of Snoke’s First Order. His Jedi Order in shambles, Luke retreated to Ahch-To to live out the last of his days as a cranky, milk-guzzling hermit.

So what’s become of the Jedi? Many died in Ben’s attack on the Temple, but we can’t imagine all of them were killed, any more than Order 66 successfully purged every last Clone Wars-era Jedi. There’s still the question of what’s up with Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka Tano and if she’s alive and active during the Sequel era. Don’t forget, her voice is heard among the Force ghosts at the end of The Rise of Skywalker, but Dave Filoni has also hinted that Ahsoka isn’t dead.

We know that Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker is setting out to rebuild the Jedi Order (again) and carry on Luke’s legacy. That’s going to be the focus of the New Jedi Order movie directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. However, that film is set 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker, putting it a full decade after the events of Starfighter.

It remains to be seen whether Starfighter will address the current state of the Jedi at all. It may depend largely on whether Gosling’s character is Force-sensitive or not. If he is, we could see Ridley playing a small role in the film as Rey reaches out to this promising pilot. But if not, it may be that Starfighter is like Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story – the rare Star Wars film that mostly ignores the Jedi in favor of ordinary heroes.

Are the Sith Still Around?

Just as we’re waiting to see what the state of the Jedi Order is post-The Rise of Skywalker, there’s also the question of whether there are any Sith characters still active in the galaxy. That movie cemented Ian McDiarmid’s Palpatine as the central villain of the entire Skywalker Saga, revealing he cheated his apparent death aboard the Death Star and was the secret hand pulling Supreme Leader Snoke’s strings. But with Palpatine dead and gone for real now (presumably), is there anything left of the Sith? Or did this ancient order finally die out along with him?

If the classic Expanded Universe is any indication, Palpatine won’t be the last Sith Lord. The various Star Wars Legends novels chronicled many conflicts in the years and decades after Return of the Jedi. Meanwhile, Dark Horse’s Star Wars: Legacy comic dealt with the rise of Darth Krayt and his army of Sith loyalists more than a hundred years after the events of the movies. There are always those hungry for power and ready to be seduced by the Dark Side.

This is definitely not the last time the galaxy will be threatened by a villain skilled in the ways of the Dark Side, whether or not they specifically call themselves Sith. As much as the Prequel movies hammer home the idea that the Sith follow the Rule of Two, the Clone Wars animated series showed us that Palpatine had multiple Dark Side rivals, including the Nightsisters of Dathomir and his former apprentice, Maul. It stands to reason that there are other players out there who might see an opportunity now that Palpatine is gone. Maybe he had another apprentice. Maybe there are surviving members of the Knights of Ren. Maybe another of Luke’s pupils has turned to the Dark Side.

Again, though, the real question is whether Star Wars: Starfighter is going to dive into any of this. If Gosling isn’t playing a Jedi character, there may be no reason to touch on the current state of the Sith in Starfighter. We may have to wait for the New Jedi Order movie or Simon Kinberg’s Star Wars trilogy instead.

Could Poe Dameron or Other Sequel Trilogy Characters Return?

Star Wars: Starfighter features a brand new lead character and is set in a period we haven’t seen in the movies or shows yet. It’s also a standalone movie, meaning we shouldn’t necessarily expect tons of familiar faces to show up and fight alongside or against Gosling’s character. Still, this is Star Wars. The movies rarely waste an opportunity to throw in cameos and callbacks. If we got a Darth Maul cameo of all things in Solo: A Star Wars Story, then surely someone from the Sequels is bound to show up in Starfighter, right?

Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron seems like the most likely candidate. He’s probably the best pilot in the galaxy now that Han Solo is dead, and he’s a decorated hero who survived many run-ins with the First Order. We have to assume Poe has some part to play in rebuilding the galaxy and restoring the New Republic, meaning he’s in a great position to lend a helping hand in whatever predicament Gosling’s character finds himself.

We could also see everyone’s favorite Wookiee making a return appearance. What is Chewbacca up to these days? Is he still Rey’s copilot, or have they parted ways now that she’s focused on rebuilding the Jedi? What if Gosling’s character, through a twist of fate, finds himself piloting the Millennium Falcon alongside Chewbacca? It would certainly be comforting to have that tether to the Skywalker Saga movies.

There’s also room for Boyega to return as Finn, especially if the film specifically deals with a conflict involving remnants of the First Order. Finn was frustratingly underutilized in The Rise of Skywalker, but that film did hint that he’s become a bit of a folk hero to those Stormtroopers deserting their posts and rebelling against the First Order. Has Finn continued to seek out like-minded soldiers and help them overcome their conditioning like he did? What if Gosling’s character is one of those troopers?

And then there’s Rey. As we’ve already discussed, whether or not she appears in Starfighter may largely depend on whether Gosling’s character is revealed to be a Jedi or not. Lucasfilm clearly has plans for Rey going forward, but Starfighter may not be part of those plans.

Which surviving character from The Rise of Skywalker would you most like to see in Star Wars: Starfighter? Cast your vote in our poll and let us know in the comments below.

For more on the future of the Star Wars franchise, find out why Lucasfilm needs to stop announcing movies and just make them, and brush up on every Star Wars movie and series in development.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.