Background Lucasfilm announced several spin-offs from the
Star Wars series
The Mandalorian (2019–2023) in December 2020, including
Ahsoka.
Rosario Dawson was set to reprise her role as
Ahsoka Tano from
The Mandalorian, having taken over from
Ashley Eckstein who voiced the character in
Dave Filoni's animated series
Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2020) and
Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018). The new spin-off series were set in the same timeframe as
The Mandalorian—during the 30 years between the films
Return of the Jedi (1983) and
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)—and were planned to culminate in a "climactic story event". They were being developed by
The Mandalorian creator
Jon Favreau and Filoni, with Filoni creating and
showrunning Ahsoka. Lucasfilm's
Kathleen Kennedy, Carrie Beck, and
Colin Wilson were also executive producers. The
first season of
Ahsoka continued a story that Filoni established in the epilogue of
Rebels, and was referred to by some fans and commentators as effectively being a fifth season of
Rebels. That series ended with protagonist
Ezra Bridger and antagonist
Grand Admiral Thrawn being taken to an unknown location, and the epilogue showed Ahsoka joining Ezra's friend
Sabine Wren to search for them. In the first season of
Ahsoka, Ezra and Thrawn are found in another galaxy and return to the main
Star Wars galaxy, while Ahsoka and Sabine are stranded in the other galaxy with antagonists
Baylan Skoll and
Shin Hati. Baylan discovers large statues of the
Mortis gods–powerful
Force-wielders introduced in
The Clone Wars–as part of his own journey. It was initially unclear how Baylan's story would continue following the death of actor
Ray Stevenson in May 2023.
Development Ahsoka was initially reported to be a
miniseries, but
Disney was not listing it as such by February 2023. That April, Filoni was announced to be making a film that would serve as a culmination of the interconnected stories of
The Mandalorian and its spin-offs. The film's timing would depend on future television seasons, including a possible second season of
Ahsoka which was dependent on the first season's performance. When the first season was fully released in October, a second season was considered more likely to be Filoni's next project than the film. The next month, Filoni revealed that he was now chief creative officer at Lucasfilm and would be directly involved in the planning of future films and series. He was considering a second season of
Ahsoka at that time, and Lucasfilm officially announced that Filoni was developing the season in January 2024. Filoni said the second season would have eight episodes, like the first, which he had written by April 2025. In September,
Bryce Dallas Howard revealed that she directed two episodes of the season after previously directing for
The Mandalorian and other
Star Wars series. Filoni,
Jennifer Getzinger, and Anders Engström also directed episodes of the season.
Writing The season features two storylines: Ahsoka and Sabine are hunted by Shin on Peridea as part of their journey, which is connected to the Mortis gods and culminates in a confrontation with Baylan; and Thrawn leads the remnants of the
Galactic Empire and his
Nightsister allies against the
New Republic, whose forces are led by
Admiral Ackbar. Filoni said it was challenging for him to write the season after Stevenson's death. He discussed with the actor's family before deciding to recast the role of Baylan and continue his story. He explained that Baylan is "the parallel to Ahsoka in every way, a different journey for a Jedi who has been lost".
Casting Rosario Dawson returned from the first season to star as Ahsoka Tano, alongside
Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren,
Mary Elizabeth Winstead as
Hera Syndulla,
Ivanna Sakhno as
Shin Hati,
Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger,
Hayden Christensen as
Anakin Skywalker, and
Lars Mikkelsen as
Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Rory McCann was cast to replace Stevenson as Baylan Skoll in January 2025, and his casting was confirmed that April at
Star Wars Celebration Japan. Filoni said they wanted an actor who understood both the character and Stevenson, and could follow the "blueprint" that Stevenson established. He said McCann had "such respect for Ray, and his whole focus is not letting Ray down and not letting [the audience] down". McCann was previously cast as Brasso in the
Star Wars television series
Andor (2022–2025), but was forced to leave the role due to a knee injury and was replaced by
Joplin Sibtain.
Jeryl Prescott Gallien and Jane Edwina Seymour returned from the first season as
Nightsister Great Mothers Aktropaw and Lakesis, respectively.
Claudia Black was also asked to reprise her role as Great Mother Klothow, but chose not to because she felt the salary offered would not allow her to maintain her responsibilities in
Los Angeles as a single mother while filming the season in
London. Black said she understood Disney's business decision not to meet her salary demands.
Design Doug Chiang returned as production designer from the first season and was joined by Martin Foley. Filoni asked special effects supervisor
Neal Scanlan to replicate "all the wiggles" of the original Admiral Ackbar prosthetics from
Return of the Jedi. Sabine's loth-cat Murley, created with puppets and animatronics, returned from the first season alongside new loth-kittens who Filoni explained have "legs [that] aren't strong enough to walk, so they have to roll around".
Filming Principal photography began on April 28, 2025, in the United Kingdom. Stephan Pehrsson was the cinematographer for episodes two, three, and six. A
wrap party for the season was held at the end of September, with work finishing in October.
Music Kevin Kiner returned as composer from the first season and started discussing the second season with Filoni by mid-June 2024. Filoni created a playlist of music while he was writing the season for Kiner to use as reference. == Marketing ==