Ahsoka two-episode premiere will arrive a day early on Disney+

We’re less than a week out from the premiere of Ahsoka, the next Star Wars series heading to Disney+. You might think that means we’re too close for Disney to change the release date, but you’d be wrong! Following the Ahsoka premiere fan event last night, the streamer announced that the show’s two-episode premiere is coming to Disney+ a day earlier than expected, on August 22 at 6:00 p.m. PST.

Ahsoka will premiere a day early, because release dates mean nothing in streaming

Starring Rosario Dawson as the titular Jedi outcast, Ahsoka is shaping up to be quite an event. Not only is Ahsoka Tano a widely beloved character, but the series will also see a bunch of characters from the Star Wars Rebels animated series make their debut in live action, such as Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelson).

Lucasfilm has had a few TV shows recently that didn’t quite become massive hits the way early seasons of The Mandalorian did, most notably that show’s third season, which received a much quieter reception, and The Book of Boba Fett. Maybe Ahsoka will reverse that trend?

Critics give first impressions of Ahsoka following fan premiere event

Based on initial responses to the show, it sounds promising enough. Let’s run through a few first impressions from the premiere event:

• Decider’s Meghan O’Keefe wrote that “[Showrunner] Dave Filoni lovingly brings his rebels to life in a story that embraces mythology, magic, and lore in a way that could turn off, say, ANDOR fans. Slower paced than expected but still enthralling for this Rebels fan. Natasha Liu Bordizzo is my early MVP.”
• “First two episodes of #Ahsoka are really good,” said Steven Weintraub for Collider. “Even if you’ve never seen #Rebels or #clonewars it’s super easy to follow. Impressed with the action & how it’s all story. No side missions or filler. Can’t wait to see episode 3. Wish I could watch future episodes on a movie screen.”
• Erik Davis for Fandango: “The first 2 episodes of #Ahsoka are a lot of fun, especially for fans of REBELS and CLONE WARS. Love Ashoka’s fight scenes the most. The 1st episode is written & directed by Dave Filoni & it’s my fav of the two. Definitely more serious in tone. This is some good #StarWars.”
• “This is the first Star Wars show to have an opening crawl,” notes Jorgie of POCculture. “Ahsoka is 100% a sequel to Rebels. The 2 episode premiere felt like it was right out of The Clone Wars & Star Wars Rebels, but in live action.
• “Rebels fans, we’re so back,” wrote WinterIsComing’s own Chelsea Tatum Zukowski, who will be reviewing Ahsoka in Orlando Weekly. “Beautiful character moments, intense lightsaber duels, and mysterious baddies make up the first two episodes of the most exciting #StarWars series in years. #Ahsoka feels like the start of a new era in Star Wars – even packed with some of the most beloved characters.”

So it sounds like people really enjoyed these first two episodes, which especially service fans of Star Wars Rebels. That’s not too surprising; Ahsoka showrunner Dave Filoni also created that animated series, which has a passionate fanbase. Maybe now Chopper can now finally get his just recognition as the best droid in Star Wars.

The first two episodes of Ahsoka are coming to Disney+ on August 22 at 6:00 p.m. PST. That’s a day earlier than we thought, so adjust your premiere-day plans accordingly!

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