Take Leia’s heroism, Ahsoka’s tenacity, Rey’s unflinching courage, toss them in a Star Wars-shaped blender, and you’ll have a close approximation of Forces Of Destiny, the new two-part animated series set to premiere via Disney’s YouTube channel on July 3rd.
Each short stretches between two and three minutes in length, and perhaps most exciting of all, the Mouse House has welcomed the likes of Daisy Ridley (Rey) and Felicity Jones (Jyn Erso) into the recording booth to voice their respective characters. They’re joined on the casting docket by Tiya Sircar (Sabine Wren), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano), and Lupita Nyong’o (Maz Kanata), the latter of whom is set to narrate the series. Other leading ladies set to appear in Forces of Destiny include Padmè Amidala and Princess Leia, who were brought to life on the silver screen by Natalie Portman and the late Carrie Fisher, respectively.
First announced back at Celebration in April, Star Wars Rebels producer Dave Filoni originally pitched the series as “bite-sized, short [and] self-contained adventures that take place in different time periods.”
To give you some indication of the art style and animation underpinning Star Wars: Forces of Destiny, we’ve included several screenshots of Rey and Jyn in action, while there’s also the first-look trailer for your viewing pleasure. It’s a totally original series of Star Wars vignettes, and here’s how Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy summed up those untold stories, which appear to be considered official canon.
“Star Wars Forces of Destiny is for anyone who has been inspired by Leia’s heroism, Rey’s courage, or Ahsoka’s tenacity. We’re thrilled that so many of the original actors are reprising their roles in these shorts which capture the small moments and everyday decisions that shape who these characters are. It is a fun new way for people to experience Star Wars.”
Looks like you won’t have to wait until December to catch the next Star Wars story; from July 3rd, YouTube.com/Disney will host a new animated installment of Forces of Destiny at 10 am PST, culminating in a finale that will air via the Disney Channel on July 9th.
