By George & Josh Bate
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event kicks off this Friday for a three day celebration that promises to bring tons of exciting updates and programming to fans of a galaxy far, far away.
The last D23 back in 2024 featured the world exclusive first look at The Mandalorian and Grogu, while previous D23 events have included exclusive new looks at The Rise of Skywalker and The Mandalorian, amongst other Star Wars projects.
Keep reading for a full breakdown of all the Star Wars programming coming to D23 2026 and some of our predictions for what the event has in store for a galaxy far, far away. All dates/times are in PT as the event takes place in Anaheim, California.
Friday August 14
10:00am: A LEGO Star Wars Conversation with Shelby Young – Go behind the bricks with voice actress Shelby Young as she discusses her experience across various LEGO Star Wars projects, including a sneak peek into new LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian special coming to Disney+ on September 2.
12:00pm: Ahsoka Spotlight – Ahsoka’s Eman Esfandi, who plays Ezra in live action, stops by to talk about making Season 1 of the Emmy Award®-winning Disney+ series.
12:45pm – 1:45pm: Disney Music Presents: The Art of the Score – Michael Giacchino shares his creative process with a special performance.
2:00pm: Creatures and Characters with Legacy Effects – The creative effects studio that brought the Mandalorian, Grogu, and the Anzellans to life talks about the craft of making lifelike creatures and costumes.
4pm, 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm: The Mandalorian and Grogu Meet and Greet
7:00pm – 9:00pm: Disney Entertainment Showcase (Honda Center) – Exclusive previews, celebrity appearances, performances, and major Disney announcements.
Saturday August 15
10:00am – 11:00am: LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian screening
10:00am: Hasbro: Bringing Star Wars Characters to Life Through Toys – Meet the Makers! Join the Hasbro team for a conversation about the creative journey behind bringing Star Wars characters from the screen into fans’ hands through expressive, interactive toy design.
2:00pm: Creatures and Characters with Legacy Effects – The creative effects studio that brought the Mandalorian, Grogu, and the Anzellans to life talks about the craft of making lifelike creatures and costumes.
4pm, 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm: The Mandalorian and Grogu Meet and Greet
7:00pm – 9:00pm: Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase (Honda Center) – Neil Patrick Harris hosts a look at the future of Disney Parks and Experiences.
Sunday August 16
10:00am: The Making of Star Wars: The Experience – Lucasfilm’s Portia Fontes and Matt Martin join The Franklin Institute’s Abby Bysshe and MDSX’s Dan Picard to provide an in-depth look at curating the new Star Wars: The Experience traveling exhibition to celebrate 50 years of the franchise and the fandom.
10:45am – 11:45am: The Force of Innovation: Hasbro’s Grogu Animatronic – Go behind the creation of Hasbro’s lifelike Grogu collectible.
12:00pm: Inside Maul – Shadow Lord – Join head writer and executive producer Matt Michnovetz as he discusses the production process, creative journey, and powerful storytelling of Maul – Shadow Lord Season 1.
Star Wars Predictions: What Reveals and Announcements Might Happen
Of all the events scheduled for D23 2026, the Disney Entertainment Showcase on Friday, August 14, is easily the weekend’s biggest attraction. Disney has a long history of using this presentation to unveil new projects and debut exclusive footage, making it a prime opportunity for major announcements.
For Star Wars fans, one of the safest predictions is that D23 2026 could deliver the first major look at Star Wars: Starfighter, the upcoming feature film directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling. There is already precedent for D23 being used to spotlight major Star Wars productions. At the previous expo in 2024, Disney gave attendees a world-exclusive first look at The Mandalorian and Grogu, suggesting that Starfighter could receive similar treatment this year in the form of a trailer and some pictures. Given the relatively underwhelming box-office performance of The Mandalorian and Grogu, Disney and Lucasfilm may also see D23 as an opportunity to reassure audiences that they have another major Star Wars hit waiting in the wings.
The Disney Entertainment Showcase will also likely offer fans their first glimpse at Ahsoka Season 2, which is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ early next year. Production on the upcoming season wrapped some time ago, and the series is now well into post-production. That means Dave Filoni and his team could already have a trailer—or potentially even several finished scenes—ready to unveil at D23.
There is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding the future of live-action Star Wars television, particularly because Ahsoka Season 2 currently stands as the only officially announced live-action Star Wars series on the near-term schedule. If Lucasfilm wants to share news before next year’s Star Wars Celebration, D23 2026 could provide the perfect opportunity to reveal what comes next for the franchise on Disney+ and clear up uncertainty surrounding the future of live-action Star Wars shows.
One possibility could involve an update on Dave Filoni’s long-discussed crossover project, heavily rumored to be a canon version of Heir to the Empire. Rather than moving forward as a feature film, the project could potentially be reimagined as a television miniseries, giving Lucasfilm another major announcement to make during the showcase.
On the animation side, Maul – Shadow Lord Season 2 is already in development. Considering the widespread praise for the series’ first season, it wouldn’t be surprising if Disney and Lucasfilm decided to give fans an early look at the upcoming episodes, which are expected to arrive on Disney+ next year.
Beyond Maul – Shadow Lord, however, a brand-new animated Star Wars series feels less likely. That said, given the franchise’s history of unexpected announcements at major Disney events, it remains a possibility that shouldn’t be completely ruled out.